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/Term of the Week

“Difficult decisions cannot continue to be at the expense of opportunity for the children in this city while at the same time holding them responsible for everything that goes wrong in this city.”

— Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates addressing Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquline King and the Board of Education during public comment, amid looming layoffs.

[Chicago Board of Education, Thursday, July 30, 2026]

Baby, I swear it’s déjà vu…

Chicago Public Schools has a budget, but at what cost?

While CPS may have a budget, the future of its funding remains uncertain. Last week, after a meeting that lasted nearly 10 hours (which included a two-hour recess), the Chicago Board of Education approved a nearly $10 billion budget, in turn rejecting CPS CEO Macquline King’s budget proposal. 

In approving the budget, board members avoided 1,000 layoffs planned for CPS staff. The catch? Board members are relying on an additional $150 million on top of a projected $2.78 billion in state funds, something the state has yet to commit to. 

District officials urged board members to approve the budget last week (a month earlier than last year) in hopes of borrowing funds by Sept. 2 — two days before CPS paychecks are set to go out. That said, CPS is not certain passage of the budget will guarantee it will have sufficient funds ahead of payroll. 

Debate ensued over the district’s dependency on state funds, as well as money coming from the city’s TIF surplus this fall — although just how much the city will generate won’t be known until then. 

One thing all parties seem to agree on: the state isn’t funding CPS enough. Currently, CPS gets about 73% of what it needs from the state to provide an adequate education — according to the state’s own formula. In order to adequately fund CPS, Chicago would need an increase of around $1.6 billion a year. State lawmakers originally set a goal to adequately fund all districts by 2027, but experts say it will most likely take another decade. 

This contentious budget decision takes place as Chicagoans prepare to vote for the city’s first fully elected, 21-member school board in November.

In addition to approving budgets, the board also hires (or fires) the district’s superintendent, sets district-wide policy and calendars, and oversees how charter schools operate within the CPS system (along with any subsequent closures). 

Even if you don’t have a loved one attending or working within CPS, all of us have a stake in a well-funded, equitable school system as a societal good. 

What you can do:

Get resources & learn more: Follow Raise Your Hand for ways to engage with the BOE election along with other education-related resources. 

Make your voice heard before Chicago’s school board: Want to address the board members directly? Read how you can give public comment at a BOE meeting here.

Catch up on the history & headlines:

  • 5 things to watch in 2026 in Chicago Public Schools and across Illinois | Chalkbeat Chicago

  • Chicago’s School Board Election Is Coming This Fall — Here’s How It Will Work | WTTW 

  • CTU endorses 15 school board candidates, throwing weight behind incumbents, mayoral picks | Chalkbeat Chicago

A version of this story was first published in the August 5, 2026 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.