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CPS Faces Dwindling Enrollment, Empty Buildings, Soaring Deficits Decade After Mass Closure of Schools

Top public officials vow improvements as the district marks the 10th anniversary of its decision to close 49 schools.

by Jewél Jackson, Grey Lucas and Casey Toner May 23, 2023September 12, 2025

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CPS Faces Dwindling Enrollment, Empty Buildings, Soaring Deficits Decade After Mass Closure of Schools

by Jewél Jackson, Grey Lucas and Casey Toner, Illinois Answers Project
May 23, 2023

<h1>CPS Faces Dwindling Enrollment, Empty Buildings, Soaring Deficits Decade After Mass Closure of Schools</h1>
<p class="byline">by Jewél Jackson, Grey Lucas and Casey Toner, Illinois Answers Project <br />May 23, 2023</p>
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The building that housed Genevieve Melody Public School in the West Garfield Park neighborhood is one of more than two dozen CPS schools shuttered a decade ago that were never redeveloped. (Credit: Trent Sprague/For Illinois Answers Project) — The building that housed Genevieve Melody Public School in the West Garfield Park neighborhood is one of more than two dozen CPS schools shuttered a decade ago that have yet to be redeveloped. (Credit: Trent Sprague/For Illinois Answers Project)

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Jewél Jackson

jjackson@bettergov.org

Jewél Jackson is a multimedia investigative reporter who focuses on K-12 and higher education for the Illinois Answers Project. She has covered higher education for El Paso Matters in El Paso, Texas and various social justice movements in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Jackson has produced numerous radio segments for local National Public Radio stations and is an alumna of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

More by Jewél Jackson

Grey Lucas

Grey Lucas was an investigative reporting intern with the Illinois Answers Project in 2022 and 2023.

More by Grey Lucas

Casey Toner

ctoner@illinoisanswers.org

Casey Toner, a Chicago native, has been an Illinois Answers reporter since 2016, taking the lead on numerous projects about criminal justice and politics. His series on police shootings in suburban Cook County resulted in a state law requiring procedural investigations of all police shootings in Illinois. Before he joined Illinois Answers, he wrote for the Daily Southtown and was a statewide reporter for Alabama Media Group, a consortium of Alabama newspapers. Outside of work, he enjoys watching soccer and writing music.

More by Casey Toner