Of Chicago students in third through eighth grade who took the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, or IAR, the state’s annual standardized test, about 30.5 percent met or exceeded the standard in reading and 18.3 percent met or exceeded the standard in math, the data shows. Compared to 2022-23, reading scores grew by 4.6 percentage points and math scores by just .8 points.

Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s office will withhold roughly $135,000 from Dolton for failing to file required annual financial reports with the state

$111 million in overpayments and $54 million in missing exemptions are waiting to be claimed at the office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

Meredith Paige, the mother of two high schoolers, said that to everyday Chicagoans, the feeling was one of chaos. “We might not see the impact on children for a couple of years, but on the ground, parents are saying, ‘What the [hell] is happening? The schools are falling apart, get me out of here.’”

“We have one of the highest starting teacher salaries in the country; we have one of the highest average teacher salaries in the country, and because of that, we’re seeing the lowest vacancy rate we’ve ever seen,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said. “The work is harder today than it’s ever been because the needs are so great for our children.” Over the past five years, CPS has hired some 2,600 new teachers.

Gov. JB Pritzker and his relatives, unions and Democratic groups are among the biggest donors, according to the committee’s first report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Committee spokesperson Natalie Edelstein said any money remaining after all the bills and payroll costs are paid will be donated to still undetermined “charitable organizations.”

“I’m shocked that it’s still in place,” said Ald. Matt Martin. The liquor ban should be lifted because the city has a variety of other tools at its disposal to oversee businesses with liquor licenses, Martin said.

The first of two non-binding questions asks if a taxpayer-funded program should be created to offer free mental health services in the Englewood and Greater Chatham area or on the Near Southwest Side, and if neighbors would support funding the programs by raising property taxes up to .025 percent for properties within the area. A second question asks voters if they support creating a fund of $700,000 or less for the Englewood and Greater Chatham program in next year’s tax levy, or a fund up to $1.2 million for the Near Southwest Side program.

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning proposes to address the CTA’s systemic problems by requesting an extra $1.5 billion in transit funding from the state and $400 million for capital investments. This plan increases the area’s already immense tax burden on residents and does not address the transit authorities’ systemic problems.

“Obviously, the purposeful disinvestment that those blocks have seen[historically] won’t change overnight, but now you have a commitment. You have an anchor organization who will be working hand-in-hand,” Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood said. The Chicago Westside Branch NAACP will work in Austin, Teamwork Englewood in Englewood, and Beyond the Ball in South Lawndale.

The under-fire leader is set to face off against Dolton board colleague Jason House, who is part of a team of candidates called the Clean House slate. He is running with other incumbent trustees opposed to Henyard.

U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider said in a post on X at that he was “aware of the hateful, antisemitic billboard signs located on Edens Spur Tollroad in Northbrook, one that says ‘F*$% ISRAEL’ and one that reads ‘DEATH TO ISRAEL.'” The congressman added it was “notable that this sign is located in a community with a large Jewish population, in close proximity to a Jewish day school, at the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.”

Asked why the mayor wants to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, Cristina Pacione-Zayas said, “Well, I think it’s more about what does the mayor envision for Chicago Public Schools, right? His vision is based on transformation for the entire system. I think the new board is going to be steadfast in terms of carrying out the mission and the vision that the mayor has set forth.”