Chicago Public Schools has announced a record-breaking graduation rate, with 84.1% of students graduating in four years and 86.5% graduating in five. This comes in addition to the district’s second-lowest dropout rates in years.
The district credits its most recent feat to investment in additional support for teachers and increased resources in schools, such as tutors and career-connected learning. Not only is the district trying to encourage more students to attend college, it’s also attempting to make it more accessible for students by setting up college and career centers within schools and helping students navigate financial aid. This year CPS students received $2.11 billion in scholarships.
While the district is supporting those pursuing college following graduation, CEO Pedro Martinez said they are making sure to not “put value on college versus career” and instead provide students with resources and opportunities to allow them to make their own choices. As a result, the district has invested in career-connected learning for students with 1,400 students participating in internships and 1,890 attaining Career and Technical Educator (CTE) certifications in 2024.
The success comes at a tumultuous time for the district. Martinez has been butting heads with Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Teachers Union chief Stacy Davis Gates on how to address the district’s financial woes. Yesterday, the CEO testified at the City Council, asking aldermen for an additional $325 million in funding through tax increment financing.
Martinez claims to have been discussing the use of TIFs to aid in closing the district’s large budget deficit gap privately with Mayor Brandon Johnson since April. The mayor’s response: pull out a short-term loan, which Martinez and the previous Board of Education rejected, marking the beginning of the conflict.
In retaliation, Johnson pushed for Martinez’s resignation, to which he refused. His latest move in his quest for the CEO’s termination: replacing the entire board. The old seven-member board the mayor appointed at the start of his term is set to resign by the end of this month, and staffers are prepping the six new board members the mayor recently assigned.
With the cancellation of this month’s agenda review meeting, it’s unknown what the newly appointed board will be voting on next week, bringing into question whether Martinez’s employment will be on the docket.
Amid his issues with the mayor, Martinez is also being called upon by the Chicago Teachers Union to step in to stop the closing of Velma Thomas Early Childhood Center in McKinley Park, the city’s only dual-language early childhood center. CTU members, parents, educators and Aldermen Julia Ramirez and Byron Sigcho Lopez held a news conference Thursday afternoon to protest the closure and relocation of the center.
Martinez is facing increased scrutiny following the recent implementation of the district’s five-year strategic plan which called for expanding dual language programs, as well as the board unanimously voting to pass a moratorium prohibiting the closure of any schools until after the 2026-27 school year.
Despite the issues overwhelming the district, Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova said CPS will ensure that student success numbers continue to increase.
“Protecting what we’ve already invested in schools should be an absolute priority,” Chkoumbova said. “Even during this difficult financial year, we didn’t cut any resources from schools. That should continue to be the pathway and the focus for the district moving forward.”
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