More than a quarter of students missed at least 10% of the 2021-22 school year, making them chronically absent, according to the most recent data available. Before the pandemic, only 15% of students missed that much school.
Special Education
Chicago Public Schools unveiled its budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, which officials say will boost per-pupil spending by nearly $1,000 and reduce the number of schools that will see decreased funding, compared to spring projections.
CPS confirmed Friday that Stephanie Jones, the district’s chief of the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS), is stepping down from that role after four years effective immediately.
The average bus trip districtwide is 39 minutes and over 80% of rides are under an hour, according to CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, but 365 diverse learners currently have rides lasting more than 90 minutes each day.
Last month, there were more than 700 special education students who had still not been routed onto a bus during the current academic year. But as of this week, each one of those children are now receiving their legally mandated transportation from the district.
Through the program, the school district will provide $310,000 in tuition reimbursement for educators who will work to earn a special education endorsement at one of four Chicago-area universities
Chicago teachers say they’re being diverted from their teaching duties and forced to fulfill a “physically impossible mandate” of rewriting tens of thousands of individual education plans for special education students.
A former reading specialist at a Chicago charter school claims she faced retaliation and termination last year after voicing concerns about special education students she believes were illegally denied proper supports.
The Board of Education this week will vote on updates to its student code of conduct policy in an effort to promote equitable discipline practices throughout the school district.
The district says it will spend $26 million to add 160 social workers and 94 special education case managers in schools across the city.
Parents of Chicago’s special education students say they have concerns about the state's choice of an independent monitor to oversee the district's special education program.
Parents and advocates want to see Chicago Public Schools take more action to resolve its special education issues beyond the addition of a state monitor who will oversee district reforms.
What the state says is needed to correct violations in Chicago Public Schools’ special education program.
State education officials have recommended additional oversight of special education policies at Chicago Public Schools after finding the district violated federal law.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson is asking for community support as the district attempts to fix “systemic problems” with its special education programming.
CPS CEO Janice Jackson talks with us about school funding and investigations into special education and school cleanliness.
