Teachers who oppose CTU strike can opt out of union

By Mailee Smith

09/26/2016

Resigning from the union before the potential upcoming strike can protect teachers from union discipline.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Karen Lewis

CPS’ 2017 budget: More taxes, more borrowing, no accountability

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

08/26/2016

Chicago Public Schools officials had an opportunity to enact serious reforms addressing the district’s dire financial condition, but they instead opted to further burden Chicago taxpayers without offering any change.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, pensions

5 reasons why Illinois politicians should reject a Chicago Public Schools bailout

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

06/28/2016

Until CPS passes necessary spending and pension reforms, giving any additional money to the system will only reward officials’ mismanagement and reckless behavior.

TAGS: budget, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Mike Madigan, municipal pensions, pensions, Rahm Emanuel

Madigan holds up budget to push bailout of Chicago Public Schools

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

06/23/2016

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s insistence that Chicago Public Schools receive more than its fair share of state education funding is putting any stopgap budget deal at risk.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Mike Madigan, Rahm Emanuel

CPS, CTU want to create new taxing districts to raise $100 million from taxpayers

By Chris Lentino

05/12/2016

Creating new special service areas for the sole benefit of Chicago Public Schools would mean hitting homeowners with an additional $100 million in taxes.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

04/07/2016

Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool has claimed that Chicago students are discriminated against under the state's education funding formula. But the numbers show the opposite: Chicago has received more than its fair share of education funding from the state.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools

CPS files charges against CTU for ‘illegal’ strike

By Jeffrey Schwab

04/01/2016

The union’s one-day strike is an illegal, aggressive political power play, and its attempt to coerce its members to participate violates its own constitution. Here’s a breakdown of the timeline, the law and the political statement the union is making.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Karen Lewis

Chicago Teachers Union’s threatened April 1 strike date isn’t legal

By Jeffrey Schwab

03/03/2016

The Chicago Teachers Union has threatened to strike as early as April 1 over Chicago Public Schools’ announced plan to stop paying a portion of teachers’ required contributions to their pension fund. Under Illinois labor law, however, CTU cannot legally strike before mid- to late-May.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

11 things you need to know about Chicago teacher pensions

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

03/01/2016

Pension holidays, steep increases in teachers' salaries, and lopsided ratios of teacher contributions to pension payouts have caused the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund’s unfunded liabilities to shoot up to $9 billion in 2015.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, pensions

CPS budget breakdown: Where has the money gone?

By John Klingner, Amy Korte

03/01/2016

Unaffordable salaries and pension benefits on top of a structurally unstable retirement system have pushed CPS to the brink of insolvency despite record tax revenues.

TAGS: budget, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, pensions

CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Teachers who oppose CTU strike can opt out of union

CPS’ 2017 budget: More taxes, more borrowing, no accountability

5 reasons why Illinois politicians should reject a Chicago Public Schools bailout

Madigan holds up budget to push bailout of Chicago Public Schools

CPS, CTU want to create new taxing districts to raise $100 million from taxpayers

Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student

CPS files charges against CTU for ‘illegal’ strike

Chicago Teachers Union’s threatened April 1 strike date isn’t legal

11 things you need to know about Chicago teacher pensions

CPS budget breakdown: Where has the money gone?

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students