Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what action we can take to make our city great, featuring public meeting coverage by City Bureau’s Documenters.
Quote of the Week
“Some people believe that making hard choices is making young people suffer. I don't believe that those are hard choices; I believe that those are cowardly choices.”
— Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates speaking on the history of state funding for Chicago Public Schools.
[Chicago Board of Education, June 26, 2025]
Should the future be [state] funded?
Community members and elected officials spent hours sounding off about money troubles for Chicago Public Schools and recent layoffs.
CPS laid off 161 employees last month, likely only the tip of the iceberg as the district seeks to manage a $734 million deficit, Chalkbeat reported. That deficit has ballooned past a previously projected $529 million as district leaders factor in a massive pension payment to the city and the cost of taking on five Acero schools that had been slated to close.
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates pulled no punches in her comments to the board where she discussed the questions she’s been receiving from parents.
“The things that I keep hearing… is ‘why is my favorite teacher, why is the paraprofessional that takes care of us, why are they fearful of receiving a layoff notice?’” Davis Gates said.
The staffing cuts and mounting financial pressure come as the district leaders must present their budget for 2025-26, weeks later than they typically share the spending plan.
Union members are urging the district leaders to avoid more layoffs while also pushing state leaders to increase its funding for CPS and state education.
CPS launched a campaign earlier this year to advocate for more evidence-based formula funding from the state, as well as more support for nutrition, special education, transportation services across Illinois and early childhood education.
“Chicago Public Schools has never been funded at the rate in which it deserves to be, so this is not a new issue,” Davis Gates said.
The meeting also marked the first for new interim Superintendent/CEO Macquline King, whom the board appointed in a narrow vote in June.
Chicago Board of Education by Noah Tomko-Jones and Nico Millman
What you can do:
Catch up on the headlines & history:
Why Illinois still isn't fully funding its schools: Breaking down the 'evidence-based formula' | Chicago Sun-Times
Reform before the storm: a timeline of the Chicago Public Schools | Chicago Magazine
PERSPECTIVE: School closures inflict harm on Black communities | The TRiiBE
Still much to be done
Chicago is improving compliance with the federal consent decree mandating reforms of the Chicago Police Department, said Maggie Hickey, who leads the independent monitoring team.
The city has achieved “some level of compliance” with the 92% of the sections detailed in the consent decree, according to the monitor’s most recent report evaluating July-December 2024. The city is in full compliance with 16% of the sections.
The current reporting period ends Monday.
The series of court-ordered reforms were implemented in 2019 as part of an effort to stop the Police Department from violating Constitutional rights of Chicagoans.
The recent “significant increase” in compliance comes after years of paltry progress. The federal judge overseeing the reforms called the city’s work “unsatisfying” in December.
Hickey noted the department has not yet implemented a “long-overdue” suicide prevention program, and leaders need to ramp up efforts for scenario-based training on foot pursuits and crisis intervention.
4th Police District Council by Ethan Mathews and Holland Harmon
What you can do:
Find your Police District Council and attend a meeting:
1. Find your local police district here.
2. Head to chicago.gov and select your district’s specific page.
3. Get acquainted with your district council members. Check out theChicago Reader’s deep dive into each of the police district council candidates.
A version of this story was first published in the July 2, 2025 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.
Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.