Stories by WTTW News

One of the contentious issues behind the strike is how teachers are evaluated on classroom performance. Elizabeth Brackett and her panel take up the debate.

As the stalemate between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Public Schools goes into a third day, we talk with former leaders of each organization about what's at stake.

While the Chicago teachers’ strike continues into a second day, some 52,000 students are going about their normal, daily routines. These students are served by the 119 charter schools in Chicago.

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is in prison, but a new book by the Chicago Sun-Times reporter who covered his trials recounts the high-profile case, and provides some intriguing new revelations.

We take you one hour north of Chicago to Hackmatack, a new wildlife refuge that's one of Illinois' best-kept secrets.

After months of negotiations, the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools have failed to come to an agreement. We have the latest reports from Elizabeth Brackett on Chicago Tonight at 7:00 pm.

Carol Marin and her guests discuss what led to the breakdown in talks between CPS and CTU, and what's next for Chicago teachers and students.

Chicago Tonight spoke with parents and teachers of Chicago Public Schools students to get their reaction to the strike. Read what they had to say.

What were Chicago Public Schools students doing today while their teachers took to the picket lines? Paris Schutz has the story.

Springfield passed ambitious education reform last year, intending to transform the system and make it harder for unions to strike. One year later, what’s changed? How did Chicago end up with a historic strike on its hands? We investigate the state of reform on Chicago Tonight at 7:00 pm. Read the full school code amendment of Senate Bill 0007 in the PDF below.

After an ugly start, Matt Forte and the Bears deliver fireworks on offense. Former Bear James "Big Cat" Williams joins us with his take on the season opener.

We hear what you had to say about Chicago teachers on strike when we read some of our viewer mail.

Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists discuss the week's top headlines.

Watch a web-exclusive conversation with Joel Weisman and his panel of journalists.

Need some ideas for what to do this weekend? Chicago Tonight knows what is going on!

Local band Wooden Rings is performing this weekend at the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts. Watch a sneak preview of the band’s performances and listen to the members talk about getting their music off the ground, including securing grant money from the Community Arts Assistance Program.

It's President Obama's night at the Democratic National Convention. Sen. Bill Brady joins Phil Ponce and Jason DeSanto in our studios to discuss the president's speech. And, we hear from Elizabeth Brackett in Charlotte with the latest news from the Illinois delegation.

Elizabeth Brackett discusses the future of the Obama campaign as the Democratic National Convention winds down in Charlotte.

Elizabeth Brackett joins us from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte with the latest news on the Illinois delegation.

It's the first convention for 50-year-old Dino Leone from the Quad Cities area. Leone, an AFSCME union organizer, says the convention has met all of his expectations -- and then some.

The Illinois delegation’s main hotel, the Omni, is right in the heart of the action in Charlotte. Big name Democrats periodically stride through the Omni lobby, usually trailed by a scrum of reporters. I joined the scrum around Sen. John Kerry.

Check out Elizabeth Brackett's photos of street scenes in Charlotte as the town gears up for President Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention

I thought my hotel was a long way from Charlotte. Sen. Dick Durbin told the Illinois delegation his hotel was 12 miles away from South Carolina. So much for senatorial clout.

The 7:00 am Illinois delegation breakfast came really early in Charlotte this morning.

Elizabeth Brackett joins us from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte with the latest news on the Illinois delegation.

Speaker of the Illinois House Michael Madigan on Democrats achieving goals during the convention.