Labor Updates

This page includes:

A synopsis of the District’s approach and strategy when it comes to these negotiations
A list of 12 standing CPS and CTU subcommittees that will focus on specific topics
Details on any bargaining sessions that will be held in public
Various proposals provided by CPS throughout the negotiation process

We look forward to productive negotiations that will allow CPS and CTU to work together around addressing the challenges facing our District, and around our shared goal of providing all students with the robust, high quality education they need to be successful in college, career, and civic life.

We encourage you to visit this page regularly to learn more about our District’s approach to ongoing labor negotiations and to monitor the progress that is being made.

Our District’s strategy throughout the negotiation process will be to remain fully student-centered, and to protect and build on the robust offerings that have led to CPS’ impressive academic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. We want our educators to receive the compensation, tools, and resources they deserve, and our goal will be to achieve this in a way that is both sustainable and financially responsible for the District.

Our positions will reflect the values and priorities that will be outlined in the District’s new Five-Year Strategic Plan, and Continuous Improvement Data Transparency (CIDT) policy, both of which have been shaped by months of community engagement and are now being finalized by the District. We will also view every contract proposal through an equity lens, which means setting universal standards for every school, then using targeted supports to help students and school communities in every Chicago neighborhood achieve those standards.

This focus on improving equity can already be seen through this year’s new budgeting model, which provides all CPS schools with a District-funded clerk, counselor, and assistant principal, along with a set number of teacher positions to meet the unique needs of their students. These foundational resources are guaranteed across the board, no matter the size, type, or location of each school. Additional resources are then provided to schools based on need, which is measured largely by our District’s comprehensive Opportunity Index. This tool considers several economic, historical, and demographic factors to determine which school communities are furthest from opportunity.

As part of the negotiation process, 12 standing subcommittees have been created to focus on specific topics. These sub-committees will review proposals from the District and CTU and work to reach a consensus recommendation that they can then bring back to their respective core bargaining teams. Below is the full list of the sub-committees and their topics below.

Special Education/Itinerants
Clinicians
Students in Temporary Living Situations (STLS)
Labor Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC)
Bilingual Education
Sustainable Community Schools
Educator Evaluation/Educator Recruitment and Retention
Green Schools/Climate Justice/Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Class Size
Early Childhood
Article 10 Titles/Newly Accreted Groups
Budget/Finance/TIF/Legislative

Below are the District’s initial proposals to CTU. These proposals aim to comprehensively address several key areas, including:

Streamlining the grievance process
Mitigating the disruptive effects of mid-year teacher transfers on schools
Clarifying distinctions between teacher-directed, principal-directed, and centrally-directed professional development
Ensuring uniformity across schools in assessment and grading responsibilities
Establishing baseline expectations for teachers and related service providers before, during, and after IEP meetings
Revamping support for schools managing classes with a higher number of students

The following proposal represents the areas of proposed changes from CPS. The areas highlighted in blue represent CPS’ proposed changes. If an area is unmarked or unrepresented, no changes are proposed.

View the Proposals

Additionally, CPS will post any CPS-created presentations and proposals discussed during public bargaining sessions for review by the public.

Labor Updates

The purpose of this web page is to keep CPS staff and families updated on the progress of ongoing negotiations between CPS and our labor partners at the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU).