The Chicago Teachers Union held a rally after Gov. JB Pritzker advised the Chicago Board of Education that it cannot count on help from Springfield to close a $734 million budget gap. 

The board has less than two weeks left to close the budget gap. 

Pritzker addressed the issue on Wednesday. 

"We're always looking to enhance our schools and do whatever we can," said Pritzker. "But you know, what [the Chicago Teachers Union] and the mayor are talking about — which is providing another billion or billion-six for Chicago Public Schols — that's just not going to happen. And it's not because we shouldn't. We should. We should try to find the money. But we don't have those resources today."

On Thursday, the teachers' union and members of the Chicago Public Schools system rallied outside Fort Dearborn Elementary School in Washington Heights. They passed out flyers to parents to inform them about the governor's comments.   

"JB has said, repeatedly, the rich should pay their fair share, now is the time act," Jackson Potter, CTU vice president, said. "They're doing it for transit, there's no reason whatsoever to not take the high road and figure out a way to protect our most vulnerable assets, out children." 

Mishawna Manning, an interventionist at the elementary school, said, "saying no is unacceptable." 

Pritzker noted that it is not just Chicago and schools across the state are being squeezed because of cuts to education spending by the Trump administration.  

Interim Chicago Public Schools chief executive officer Macquline King has proposed a nearly $10 billion budget plan for the 2025-26 school year that does not include a high-interest short-term loan backed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Former CEO Pedro Martinez refused to include such a loan in last year's budget, and was fired by the previous school board.

The CPS budget plan also includes cuts to meal prep staff, crossing guards, janitors, and central office workers.