Chicago Public Schools budget passes amid discord with teachers

The Chicago Board of Education approved a $7.7 billion fiscal 2020 budget on Wednesday, rejecting a call to delay a vote on the spending plan by the district's teachers union, which is eyeing a possible strike next month. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), which is in contract talks with the nation's third-largest public school system, claimed the new spending plan fails to address "dire" shortages of social workers, nurses and other staff. School officials said the budget funds 95 additional positions that were part of a commitment by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot for more than 450 new jobs over five years.