CTU merger with charter school union is bad for both students and teachers

By Mailee Smith

01/31/2018

The Chicago Teachers Union's hold over the lives of Chicagoans will grow through its merger with ChiACTS, the union representing Chicago-area charter school teachers.

TAGS: charter schools, Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, unions

Chicago City Council approves $5.5 million TIF subsidy for private health provider

By Vincent Caruso

01/19/2018

Under the guise of rehabilitating underserved communities, Chicago City Council approved another tax transfer to a private company.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, property taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Investigation: CPS employees stole gift cards meant for students

By Brendan Bakala

01/03/2018

From 2013 to 2016, Chicago Public Schools purchased more than $250,600 worth of gift cards, most of which were meant for students and families. But CPS employees stole some of them, according to the inspector general’s office.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Forrest Claypool

Chicago Public Schools CEO resigns following ethics investigation

By Brendan Bakala

12/08/2017

Forrest Claypool will step down as the head of Chicago Public Schools after the CPS inspector general recommended his firing.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, Forrest Claypool, Rahm Emanuel

Cook County local government debt hits $139 billion

By Chris Lentino

11/07/2017

Cook County governments have now amassed $139 billion in debt, a 30 percent increase over the last 5 years.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, debt, local government, municipal pensions

State taxpayers will be paying for CPS’ underutilized schools

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

10/12/2017

Under Illinois’ new education funding formula, the wildly mismanaged Chicago school district won’t lose a dime in state funding, no matter how many students it loses.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, enrollment

Rauner signs school funding plan, tax credit scholarships into law

By Austin Berg

08/31/2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed a school funding reform bill containing Illinois’ first-ever tax credit scholarship program.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, property taxes

Rahm’s celebration of test results ignores how CPS is still failing students

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

08/31/2017

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is touting a specific set of test scores showing improving student performance, while sweeping larger achievement problems under the rug.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, Rahm Emanuel

Illinois General Assembly passes school funding plan, tax credit scholarships

By Austin Berg

08/29/2017

The Illinois Senate passed a school funding reform bill containing the state’s first-ever tax credit scholarship program. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Illinois General Assembly, school choice, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Illinois House passes school funding plan, tax credit scholarships

By Austin Berg

08/28/2017

After failing to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1, which stripped a Chicago bailout from the education funding proposal, Illinois House members voted to pass a compromise bill containing the state’s first-ever tax credit scholarship program.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Illinois General Assembly, school choice, TIF: Tax Increment Financing