New School Year Brings Lots Of Changes For CPS Students
A new chapter begins for the Chicago Public Schools this morning, following major budget cuts and the closings of dozens of schools.
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A new chapter begins for the Chicago Public Schools this morning, following major budget cuts and the closings of dozens of schools.
CPS administrators touted a graduation rate of 65.4 percent for the class of 2013, topping last year's mark of 61.2 percent.
A Cook County judge Wednesday rejected an attempt by parents, backed by the teachers union, to reverse the closing of 10 of the 50 schools being shuttered by the Chicago Board of Education.
A month before the new school year starts, protestors from the Chicago Teacher's Union were expressing outrage over budget cuts at the Chicago Public Schools, with a protest march through the Loop.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and a Chicago Teachers Union representative said on Saturday that work will be done to fight back against the recent layoffs of more than 2,100 Chicago Public Schools employees
The layoffs include 1,036 teachers, of which 545 are tenured, and 1,077 non-teachers.
A federal judge has begun a hearing on two lawsuits seeking to block plans to close 49 elementary schools, with testimony expected to last for up to four days.
It's a bittersweet final day for thousands of students at Chicago Public Schools; at 19 elementary schools, it's the last day of class before they close for good.
Wednesday marks the beginning of school closings in Chicago, with 28 elementary schools preparing for their final day of class before they close for good.
A day before the first set of school closings was set to begin, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis had some harsh words about how the Chicago Public Schools are funded and managed, blaming much of the district's problems on racism.
Until a new judge can be assigned to a lawsuit filed by the Chicago Teachers Union and parents from 10 elementary schools, CPS attorneys agreed the district wouldn't take any permanent actions at the schools in question.
Chicago Teachers Union officials fear the city could soon follow Philadelphia's steps and send out thousands of layoff notices. On Friday, the Philadelphia School District notified more than 3,000 employees of layoffs.
With 49 elementary schools set to close this summer, and the district facing an additional $412 million in pension costs, the Chicago Teachers Union estimated hundreds – if not thousands – of teachers could be laid off to reduce district spending.
The suit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, argued the Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Board of Education should have followed hearing officers' recommendations to keep 10 of the schools open when the hearing officers found CPS did not follow proper guidelines.
Opponents of Chicago school closures are vowing to fight on, but they appear to have little chance of reversing the mayor's agenda... unless a federal judge steps in, reports WBBM's Mike Krauser.
Parents and other community members met outside a West Side school Friday morning, in an effort to make sure Chicago Public Schools officials and the mayor hear what they have to say about the closing of 49 elementary schools.
The decision to close 49 elementary schools in Chicago is done, but bitterness over the move lingered Thursday morning, as the Chicago Teachers Union vowed to continue their fight against the closings, and parents and students protested the looming closure of their schools.
On the eve of a Board of Education vote, and amid some vociferous opposition from teachers and some parents and students, Mayor Rahm Emanuel was standing by his plan to close more than 50 Chicago public schools.
City streets could be full of protesters again on Monday, as the Chicago Teachers Union wraps up a three-day march to voice opposition to plans to close more than 50 public schools.
For the second day in a row, opponents of Chicago Public School closures marched near those buildings slated to be shuttered, reports WBBM's Nancy Harty.
The Chicago Teachers' Union has re-elected Karen Lewis to another term as president with over 80 percent of the rank-and-file vote.
In their continuing efforts to oppose plans to close more than 50 public schools, the Chicago Teachers Union filed two federal lawsuits on behalf of parents whose children attend schools targeted for closure or consolidation.
As the plan to close more than 50 Chicago Public Schools moves forward, the head of the Chicago Teachers Union said she has numerous examples of what can go wrong, and has gone wrong with previous school closings and consolidations.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel seemed unfazed Tuesday by word that the Chicago Teachers Union plans to work to oust him from office in the next city election.
In the face of the Chicago Public Schools' plans to close more than 50 schools this year, the Chicago Teachers Union said Monday it would be making a push to run a candidate against Mayor Rahm Emanuel in two years.
A Chicago high school senior getting ready to graduate and on the verge of playing college soccer next year is now sitting in an ICE detention center in Kentucky, where his mom is also being held at a separate facility.
A weekend graduation turned into chaos in the south suburbs, as Thornwood High School's commencement was disrupted when guests started fighting and police had to step in.
Jake Bauers homered and drove in four runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 9-3 in the first meeting this season between the longtime NL Central rivals.
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong says he regrets the words he used during a heated exchange with a fan.
A 13-year-old boy was critically wounded in a shooting on Monday afternoon in southwest suburban Joliet.
An attorney for Chicago Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th) on Monday called an ethics investigation into the alderman's conduct a malicious "travesty."
In a move aimed at curbing the growing problem of "teen takeovers," D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is threatening to bring charges against parents if their teens violate the local curfew.
State Rep. Josh Turek and State Sen. Zach Wahls squared off Thursday over which candidate can flip Iowa's open Republican-held Senate seat, as millions in outside spending reshapes the primary's final stretch.
Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin say their concern is there may be more emergency exit doors than flight attendants in the event of an evacuation.
Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th) is suing the city of Chicago, its inspector general's office, and the Board of Ethics, accusing them of defamation.
Consumer and environmental advocates said Monday that they found overcharges buried in the most recent rate-hike request by Nicor.
One week away from Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer travel season, with gas prices remaining high, negotiations were set to resume Monday at the largest oil refinery in the Midwest.
Chatham residents say they're losing a vital resource as Walgreen's prepares to close its store near 86th and Cottage Grove.
According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Chicago was $5.17 on Friday, up from $3.75 a year ago.
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Company customers are likely to see minor credits on their bills for the next three years, thanks to a $125 million settlement agreement announced Thursday by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
A person suspected of having hantavirus in Winnebago County, Illinois, turned out to be a false alarm, officials said Monday.
The DuPage County Health Department has confirmed its first positive tests for West Nile virus in pools of mosquitoes this year.
The Kane County Health Department was set Monday to offer a free mental health awareness webinar.
At least 80 deaths have been reported in a new Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda, authorities said.
Engineers at Northwestern University have created a wireless polygraph to detect stress.
DraftKings announced Monday that it is closing its sportsbook operation at Wrigley Field after only about two years.
After more than 80 years, there will be no Ann Sather restaurant location in the 900 block of West Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview community, effective in June.
Flight attendants at Chicago-based United Airlines have approved a new labor contract, marking their first pay increases in six years.
The Chicago Fire FC announced Wednesday morning that its new stadium in the South Loop will be named McDonald's Park.
U.S. prosecutors allege a man with multiple aliases used the name of the famed Astor family to scam a Mexican billionaire out of $450 million.
The Chicago-born house music track, which began as a personal poem in 1982 and became a defining anthem of the city's house music scene, has been selected for permanent preservation by the Library of Congress.
The Library of Congress revealed this year's list of 25 recordings to be preserved for future generations on the National Recording Registry.
David Allan Coe also had hits with "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" and "The Ride" among others.
Some youngsters got a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of making opera Sunday at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Matt DeCaro, an actor who was a familiar face on the Chicago stage for many years, died this weekend.
Meteorologist David Yeomans has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
A judge Monday delayed a decision on issuing a temporary restraining order against the Markham Park District for an incident involving a helicopter landing for prom earlier this month.
A Chicago high school senior getting ready to graduate and on the verge of playing college soccer next year is now sitting in an ICE detention center in Kentucky, where his mom is also being held at a separate facility.
Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing federal agents of assault and false imprisonment, after she was arrested inside a hospital in the Humboldt Park neighborhood during Operation Midway Blitz last October.
A 13-year-old boy was critically wounded in a shooting on Monday afternoon in southwest suburban Joliet.
A weekend graduation turned into chaos in the south suburbs, as Thornwood High School's commencement was disrupted when guests started fighting and police had to step in.
A Chicago high school senior getting ready to graduate and on the verge of playing college soccer next year is now sitting in an ICE detention center in Kentucky, where his mom is also being held at a separate facility.
Gov. JB Pritzker lobbed some strong words about the Chicago Bears straight at Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Monday morning.
A 13-year-old boy was critically wounded in a shooting on Monday afternoon in southwest suburban Joliet.
Three people were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and two suspected shooters were found dead inside a vehicle nearby, police said.
Pothole complaints continue everywhere, but especially on one street in the Pullman neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
People in Lincoln Park and Lakeview have rallied against a plan to build a new industrial ComEd electrical substation in their neighborhoods, pushing local and state leaders to get involved.
Monday marks one year since Illinois enacted Karina's Law — legislation aimed at taking firearms out of the hands of people accused of domestic abuse.
Tenants at a South Shore apartment building said they've noticed their rent fluctuating by hundreds of dollars a month due to a change in how their utility billing system is set up.
A man from the Chicago suburbs lost $69,000 of his savings to a scam by a thief using an AI-generated U.S. Marshals badge to intimidate him.
Jake Bauers homered and drove in four runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 9-3 in the first meeting this season between the longtime NL Central rivals.
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong says he regrets the words he used during a heated exchange with a fan.
Rookie Gabriela Jaquez set career highs with 20 points and eight rebounds, Kamilla Cardoso had 11 points and 12 rebounds, and the Chicago Sky beat the Minnesota Lynx 86-79.
Edgar Quero hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning and the Chicago White Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 9-8 on Sunday in the rubber game of their first crosstown series this season.
Murakami added his 17th homer in the fifth, a two-run shot to center off Jameson Taillon that traveled an estimated 428 feet.
A truck driver was sentenced to over 13 years in prison for smuggling $9.4 million worth of cocaine in a shipment of Skims, Kim Kardashian's shapewear brand.
Police in Michigan City, Indiana, were searching Monday for the person they said shot and killed a 14-year-old boy.
Burglars hit a string of businesses in Chicago's South Loop early Monday morning.
Burglars broke into a CBD and kratom dispensary on Chicago's Near West Side early Monday morning.
The Cook County State's Attorney's Office will announced a new taskforce Monday bringing federal officers on board to help with crime on CTA.
