Dear CPS Colleagues, Families, and Supporters,
I hope that everyone is settling into their routines well as we wrap up our second week of classes!
Today, I want to begin by acknowledging the senseless act of violence that took the lives of two children at Annunciation Elementary School in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier this week. Just like our CPS students, these innocent children had just started their school year, and what should have been a time of joy and excitement turned tragic in a matter of moments. Our thoughts are with the families of the children who lost their lives, along with those who were injured, and the entire Annunciation community, whose lives have been forever changed.
Chicago Board of Education Approves CPS Operating Budget
I am proud to share that late yesterday, the Chicago Board of Education approved a balanced, financially-responsible budget for the 2025–26 school year. This is the right budget for our city’s children, and I applaud the Board for making the decision that is not only in the best interest of our students, but that will help improve long-term financial stability for the District.
The approved budget:
- Protects the funding our principals received when school budgets were issued in the spring
- Eliminates the risk of additional cuts to our classrooms, both now and later in the school year
- Fully funds the commitments we’ve made to our labor partners
- Removes the threat of furlough days for CPS staff
In addition, this budget ONLY allows for borrowing that will positively impact our District’s financial outlook. This includes borrowing to fund capital projects for our schools, as well as create savings by restructuring our debt. In laymen’s terms, that’s like refinancing your mortgage to take advantage of a lower interest rate that will save you money in the long run.
I’m grateful to everyone who dedicated so much time and effort to shaping this year’s budget.
First and foremost, I am thankful to the hundreds of students, families, educators, and community partners who collaborated with CPS throughout the budget process. Your insights were critical, and your feedback is reflected in the decisions we’ve made for our students.
I also want to recognize our Finance Team, who worked through weekends and holidays for months to close this budget gap, and our Central Office teams, who are continuing to provide outstanding support to our schools with fewer resources as we work to keep cuts away from the classroom.
Finally I want to thank our school leaders, teachers, and staff serving our students every day in our schools for their patience and partnership throughout this challenging budget process.
With the budget now approved, I look forward to us focusing our collective energy on making this a safe and successful school year for every student, from our youngest learners who entered pre-k classrooms for the first time last week, to those 12th-graders who are preparing to graduate and begin making their way in the world.
Our mission is to celebrate and uplift our students, and to use the funding outlined in this budget to provide each and every one of them with the rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience outlined in our District’s five-year strategic plan.
Information Regarding Possible Federal Deployment in Chicago
As you have likely heard or seen reported in the media, the President has suggested that Chicago will be the target of a federal deployment in the near future. While we have no verified details on any actions to come, CPS will be prepared.
Our District has strong protocols in place to protect our students and staff while they’re at school. But I know that the worry our families feel does not stop at the school doors. This is especially true for our families of color, because we have seen from deployments in other U.S. cities that enforcement has been concentrated in black and brown communities.
To help promote staff and student safety within the community, CPS shared this communication with families and staff earlier this week. It provides resources for managing this unsettling situation, including information for immigrant families and a reminder of the Constitutional rights afforded to all of us.
Issues of public safety are primarily the responsibility of the City of Chicago and State of Illinois, and CPS will follow the lead of these experts as this situation unfolds. But I want all families to know that we hear their concerns, and that all students will remain safe and supported every day that they are in our schools.
Board Approves Tentative Agreements With CPS School Leaders
Finally, I’m excited to announce that at yesterday’s Board of Education meeting, the Board took the historic step of approving a tentative agreement covering several high-priority areas with the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association (CPAA), the bargaining unit that represents our incredible school leaders. Included in the tentative agreement is a four percent Cost of Living Adjustment and new protocols regarding school safety, among other items.
This tentative agreement will address some of the most pressing issues facing school leaders in the immediate term, while giving CPS and the CPAA time to reach a full comprehensive agreement. We thank the board members, the CPAA, and our talented and dedicated school leaders for their partnership on these important topics.
Sincerely,
Dr. Macquline King
Interim Superintendent/CEO
Chicago Public Schools
Help Us Highlight Your School
We love highlighting the amazing things that are happening day-to-day in our schools, along with the people who are making them happen! Please share your stories with us using our Good News Form so that we can share them with the District!
Take Five Nominations Now Open!
Readers of this newsletter will recall the weekly “Take Five” section, where we share a brief profile of a CPS staff member and all they are doing to help our District thrive.
We are eager to spotlight any and all members of our District’s workforce, from teachers, assistants, and school leaders to clinicians, support staff, and central office employees.
Is there someone in your CPS circle who you’d like to see recognized in this way? Tell us about them here.
A Look Around the District
This past summer, 16 CPS high school students participated in the Office of Student Protections and Title IX’s Civil Rights Scholars Program. Over the course of three weeks, students deepened their understanding of civil rights from a social justice perspective. They engaged in various activities, such as exploring the role ancestors play in shaping history at the Field Museum and understanding the power of advocacy to advance social change at the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.
Students at Peterson Elementary in the North Park community recently worked on their own poems and illustrations to create a poetry book for families. As a part of the initiative, pieces were also later selected to be featured at the North River Commission.
