[remote or in-person] Chicago Board of Education

Chicago Public Schools
Education

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025
10:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. CST

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42 W Madison St Chicago, IL 60602 (Directions)

You have the option to document this meeting in person or remotely, via live stream. Please note that Chicago Board of Education meetings tend to run long (the assignment end time is an estimate based on past meetings’ duration).

If you attend the meeting in person, an additional hour will be added to your pay for this assignment. The meeting will be held at Chicago Public Schools Loop Office (42 W. Madison St., Garden Level, board room). Please note that the CPS board room frequently reaches attendee capacity, in which case overflow attendees are seated in a different room to view a video broadcast. At 48 hours before the meeting’s start, a limited number of “observer” seats are available for pre-registration at https://www.cpsboe.org/meetings.

If you plan to document remotely, the meeting will be live-streamed at https://www.youtube.com/@ChiPubSchools/streams. The live stream may not appear until or a few minutes after the scheduled start time. If you don’t see it right away, give it a few seconds, then try refreshing your Internet tab to see if it loads. Check the “videos” tab as well.

See also: Slide decks and documents discussed during the meeting will eventually be linked at https://www.cpsboe.org/meetings/past-meetings.

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Angela Arias Zapata

Contract negotiations between CPS and CTU continue. CPS brought in an independent fact finder. SEIU Local 73 issued a cease and desist order to the district in November and plans to sue if the district accepts CTU's contract due to conflicts with their own contract.

