Chicago Public Schools enrollment rises slightly after 11 years of decline
Chicago Public Schools enrollment rises slightly after 11 years of decline
Chicago Public Schools reported its first uptick in enrollment after 11 years of decline. Thousands of new English learners contributed to the rise. Low-income and Black student enrollment declined.
By Hannah Schmid
Heide Renteria
Heide Renteria
“We have to look beyond ourselves and recognize that a program like this helps to give the younger generation an opportunity to be successful in their careers and their education so they can come back and be leaders in the community.”
1 in 6 Chicago third graders can read at level, signaling dismal futures
1 in 6 Chicago third graders can read at level, signaling dismal futures
Few Chicago third-grade students can read at grade level. Even fewer low income and minority students are at grade level in reading. Research shows this is a warning sign for Chicago students’ academic success and subsequent earning potential.
By Hannah Schmid
Chicago Teachers Union political spending up nearly 3X under Stacy Davis Gates
Chicago Teachers Union political spending up nearly 3X under Stacy Davis Gates
The Chicago Teachers Union’s latest filing with the U.S. Department of Labor confirms the union is pouring more money than ever into politics.
By Mailee Smith
Chicago starts taxing ChatGPT, artificial intelligence
Chicago starts taxing ChatGPT, artificial intelligence
Chicago levies a 9% tax on leased computer software, which the city now claims includes artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT.
By Dylan Sharkey
Stacy Davis Gates’ income is 543% more than families she wants denied scholarships
Stacy Davis Gates’ income is 543% more than families she wants denied scholarships
New data filed with the U.S. Department of Labor shows Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates’ total income tops $289,000. The average household income of families receiving the Invest in Kids scholarships she wants to kill “for good” is just $45,046.
By Mailee Smith
Low 3rd-grade literacy is warning for future learning, earning potential
Low 3rd-grade literacy is warning for future learning, earning potential
Few Illinois third-grade students can read at grade level. Even fewer low-income and minority students are at grade level in reading. Research shows this is a warning sign for Illinois students’ academic success and adult earning potential.
By Hannah Schmid
Symara Moses
Symara Moses
“We struggled with public schools; the curriculums and most schools not having the resources that the arts can bring to children. Her being able to attend the academy has been life changing and I see her growth every single week. Something new that she’s learning, something that she’s picking up from faculty, staff, other students and just her confidence.”
Vallas: Call Johnson’s real estate transfer tax what it really is: a commercial property tax
Vallas: Call Johnson’s real estate transfer tax what it really is: a commercial property tax
Brandon Johnson’s ‘Bring Chicago Home’ transaction tax is primarily a tax on the already overburdened and depressed commercial property owners.
By Paul Vallas
Traci Crosby
Traci Crosby
"There’s a public school, but it wasn’t the same as CAA. There, she was connected instantly. If this scholarship program ends, that’s just something we have to be prepared for.”
Chicago Teachers Union spending on teachers down, politics up in 2023
Chicago Teachers Union spending on teachers down, politics up in 2023
The Chicago Teachers Union’s most recent federal report reveals just 17% of its spending in 2023 was on representing teachers, but it tripled its political spending from the previous year. Nearly 500 teachers left the union.
By Mailee Smith