The $734 million funding gap assumes the district will reimburse the city for a pension payment that covers school district and city workers.
With a new interim CEO, the school district must close a $529 million deficit
Outgoing CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said he underestimated how hard it would be to convince Mayor Brandon Johnson to release money collected in tax-increment-financing districts.
Declining school enrollment has left 30% of Chicago public schools at least half-empty. The city’s failure to address this problem has come at a high cost to the district — and its students.
Schools such as Richards High School tried more flexible grading during the pandemic. They are reversing course after students were passing with little effort and weren’t coming to class.
The number of CPS high school students skipping at least 35 days doubled since 2019. Yet, the district's graduation rate continues to rise.
Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova told families in an email she plans to depart the district after 24 years as a teacher, principal, and district official. CPS CEO Pedro Martinez will also leave in June for a job leading Massachusetts schools after being fired without cause in December.
The committee is mandated by state law, which was amended at the same time lawmakers drew electoral districts for Chicago’s first school board elections.
Illinois' switch back to the ACT has been a bumpy ride. On April 8, a technical glitch prevented 11,000 students from finishing the exam on the same day.
The district is hosting a series of virtual and in-person hearings to get feedback from families and residents as it starts work on its 2025-26 capital budget.