Northeastern Illinois University has provided 17 Afghan refugees with one-year scholarships to study at the school. 

In the last 20 years, the Chicago public school system has lost more than 100,000 students, with 40,000 leaving the system in the last five years. An education advocacy group digging into the root causes of the enrollment drop found some factors unique to Chicago, and some trends that are nationwide.

The ruling declared the governor’s appeal moot because a General Assembly committee declined on Tuesday to reissue rules from the Illinois Department of Health requiring masks to be worn in school buildings. 

Federal prosecutors in Chicago announced charges against Jennifer McBride and William Jackson, who along with former principal Sarah Jackson Abedelal, allegedly submitted false overtime slips to conceal the purchase of iPhones, iPads and approximately $30,000 in gift cards.

Seniors in Chicago’s public high schools who are interested in a teaching career can begin applying to a prep program aimed at boosting the number of CPS grads working as educators within the district.

School counselors are often a primary resource for mental wellness and guidance, but few can be found in America’s schools. According to the latest data from the American School Counselor Association, there was one counselor for every 424 students during the 2019-20 school year. 

To celebrate Black History Month, we’re spotlighting a Chicago Black history maker every week. This week’s history maker is Vivian Harsh, Chicago’s first Black librarian. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the statewide mask mandate for most indoor public spaces will be lifted at the end of February. Despite the ongoing court challenge to the school mask mandate, it will remain in place for now. 

The Republican’s remarks echo sentiments of conservative officials across the country who are increasingly attempting to limit the exposure of children to certain books, particularly those that touch on structural racism and LGBTQ issues.

Jesse Sharkey’s time in leadership has been marked by multiple teacher’s strikes, a contentious relationship with City Hall, and a protracted pandemic. In announcing his departure, Sharkey acknowledged the difficulties of the job, both politically and personally.

“Judge Raylene Grischow’s ruling is out of step with the vast majority of legal analysis in Illinois and across the nation,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday at an unrelated press event in Chicago.

According to Chicago Public Schools data, 49.9% of Pre-K through12th grade students in district-operated schools were accounted for on Wednesday.

After more than three years as head of the CTU, Jesse Sharkey will be stepping down at the conclusion of his current term on June 30, he announced Wednesday.

“A swift return to in-person instruction gives faculty and students the best opportunity to teach and learn — and thrive amid their school community,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said Monday.

Illinois is facing a teacher shortage — and a new survey shows school leaders fear it is getting worse.  The survey was conducted last fall, before the highly contagious omicron COVID-19 variant, which poses added challenges to schools as some struggle to keep buildings staffed enough to host in-person classes.

“I want to make sure that our team reflects the diversity (in Chicago), because it’s one of the riches of our city,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said Wednesday during the monthly Board of Education meeting.