Vallas: Chicago Teachers Union war on public school choice hurts poor, minority students

By Paul Vallas

12/15/2023

Let’s be clear on who will be impacted by this unrelenting attack on school choice: poor Black and Latino students.

Vallas: How to empower Chicago communities to save failing schools

By Paul Vallas

12/13/2023

Innovation can help Chicago Public Schools improve academic proficiency, but it requires breaking up the centralized power built by the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools. Local control can improve student outcomes.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Chicago Teachers Union, affiliates biggest spenders on Chicago politics

By Mailee Smith

12/12/2023

The Chicago Teachers Union and its state and national affiliates spent nearly $6.5 million on Chicago political candidates between Feb. 28, 2022, and May 4, 2023.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Poverty 4X higher for Chicago high school dropouts than college grads

By Hannah Schmid

12/06/2023

Poverty rates in Chicago drop with each level of educational attainment. Chicagoans without a high school diploma face poverty rates more than four times higher than those with bachelor’s degrees.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

By Joe Tabor

12/04/2023

Employment is the clearest path out of poverty, but these five low-income professions face more occupational licensing burdens than others in Illinois.

3 bad decisions drive up Chicago Teachers Union dues by over $160

By Mailee Smith

11/22/2023

Chicago Teachers Union members are seeing their dues jump to more $1,400 this year – over $160 more than last year. Here are three reasons to believe CTU hiked dues to make up for its own questionable financial decisions.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Vallas: City budget passes, next fiscal crisis looms

By Paul Vallas

11/21/2023

Now that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has passed his first budget, attention should be on the Chicago Public Schools. School leaders claim it will have a budget hole of over $600 million by 2025.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, Chicago

Stacy Davis Gates loses undeserved property tax break, owes Indiana $1,533

By Jess Plowman

11/13/2023

An Indiana county will seek back taxes and penalties of $1,533 after Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates claimed a property tax deduction reserved for owner occupants. Davis Gates has claimed Chicago property taxpayers aren’t all paying their fair share.

Illinois lawmakers adjourn without saving school choice, but fight will continue

By Brad Weisenstein

11/09/2023

Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice program for over 9,600 low-income students will end at the close of 2023. But supporters vow to resurrect it during the upcoming legislative session.

TAGS: Chicago Teachers Union, Invest in Kids, school choice

Stacy Davis Gates gets a homeowner’s tax break for an Indiana home she doesn’t live in

By Mailee Smith

11/06/2023

Stacy Davis Gates is taking a property tax break on a house she owns in Indiana but doesn’t live in. She and her husband own a home and reside in Chicago. So how can the Chicago Teachers Union president claim to live in two places?

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Stacy Davis Gates

Chicago Public Schools

Vallas: Chicago Teachers Union war on public school choice hurts poor, minority students

Vallas: How to empower Chicago communities to save failing schools

Chicago Teachers Union, affiliates biggest spenders on Chicago politics

Poverty 4X higher for Chicago high school dropouts than college grads

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

3 bad decisions drive up Chicago Teachers Union dues by over $160

Vallas: City budget passes, next fiscal crisis looms

Stacy Davis Gates loses undeserved property tax break, owes Indiana $1,533

Illinois lawmakers adjourn without saving school choice, but fight will continue

Stacy Davis Gates gets a homeowner’s tax break for an Indiana home she doesn’t live in

Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

Report Archive

Take advantage of the various ways to vote

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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