Capital spending to be cut sharply in Chicago schools

From The Chicago Tribune: Faced with a nearly $700 million budget deficit, the Chicago school system is proposing a capital spending budget for the coming fiscal year of $110 million, a sharp drop from this year's $660 million. The district plans to focus on essential repairs to school buildings, playgrounds to accommodate the longer school day that begins citywide in September, and technology for schools participating in a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum.