Illinois House passes bill making it easier for Chicago teachers to strike

By Mailee Smith

04/03/2019

Two of the nation’s largest government union strikes in the past decade happened in Illinois – both by the Chicago Teachers Union. And now a bill in the General Assembly would give Chicago teachers more chances to go on strike.

TAGS: Chicago, collective bargaining, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike, unions

Hundreds of educators stop paying money to Chicago Teachers Union following Janus decision

By Mailee Smith

08/23/2018

At least 300 Chicago Public Schools employees have stopped paying fees to the Chicago Teachers Union after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled they could not be forced to pay the union just to keep their jobs.

TAGS: agency, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, labor

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