Just a day after Gov. Bruce Rauner and Republican leaders in the General Assembly proposed a state takeover of the financially distressed Chicago Public Schools, lawmakers propose altering the TIF legislation to allow a surplus to be spent on the district. 

Teachers, parents and the Chicago Public Schools district may not always agree, but on this point they do: leave the management of CPS in Chicago. We hear from education leaders on the GOP plan for a state takeover of the nation's third-largest school district.

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Republican leaders officially announced on Wednesday their ambitious agenda to allow for an emergency financial authority appointed by the Illinois State Board of Education superintendent to take over Chicago Public Schools in the wake of a $500 million funding shortfall.

Many Illinois college students face the loss of their MAP grants because of the state's fiscal crisis, and Chicago State University says it won't be able to make payroll in March. Amanda Vinicky joins us with details.

With the state budget standoff in its seventh month and little apparent urgency from Springfield, we talk with the presidents of Governors State and Northeastern Illinois Universities as the funding crisis deepens.

An annual report from CPS Inspector General Nick Schuler cites numerous cases of students who live in Chicago suburbs enrolling in the city's elite selective enrollment schools.

We share what you had to say about some of our recent stories when we read viewer feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

There's a new cat on the PBS block. We meet big-name local talent behind "Nature Cat."

What can be done to restore trust between police and young people, or to improve safety in both Chicago schools and neighborhoods? Chicago high school students who are interested in politics, policy and community leadership ask our panel tough, thoughtful questions.

On Thursday, “Chicago Tonight” welcomes 50 Mikva Challenge high school students from across the city to participate in a forum on violence.

The cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools is spiraling closer and closer to a financial doomsday that could see as many as 5,00 teachers laid off to help plug a $480 million budget hole. The CPS CEO joins us to talk about the district's finances and the new four-year contract being offered to the Chicago Teachers Union.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool says the district has offered the Chicago Teachers Union a new contract proposal. Brandis Friedman has the details.

A day after teachers voted overwhelming to go on strike, Chicago Public Schools is offering teachers a new contract that it says will prevent thousands of teacher layoffs. Jesse Sharkey joins us for a discussion.

Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey on Monday morning announced that 88 percent of its membership has voted "yes" to the question of authorizing a strike. The vote was taken over three days last week, in which 92 percent of members voted.

Whether it's at the water cooler or the dinner table, the Laquan McDonald case has been the topic of much discussion in and around Chicago. But in many city classrooms sit young men and women who may have a lot in common with the teenager. Brandis Friedman has more on how this discussion between students and teachers is unfolding.

Six seasons ago, the Wendell Phillips Academy High School football team had just 12 football players. Today, not only has the current team won a state championship, but its players are college bound. In fact, many students at this formerly failing school are now headed to college.