Court hearings for Chicago groups' lawsuits against U.S. DOE over funding cuts
Two separate court hearings was held Wednesday to try to stop the sudden loss of $60 million in funding for Illinois after-school programs.
Watch CBS News
Two separate court hearings was held Wednesday to try to stop the sudden loss of $60 million in funding for Illinois after-school programs.
Education advocates in Chicago filed two lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Education this week, arguing that students returning from Christmas vacation will be left without crucial resources such as after-school programs.
A complaint earlier this year claimed CPS was using the Black Students Success program to discriminate on the basis of race.
The Reeds are concerned that with the Chicago office of a unit within the U.S. Department of Education having closed, an incident involving their special-needs son will not get the attention it needs.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to pause a lower court order that required the Department of Education to reinstate nearly 1,400 employees.
The states lost out on billions in funding for after-school and summer programs, teacher training and other initiatives.
The complaint claims the CPS is using the program to discriminate on the basis of race.
The lawsuit against the Trump administration says the Education Department's halt of promised aid for schools will force cuts to vital services.
Federal funding at the school district supports college and career readiness and vocational programs that students say are invaluable.
The college and university leaders pleaded with lawmakers to fight the Trump administration's threats to federal funding — such as grants that help students pay for college.
President Trump has taken aim at the Department of Education, but shutting down the department entirely would require an act of Congress.
Office of Civil Rights employees said this means students with open cases will have their claims backlogged even further.
The Trump administration has made it clear their goal is to dismantle the Department of Education entirely, and that is causing a lot of concern and fear among educators in Illinois.
Concern about the funds is growing now that staffing at the agency has been cut by nearly 50% — from 4,133 to 2,183.
The Department of Education doesn't oversee school curriculums, but it does offer a range of services affecting millions of Americans.
The Department of Education said staff affected by the job cuts would be placed on leave starting Friday, March 21.
Getting rid of the Education Department has long been a goal for Republicans, but the president can't unilaterally dissolve a department set up by Congress.
Some Illinois Democrats have invited fired federal workers to President Trump's speech to protest the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to the federal government.
Linda McMahon, President Trump's nominee to become secretary of education, appeared before senators on Thursday.
The complaint alleges "a pattern of discrimination that has caused an increasingly hostile environment at UChicago for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students and students associated with them."
A spokesperson said Northwestern would respond to the department and cooperate with the investigation.
Some families seeking financial aid for their children are still hitting roadblocks.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced it is investigating several schools and universities across the country.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced it is investigating several schools and universities across the country.
At least 100 children in grades 1 through 5 were arrested in school during the 2020-2021 school year, according to CBS News analysis of newly-released federal data.
Bill Pullinsi, a Chicago-area stage director and producer widely called the "father of dinner theater," has died.
The shooting took place just two days before Christmas.
The owner of a Near West Side doggie daycare and training business has been arrested on animal torture charges, accused of repeatedly kicking a dog and pressing his foot against its neck.
Chicago police on Wednesday were searching for seven people in connection with an armed robbery at the Thorndale CTA Red Line stop earlier this month.
Former Cuban leader Raúl Castro was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in connection with the Cuban military's fatal downing of two planes in 1996 — an escalation in the U.S. pressure campaign against the Cuban government.
Former Cuban leader Raúl Castro was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in connection with the Cuban military's fatal downing of two planes in 1996 — an escalation in the U.S. pressure campaign against the Cuban government.
Chicago city leaders on Wednesday announced a new effort to connect people with affordable housing.
Barney Frank, a Democrat who represented Massachusetts in Congress for 32 years, has died. He was 86 years old.
The $1.776 billion fund, which is part of the agreement to settle Trump's lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Dept., is to be used to compensate those who claim that the government weaponized the legal system against them.
The Supreme Court's term is set to end around the end of June, with decisions on birthright citizenship, transgender athlete bans and gun rights still to come.
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.
The owners of Gene & Georgetti steakhouse are suing a concessions operator over their expansion at Midway International Airport.
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.
Bill Pullinsi, a Chicago-area stage director and producer widely called the "father of dinner theater," has died.
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.
The Chicago Fire Department battled the 2-11 alarm fire in the 6000 block of South Paulina Street on the morning of May 20. Two adults were left with severe burns, and four children, including a girl, 8, and three boys, 14, 15, and 16, were also injured in the fire. The 8-year-old and 15-year-old were later pronounced dead.
The family renting a cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, got the shock of their lives when a bear tried to climb through the kitchen window during dinner.
The CDC is now screening for Ebola at five major American airports, including Chicago O'Hare International Airport, in passengers arriving from countries in the WHO-declared outbreak.
Meteorologist Kylee Miller has your 11 a.m. First Alert Weather forecast for Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
The city has launched a new working group and pilot program intended to remove articles for those navigating what advocates call Chicago’s disjointed, opaque, and piecemeal system to find affordable housing.
Two young children are dead, and four others are critically injured after a house fire in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood early Wednesday morning, Ald. Raymond Lopez said.
The CDC and Homeland Security are increasing screening for the Ebola virus in air travelers, but despite naming Chicago O'Hare International Airport as one of those locations, new documents obtained by CBS News Chicago show that's no longer the case.
Bill Pullinsi, a Chicago-area stage director and producer widely called the "father of dinner theater," has died.
The shooting took place just two days before Christmas.
The owner of a Near West Side doggie daycare and training business has been arrested on animal torture charges, accused of repeatedly kicking a dog and pressing his foot against its neck.
Many Metra riders with disabilities have been forced to reroute their trips due to Monday's closure of the only elevator providing access to the Electric Line at Millennium Station in downtown Chicago.
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.
Andrew Benintendi drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single in the ninth inning, four Chicago pitchers held Seattle to one hit, and the White Sox beat the Mariners 2-1.
Jacob Misiorowski pitched six scoreless innings, Brice Turang was 3 for 4 with a two-run homer, and the Milwaukee Brewers topped the Chicago Cubs 5-2 to move into first place in the NL Central.
Rickea Jackson's promising first season with the Chicago Sky is over after it barely began after suffering a torn ACL in Sunday's win against the Minnesota Lynx.
The Chicago Bears met with NFL owners on Tuesday in Orlando to brief them on their push for a new stadium in either Arlington Heights or Hammond.
Touted prospect Colt Emerson launched a three-run homer for his first major league hit, and the Seattle Mariners stopped a three-game slide with a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Chicago police on Wednesday were searching for seven people in connection with an armed robbery at the Thorndale CTA Red Line stop earlier this month.
A man was shot in the legs early Wednesday morning in Chicago's Irving Park neighborhood.
Three teens were wounded during two separate shootings in Chicago's Austin neighborhood.
A man was shot and killed in the north Chicago suburb of Skokie early Tuesday.
A man is being held in custody on charges that he tricked two young women into believing he was an art student working on a photography project in Chicago's Northalsted district, and went on to sexually abuse one of them.
