Chicago Public Schools to Announce 'Painful Layoffs' Friday

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http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/CPS-to-Announce-Painful-Layoffs-Friday-366112911.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_CHBrand

Chicago Public Schools is set to announce a round of “painful layoffs” to its Central Office and administrative staff Friday.

With a budget crisis looming and the second semester underway, the district said it plans to streamline its Central Office and administrative staff by “prioritizing the immediate needs of our schools.”

“We do not take these actions lightly, but as we ask others to do their part, we are doing everything in our power to put our fiscal house in order,” CPS CEO Forrest Claypool said in a statement. “Every department at CPS will have to do more with less, as we streamline administrative functions in an effort to prevent cuts from reaching our classroom doors. These cuts will consolidate some functions and challenge the district to continue delivering services.”

It was not clear how many layoffs the latest round will include, but Mayor Rahm Emanuel discussed the potential cuts in an interview earlier this week.

"We've cut and changed about $750 million out of the Central Office in efficiencies and I know that Janice and Forrest are working on additional types of changes," he said. "I think about $50 million in Central Office cuts to preserve the classroom."

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I read this article and want to pull out my hair. Why does CPS have a CEO? 

"We've cut and changed about $750 million out of the Central Office in efficiencies and I know that Janice and Forrest are working on additional types of changes," he said. "I think about $50 million in Central Office cuts to preserve the classroom."

$750 mil in efficiencies??? Can't they do that all the time?  $50 mil to preserve the classroom?? Why not all the time?