Live reporting by Natalie Frank

Contract negotiations between CPS and CTU continue. CPS brought in an independent fact finder. SEIU Local 73 issued a cease and desist order to the district in November and plans to sue if the district accepts CTU's contract due to conflicts with their own contract.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 2/42
@CHIdocumenters The meeting began on time at 10:30, however there was a microphone malfunction so calling of the roll has been delayed.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 3/42
@CHIdocumenters Roll call - There is a quorum. This will be a long meeting so settle in.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 4/42
@CHIdocumenters Honorary Student Board minute speaks. Historic Occasion - first time Chicago has hybrid board with 10 members elected by residents of Chicago, 10,and President, appointed by Mayor
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 5/42
@CHIdocumenters Honoring Excellence - CIDT Transparency Committee. Clarifies Districts approach to school data, make sure indicators of CPS evaluating school quality aligned with values of CPS.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 6/42
@CHIdocumenters Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency (CIDT) link cps.edu/strategic-init…
cps.edu/strategic-init…
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 7/42
@CHIdocumenters CEO Remarks - Pedro Martinez: Transition to new Admin. Hold on all fed funding. Shouldn't effect CPS funding for this year.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 8/42
@CHIdocumenters Martinez: Immigration - Homeland Sec Agents at Sside school. School kept students, staff safe by denying entry. Chicago won't share info with ICE, won't allow entry unless have fed warrant. Have team of lawyers to help protect schools. Asks parents to send send children to school
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 9/42
@CHIdocumenters Martinez: Contract negotiations. Independent fact finder will evaluate both sides & issues report for final contract. CPS has barely any reserves and rising deficits. CPS & CTU agree on many issues. Closer than have ever been before. Doubts will have strike.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 10/42
@CHIdocumenters Martinez: Student transportation - If can't provide gives money per day to pay for other transportation. Prioritize students farthest from opportunity, creating Hubstops at different schools.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 11/42
@CHIdocumenters Lopez: Update on timeline 7 schools on closing with 5 coming to CPS. Martinez: Negotiation going on, briefing for board in next few weeks.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 12/42
@CHIdocumenters Lozano: Has fear, trauma from Fed Agents at school affected school attendance? Was there a call before they showed. Biggest declines after 4 day weekend w/ uptick after agent visit. No advance notice with Fed agents. No coordination. Didn't leave cards for contact.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 13/42
@CHIdocumenters Question - Guidelines, protocols for when dropoff and pickup students, parents afraid will be arrested? Community partners with Chicago Police, others, working directly with families. Never ask for immigration status of families.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 14/42
@CHIdocumenters Martinez: Martinez said he was undoc student. Some students didn't know they were undoc. so is a very sensitive issue.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 15/42
@CHIdocumenters Pole: Talked to some Venezuelan immigrant families who are TPR, they are terrified, won't bring children to schools. Set up community groups to walk children to schools, bring them home.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 16/42
@CHIdocumenters Student Recommendations: Newcomers to schools need sociocultural support. Thrive when taught in own language. Include student involvement when choosing language related classes. Expand cultural in all schools.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 17/42
@CHIdocumenters Student Recs: Expand def. of success beyond 4 yr Universities. Need more post-secondary opportunities starting early. Amplify neighborhood schools successes to increase families valuing of them using current students and Alumni.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 18/42
@CHIdocumenters Student Recs: Support culture of inclusivity and diversity through collaborations for students with disabilities.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 19/42
@CHIdocumenters Public comment: Union reps start with five minutes each. Members of the public follow for 2 minutes each. Elected public officials follow with five minutes each.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 20/42
@CHIdocumenters Pres. Chicago Teacher's Union Stacey Davis Gates: Need to expedite negotiations as families don't know what to expect next year. With new admin. students need team that cont. to put sanctuary language into agreements. Challenged Martinez to come to contract agreement tomorrow.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 21/42
@CHIdocumenters CTU Charter Divis. Chair Jen Conant: Charter school operators shouldn't be able to close schools with no warning. Need to find jobs for educators, schools for students, return reserve funds.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 22/42
@CHIdocumenters Conant: Spend lots of money on things that don't benefit students including fighting teachers so don't unionize, investments in other cities, defending CEO.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 23/42
@CHIdocumenters Conant: Haven't trained charter schools how to deal with Fed. Agents let them operate independently. Need to establish procedure and policy for charter schools so know how to handle ICE visits.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 24/42
@CHIdocumenters SCIU Exec Vice Pres. Stacia Scott Kennedy: Spec. needs classroom assistants. Assistants pulled from classrooms, students not getting required minutes, to do other tasks. Union contract proposal ensures this.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 25/42
@CHIdocumenters Kia Banks Chic. Principals Admin Assoc. Students must come 1st. System is broken. Working conditions of school leaders translate into ed conditions of students. Need fairness over politics. Decision must be made with students put 1st. Board must have courage to do what's right.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 26/42
@CHIdocumenters Public Comment: Representatives from the various Acero Charter Schools, scheduled to be closed, made cases for renewal. If there aren't renewal contracts by the end of Feb. there will be no further opportunity and the schools will close. aceroschools.org
aceroschools.org
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 27/42
@CHIdocumenters The meeting is currently in recess. When they return I will pick up the coverage.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 28/42
@CHIdocumenters The meeting has reconvened. First monthly update on CPS Strategic Plan Together We Rise. Laying out clear goals for every student, every school, the district and every community.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 29/42
@CHIdocumenters Next step for Feb. Indicator data for teacher leader development, academic & socioemotional development and how rigorous the instruction is for each school.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 30/42
@CHIdocumenters Chronic absence continues to be a problem. Their goal is to develop better interventions and support, actionable data sets & for youth with a break in enrollment, help them to reconnect and graduate
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 31/42
@CHIdocumenters Question: Where does Black Student Success Plan fit? Ans: Are waiting for to kick it off in Feb.. It will have it's own metrics, interventions, supports. Every measure of success needs to look at how each student group performs.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 32/42
@CHIdocumenters Question: How do you address anti-Black sentiment that's grown around Chicago? If talking Black student ed success must rebuild Black communities that have been destroyed. We stand with those affected by ICE, but need people to stand with us. Must address wrongs done?
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 33/42
@CHIdocumenters Answer: That's why we are developing Black Success Plan. But board must be committed.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 34/42
@CHIdocumenters Board Member: When was Black Success Plan conceived of and when did research begin. What's the funding for it. Ans: Oct. 2023. Martinez: Just approved in Sept. Now in resourcing and implementation as part of overall plan.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 35/42
@CHIdocumenters President asks if there are questions about public agenda? Board member asks President about appointment to Public Bld. Commission. Time consuming. How serve effectively on 2 boards? Wants more time to learn about it. Ans: Customary for President to serve on com. Time not a prob
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 36/42
@CHIdocumenters General Council for Board of Ed: Requirement for Members of the Board of Ed to serve on 2 committees. Must appoint 2 people to the Chicago Teacher's Pension Fund & 1 person to the Public Building Commission. Board President has say in appointments.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 37/42
@CHIdocumenters Elected Board Members asked to establish a process to make appointments since all three recommended appointments are elected members.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 38/42
@CHIdocumenters Vote on public agenda. Roll call vote. Unanimously approved.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 39/42
@CHIdocumenters Vote on appointing President Sean B. Harden to Pubic Building Commission. 15 yays 3 Nays 1 abstained. Appointment passes. Vote on rest of public agenda resolution items.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 40/42
@CHIdocumenters Committee has gone into closed session. I will pick up coverage when they return.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 41/42
@CHIdocumenters Chicago Board of Education is still in closed session.
Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 42/42
@CHIdocumenters As the board members haven't come out of closed session at this point I'm going to end coverage here. The next meeting of the Chicago Board of Education is Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 10:30 AM. For more meeting coverage, be sure to check out . documenters.org
documenters.org

Agency Information

Chicago Public Schools

The Chicago Board of Education is charged with governing the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), setting policies, governing operations, and charting the direction of current and future programs.

A list of board members (with headshots) is here. Board members are currently appointed by the mayor. In 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law that will gradually transition to a 21-member elected school board over the course of 2024-2027.

A list of CPS executive leadership is here.

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