Dan Proft | AM 560
Dan Proft | AM 560
Dan Proft, co-host of AM 560 The Answer, has raised concerns about the Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) Safe Passages program. He claims that the initiative is designed more for the benefit of adults than children, which he says is why issues with the program remain unaddressed.
"Between the flight from CPS and the chronic absenteeism, there are few kids for whom to provide "safe passage" but, as it is a system set up for the benefit of the adults, there's no reason anyone should lose their patronage gig," said Proft, Radio host, political commentator and activist.
According to a collaboration between ProPublica and Chalkbeat, declining enrollment in CPS and reluctance to close underused schools are significant issues. DuSable High School, once enrolling over 4,000 students, has been divided into two schools with enrollments of just 115 and 70 students. Despite operating at less than one-third capacity, these schools maintain separate leadership and offices, costing nearly $500,000 per student. Superintendent Pedro Martinez has said that Chicago has more schools than its student population can support.
Screenshot of Dan Proft's June 17 post on X
| X
Wirepoints reported in October 2024 that CPS spends $100 million annually on its 11,721 students across the 20 emptiest schools. Douglass High School is highlighted as having a capacity for 900 students but only enrolling 35. In 2023, CPS proposed over $1 million in capital projects for these schools, estimating necessary improvements would cost between $134,437 and $1,172,857 per student. Additionally, Wirepoints noted that only one in ten students reads at grade level.
CPS faces a budget shortfall of $529 million according to WBEZ Chicago's May report. In response to financial challenges, the city provided CPS with $298 million from special taxing districts in 2024. However, this year the district is expected to make a $175 million municipal pension payment which outgoing CEO Pedro Martinez has said will not be made.
Proft co-hosts "Chicago’s Morning Answer" on AM 560 Chicago and was previously a Republican candidate for Illinois governor. He attended Northwestern University and earned his J.D. from Loyola University-Chicago.
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