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To the editors:
Some clarification is in order on Chicago public school system staffing, as reported in Florence Levinsohn's article, "School Revolt" [May 26].
For the current school year, 42,331 positions are budgeted. Of these, 37,453 (88.5%) are at the schools, 2,020 (4.8%) are at the 23 district offices, 1,915 (4.5%) are at the central office and 943 (2.2%) are citywide.
By function, 23,793 (56.2%) of the positions are teaching, 14,316 (33.8%) are school support, 3,237 (7.7%) are clerical and 985 (2.3%) are administrative. Included in the latter are 502 positions for school principals.
A management and organization study conducted for the school system a year ago by Peat Marwick Main & Co. and Washington, Pittman & McKeever proposed that central office staff be reduced by 364 positions, and that district office and school staffs be increased by 1,593 (including 354 teachers) positions to increase support for local schools.
On a related matter, the Board of Education, an initiator of the current school reform movement and a steadfast proponent of school reform, is ready to implement the requirements of the new school reform law.
Robert M. Saigh Director of Information Department of Communications Chicago Public Schools W. Pershing
Florence Hamlish Levinsohn replies:
Robert Saigh's figures are very interesting. It is more interesting that the one figure I quoted from him in the article is all he gave me in response to my phone call.
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