Chicago Schools in Financial Dispute with Teachers Union

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is at odds with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) over a series of contract proposals that the district claims could lead to a staggering $4 billion deficit by the 2029-2030 school year. During a recent meeting, CPS budget chief Mike Sitkowski highlighted that even accepting a fraction of the union's 700 proposals, which include 9% salary increases and additional staffing, would escalate the projected $509 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year to $3 billion. The union has suggested alternative funding strategies to cover the proposed costs, including tax increases and legal action against banks for alleged predatory lending practices. Additionally, CTU officials are advocating for increased federal funding and taxes on technology companies that they argue profit from students' private data. However, negotiations have stalled, with the district emphasizing the financial realities facing CPS. Union leaders have refrained from addressing the financial implications of their proposals directly. CTU Vice President Jackson Potter criticized the district's focus on the deficit, suggesting it undermines their recommendations. President Stacy Davis Gates passionately defended the union's stance, framing the cost of the proposals as an investment in the future of marginalized children. The ongoing budgetary concerns are exacerbated by the impending expiration of pandemic emergency relief funding, which has supported schools during the COVID-19 crisis. As CPS prepares to revert to pre-pandemic funding levels, both the district and the union are seeking additional support from the state, though recent requests for increased funding have been denied by Illinois officials.