And at Henry Elementary, located in the city’s Irving Park neighborhood, the school community came together for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new playground. The project included renovations that reflected the school's core values, using colors that symbolize Hope, Agency, Wonder, and Knowledge, and now provides an essential space for the community.
Interested in getting involved with our CPS community? Join Simpson Academy for Young Women for a Teen Mom Village Day and Donation Drive on September 4th, or help donate items to their drive on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click here for more information!
Five CPS High Schools to Receive $100,000 Grant
CPS alum Chance the Rapper made a surprise appearance at Simeon Career Academy this week to announce the fourth cohort of schools to receive grant funding from the New Chance Fund. A partnership among CPS, Social Works, and the Children First Fund, this grant will provide Dunbar, Dyett, Manley, Prosser, and Simeon high schools with $100,000 each to expand career-connected learning over the next three years.
Since its launch in 2017, the New Chance Fund has provided students in fifty-five CPS schools with transformative opportunities, from upgraded classrooms and equipment, to career exploration experiences and arts education. To date, more than $5.2 million in funding has helped renovate or outfit 39 learning spaces, brought programming from 40 community-based organizations into schools, and positively impacted more than 27,000 students.
CPS Scoreboard: This Week in District Athletics
It’s officially fall sports season, and we can’t wait to see what our student-athletes in CPS SCORE! and the Chicago Public League can achieve this year! For the latest information on programming and schedules for the fall season, make sure to visit CPSAthletics.com and follow us across social media!
Simeon alum and WNBA Player Aneesah Morrow was back in Chicago recently as the Connecticut Sun squared off against the Chicago Sky. We caught up with Aneesah, now in her first season with the WNBA, to talk about her journey. Aneesah starred at Simeon in girls basketball before continuing her academic and athletic career in college at DePaul University and LSU. Check out that story here.
Percy Julian High School recently celebrated the unveiling of their brand new football field—a new home for Jaguar athletics! Check out this story on what this investment means to the Jaguar-faithful and community as they celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary.
This school year, CPS is excited to partner with Chicago Cubs Charities on initiatives that elevate our students in both athletics and the community. Cubs Charities is inviting all CPS students for a free screening of SEE HER BE HER—a documentary on women’s baseball around the world. This film follows seven “sheroes” in baseball across the globe, and features sport legends Billie Jean King, Cal Ripken Jr. Ichiro Suzuki, and more!
The screening will be held at 1 p.m. on September 6, 2025 at AMC River North Theater (322 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60611). Free student tickets can be secured here, and adult tickets are $15, with all proceeds benefiting the Little League Girls With Game program!
CPS is proud to continue its partnership with Honest Game to ensure students are academically eligible to play sports in college if they choose. Families can learn more about Honest Game’s services for their student-athletes through family-facing webinars throughout the school year. Click here to see the list of upcoming webinars and to register!
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) continues to be a key partner in CPS’ effort to promote sportsmanship. This fall, in addition to workshops for coaches, students, and staff, PCA is partnering with ESPN to offer workshops for parents to help ensure they are positive role models for their students. The Positive Sports Parenting workshop is FREE when using the promo code PCAESPN through August 31, 2025. Register here.
Special Ticket Offers from the Chicago Fire
The Chicago Fire is excited to provide teachers, school staff, and students with discounted tickets for their remaining theme offers at Soldier Field!
- Harry Potter Night: September 13
- Hispanic Heritage Night: September 27
- Fan Appreciation Night: October 4
Tickets start at just $20 and include a special-edition scarf! Click here to learn more and secure your tickets.
The Chicago Fire can also offer STEM and soccer programming for students! Learn more by contacting the group sales team at grouptickets@chicagofirefc.com, or call (872) 710-0550.
Experience Fall at the Chicago Park District
Teens—come cheer on and celebrate 12 finalists at the 10th annual T.I.P. Fest (Teens In the Parks) on Saturday, August 30 from 12–6 p.m. at Oakwood Beach (4100 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lakeshore Drive, event takes place in the grassy area north of the beach). The free event will feature Hotrod & DJ Bman Peprallytakeover, DJ TAI, special guests Zion Ali & Walt the King, and performances by Final Alert & Golden Knights Drill Team along with the TIP Fest Finalists. Enjoy food, fun activities and games, resources, and more. This event is being hosted by the Chicago Park District in partnership with the John Walt Foundation, and with support from Amazon.com. Learn more at chicagoparkdistrict.com/tip-fest/cps.
Register now for Park District fall programs! The ParkKids afterschool program has begun. Most other programs begin the week of September 2 and run through December 7. A variety of programs are available for all ages and interests. Learn more at chicagoparkdistrict.com/fall-programs/cps.
For questions, please email play@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
Important Dates
For more upcoming events around the District, visit cps.edu/calendar.
- Monday, September 1: CPS schools and offices closed in observance of Labor Day; no classes for students.
- Wednesday, September 10: Board Agenda Review Committee Meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.
- Thursday, September 25: Board of Education Meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.
- Friday, September 26: Professional development day for staff; no classes for students.