Chicago’s Board of Education has approved a new budget for Chicago Public Schools, rejecting calls from Mayor Brandon Johnson and others for high-interest borrowing to help the cash-strapped district cover a $175 million municipal pension payment it may instead pass on to the city. The board voted 12-7, with one abstention, late Thursday following a contentious debate between board members who were split on how best to fund city schools while keeping costly cuts out of the classroom.
