Departing Chicago board approves appointment of new school CEO

From The Chicago Tribune: The outgoing board of the Chicago Public Schools has approved the appointment of the city's newest schools chief for an initial annual salary of $250,000. But district CEO Jean-Claude Brizard still does not have a contract. The board approved an agreement that extends through June 30; that gives the district's new board members an opportunity to review and decide on the terms of a contract

Earlier...from The Chicago Tribune: Much of the recent talk about reforming Chicago Public Schools has focused on boosting student achievement, the most pressing concern for the district's new leadership team is simple economics. The nation's third-largest school district faces a $720 million budget deficit for the next school year that is a result of years of financial missteps, shifting priorities and postponing difficult decisions to cut payroll and programs.