Education will be a major platform piece during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Too bad the party will meet near a Chicago school where spending $27K per student yields none who can read at grade level.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is reportedly working to get rid of Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez. Martinez has been fighting financial ploys by Johnson and the mayor’s former employer, the Chicago Teachers Union.
Nearly 31% of public school teachers in Chicago send at least one of their kids to private school. What does that say about the quality of a public-school education in Chicago?
Just 13% of IEA’s spending was on representing teachers in 2023. But the spending of its national affiliate – the National Education Association – was even worse, with less than 8% of its spending on representing teachers’ interests.
With 10 Chicago Public Schools Board of Education seats on the Nov. 5 ballot up for grabs, the battle is on for the Chicago Teachers Union to take full control of the city and district.
Chicago Public Schools’ reliance on temporary federal pandemic funds has left the district grappling with deficits even before factoring in a new Chicago Teachers Union contract. $505M deficit + $10B in demands = taxpayer trouble
Here are data snapshots of Illinois communities, schools and government. See how well your tax dollars are performing in your city, county or school compared to others.
As Chicago Public Schools spending per student continues to rise, test scores and proficiency levels among students continue to drop.
Hundreds of Chicago Public Schools buildings have a space-use problem – they’re too empty. Nearly 60% of schools are underutilized while 5% are overcrowded. Only 37% are at ideal capacity. The Chicago Teachers Union wants to add staff to the empty schools.
Illinois students’ reading and math proficiency have yet to rebound from pandemic losses. Illinois parents have a right to know what their children are being taught so they can be part of the solution.
Lawmakers in 2023 required the Illinois State Board of Education to create a public school literacy plan using evidence-based reading instructional practices. A follow-up bill awaiting the governor’s signature would require school vendors to follow that plan.
Enrollment at Chicago Public Schools has dropped by 31,905 students since 2019. The district’s staff has increased by 5,472 full-time equivalent staff members over that same period. CPS now has 323,251 students and 43,255 staff members, including teachers.
Illinois’ average in-state tuition to public universities is among the highest in the nation. Getting an education is crucial to escaping poverty, putting Illinoisans at a great disadvantage.
A study found charter students in poverty had stronger growth in reading and math compared to their peers in traditional public schools, especially minority students in poverty. But the Chicago Teachers Union wants to limit families’ options to enroll their students in charter schools.