The Burning Question: Just How Many Heroes Does it Take to Run CPS?
Ever wondered how many teachers it takes to wrangle, enlighten, and caffeinate the minds of young Chicagoans? Well, my friend, you've stumbled upon a question that's both endlessly fascinating and slightly terrifying (teachers, we appreciate you - seriously).
Let's dive into the teacher-verse of Chicago Public Schools (CPS):
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The Headcount: Buckle up, because according to the 2020-2021 school year data, a whopping 21,974 teachers were braving the CPS battlefield. That's more educators than there are starting quarterbacks who can throw a spiral in this whole city (probably).
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But wait, there's more! That number only counts the teachers in the trenches. We can't forget the assistant principals who heroically deal with permission slip purgatory, or the librarians who wrestle rogue teenagers away from the temptation of the YA dystopian novel section.** In total, CPS boasts a mighty 39,323 staff members. That's an army of educators large enough to stage an epic dodgeball tournament against, well, another really big school district.
So, why so many teachers? Here's the not-so-funny truth: teachers wear a lot of hats. From counselor to comedian, they're the ultimate multi-taskers. They deserve a medal (and maybe a lifetime supply of coffee).
The Fun Fact You Didn't Know You Needed: Did you know that according to a study by [whoever did the study], smaller class sizes lead to better student achievement? Well, with a student-to-teacher ratio of around 15.84 (as of 2019-2020), CPS is definitely giving it their best shot.
The Enduring Mystery: While we have a pretty good idea of the teacher headcount, the real question is: how many gallons of coffee do they consume on a daily basis to fuel their heroic feats? That, my friends, remains a mystery for the ages.
