A $10,000 bill for summer camp. Treks out to the suburbs. Lots of anxiety. Samantha Smylie writes about the challenges of making it through summer break for Chicago families of kids with disabilities. chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

Chicago will adjust start times at 36 schools this fall and pilot a program where buses pick students up at “hubs.” It's a bid to make the busing system more efficient after a year in which the district only offered rides to students with disabilities. chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

Chicago district officials said they are doubling down on a major pandemic-era investment in after-school programs. But funding for these programs in the coming school year is down markedly. At some schools, it's a fraction of what it was last year. chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

Chicago Public Schools and its teachers union have made little headway so far in high-stakes talks over a new contract. Their latest public bargaining session is tonight. With Reema Amin. chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

Chicago's educators likely won't have a new contract by Aug. 26, the first day of school. That used be a bad sign; this year, a strike is not on the horizon. Still, CPS and CTU are not making much headway on negotiations. With Mila Koumpilova: chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

The Johnson-appointed school board has backed up Martinez as he pushed back on some of the mayor's budget demands. Its members might be reluctant to sign off on a Martinez ouster.

Chicago Public Schools will soon unveil a new strategic plan de-emphasizing school choice. Charter officials & parents told the school board today they worry the blueprint will undermine charters — and demanded more details on plans for their campuses. chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

Two new things to add to the WBEZ + Chicago Sun-Times scoop of City Hall looking to replace CPS CEO Pedro Martinez: Sources told us that Martinez is not interested in leaving, and that CPS + City Hall are still clashing over taking out a loan and pension payments chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

The fear and horror of missing your (multiple) alarms on the first day of school hits the same whether you're a kid or a professional education reporter. Anyway, totally unrelated, happy first day of school, Chicago!

Good morning, and happy first day of school from Chalmers Elementary in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood! Mayor Brandon Johnson and CEO Pedro Martinez are slated to host a press conference here starting in a few minutes.

First day of school a busy one for CPS - Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez, who will be on WTTW - Chicago PBS #ChicagoTonight this evening to talk about the district’s future. Tune in! 5:30 and 10. #CPS 📚📓✏️🚸🏫🖍️ Hope the day’s going great so far students, teachers and parents! #Back2School

"A lot excited and a little nervous" kids. More transportation challenges. Rising tensions over teacher contract talks & CEO Pedro Martinez's prospects for keeping his job. Our dispatch from a sweltering first day of school in Chicago: chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

Closures disproportionately affect majority-Black schools, Alec MacGillis notes. Just look at Chicago. A deep look at the post-pandemic reckoning with enrollment declines, zeroing in on Rochester, N.Y., as it considered shuttering 11 of its 45 schools: propublica.org/article/school…

The work of Fletcher's office led to criminal charges against employees accused of sexual abuse, the firing of staffers for PPP loan fraud & — spurred by Chalkbeat Chicago's reporting — an end to automatically enrolling students at some high schools in JROTC. chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

Chicago schools CEO Pedro Martinez told the school board this morning floors at 11 schools he visited this week were so shiny & clean "you could pretty much eat off them."

Chicago schools CEO Pedro Martinez: 1,100 students with disabilities still do not have a school bus route, down from about 1,900 late last week. That's more than at this time last year, though Martinez noted the district is trying to line up transportation for more students.

NEW: About 400 Chicago principals & assistant principals signed a letter to the school board that cautioned against ousting CEO Pedro Martinez. The principals union, which is negotiating its first contract with CPS, distanced itself from that letter. chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/0…

1/What does the data say about teacher well-being as a new school year starts? Let's walk through some few stats.