The schools district and Chicago Board of Education have scheduled a public hearing downtown next week just before the board will vote on the bond proposal.

The Chicago Public Schools system is one step closer to having an elected school board instead of one in which members are appointed by the mayor.

Several Chicago Public Schools could be consolidating with neighboring schools, if residents in at least two Chicago communities are able to convince the district to take action. Brandis Friemdan has the details on a proposed merger that residents on the Near North Side have been considering.

The Chicago Board of Education will vote next week on whether to approve applications for two new charter schools, but a group of Chicago aldermen have signed a resolution calling for a moratorium on the schools, while some parents say they have the right to choose which schools their children attend. Hear from all sides of the issue.

The Chicago Board of Education is expected to sign off on a $200 million borrowing plan today to help the cash-strapped district manage its financial woes until the end of the month. But the massive cash-crunch facing CPS will remain and some observers fear that teacher layoffs and other school cuts might be inevitable. 

In recent weeks, the Chicago Board of Education has received letters from both the state Board of Education and the U.S. Department of Education threatening the loss of more than $1 billion if Chicago Public Schools fails to administer the controversial standardized test, PARCC. Wednesday's meeting is the Board's first since those communications from the state and federal governments. Find out what, if any, action they take. We also have reaction to the referendum on an elected school board, and information on what actions the school board is considering to save $10 million.

The mayor pulls a sneaky end-run around aldermen who had wanted city voters to weigh in on whether or not there should be an elected Chicago Public School Board. Paris Schutz has the latest on today’s strange developments.