.png)
After eight months of heated negotiations, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) appear to be making progress in their contentious contract talks. These discussions, which cost CEO Pedro Martinez his job, have taken a decisive turn, with both parties announcing tentative agreements on several issues.
In updates shared Friday, the union and district revealed they had paused the neutral fact-finding process initiated in October, signaling potential breakthroughs. Both sides agreed to expand Sustainable Community Schools to 70 over four years, hire more English learner teachers and other staff, and explore housing assistance for homeless students.
However, significant disagreements remain unresolved. CTU leaders accused Martinez of delaying negotiations after a Dec. 24 court ruling confirmed his authority over the process during his final six months as CEO. CTU President Stacy Davis Gates criticized him for stalling progress, pointing to alignment between union proposals and CPS’s new five-year strategic plan.
Martinez and CPS officials rejected claims of obstruction, arguing that substantial progress had been made. Martinez also accused school board members, appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, of attempting to hijack the process after they voted to fire him without cause on Dec. 20.
“We cannot overextend ourselves today at the expense of students and staff tomorrow,” Martinez said during a Friday press conference.
The union is advocating for additional preparation time for elementary teachers by reallocating instructional hours for students to enrichment classes like art and music. While Davis Gates noted progress in discussions, no formal proposals have been finalized.
CPS officials emphasized the district’s leadership in teacher prep time, averaging 330 minutes per week compared to New York City’s 240 minutes and San Diego’s 90 minutes. They cautioned against cutting core instructional time, especially as students work to recover academically from the pandemic.
District leaders have proposed alternatives, such as lengthening the school year to provide more prep time. The debate recalls the 2012 reforms under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, when CPS extended the school day for elementary and high school students, cutting 30 minutes of prep time that CTU was unable to restore in 2019 negotiations.
The union initially proposed 9% annual raises, while CPS countered with 4%-5% yearly increases. CPS estimates that average teacher salaries will exceed $115,000 by the end of the proposed four-year contract and has offered health coverage improvements at no additional cost to teachers.
CTU described the district’s proposal as “a decent initial offer” but is pushing for higher raises to retain veteran educators. CPS has resisted guarantees that funding raises won’t lead to layoffs, citing a structural deficit of $500 million that could grow to nearly $1 billion without federal COVID-19 aid.
Martinez called the union’s demands for 6% raises in the first two years and 5% in the final two fiscally unsustainable. “We must ensure financial stability for the district,” he said.
Negotiations over additional hires and class size limits remain ongoing. While agreements on staffing for librarians, social workers, and bilingual teacher assistants are nearing completion, disputes persist over middle-grade class size caps.
CPS highlighted the creation of 7,000 new positions during the pandemic, which they credit for aiding academic recovery. However, officials warned that maintaining current staffing levels while adding new positions could further strain budgets amid looming deficits.
CTU is seeking to overhaul CPS’s REACH teacher evaluation system, implemented under former Mayor Emanuel. The system ties teacher performance to student test scores, which critics argue disproportionately penalizes Black educators and those in predominantly Black schools.
While CPS defended REACH as critical for accountability, they expressed openness to adjustments, such as increased mentoring for educators in high-poverty schools. However, they rejected the union’s proposal to allow teachers to choose their own curriculums, citing concerns about principals’ ability to maintain unified school visions.
As talks enter a crucial phase, both sides acknowledge progress but remain at odds over key issues. For now, the district and union agree on one thing: the stakes couldn’t be higher for Chicago’s students and educators.