Opinion: Chicago can’t compete without strong public schools

Chicago Public Schools educates more than 316,000 students, employs tens of thousands of people, and operates on a budget of nearly $10 billion. But its economic importance extends far beyond its workforce and spending.

Strong public schools help cities attract and retain families, make it easier for employers to recruit talent, and prepare the workforce they will need in the future. National surveys of business leaders have found that public school quality matters both to where companies choose to locate and to their ability to recruit and retain workers. A 2026 survey of corporate executives and site-selection consultants ranked skilled labor among the most important factors in location decisions. That’s why school quality — strong academics, effective teaching, and meaningful opportunities for students — belongs squarely in any conversation about Chicago’s economic competitiveness.

Citywide averages also obscure enormous differences among students. Chicago’s white students frequently perform above national averages, while Black, Latino and economically disadvantaged students remain far behind. In fourth-grade math, the gap between economically disadvantaged students and their peers nearly doubled from 19 points in 2003 to 35 points in 2024.

So what should Chicago do?

First, we need to better understand why Chicago’s relative performance looks so different in fourth and eighth grade. We know too many students begin school already behind. In 2025, about 40% of students entering CPS were not considered kindergarten-ready in all three developmental areas.

And yet, Chicago’s stronger eighth-grade results suggest there may be lessons in how students progress through CPS that can be applied earlier. NAEP cannot tell us what is driving that difference, but CPS should be trying to understand it.

Second, Chicago must close the opportunity gaps hidden within its averages. That means investing in initiatives such as the Black Student Success Plan and treating them as serious strategies with measurable outcomes. The plan sets ambitious targets for academic growth, student belonging, discipline, and Black educator representation, but those goals will mean little without the resources and implementation plan to carry them out.

It also means strengthening support for English Learners. Research from the UChicago Consortium shows that students who reach English proficiency often go on to match or outperform peers who were never classified as English Learners in attendance, grades and test scores. But CPS’ strategic plan says 27% of English Learners do not reach proficiency within six years. In a district where more than one in four students is an English Learner, closing that gap should be a top priority.

Finally, academic improvement requires financial stability. CPS entered its most recent budget cycle facing a $732 million deficit, while Illinois’ own funding formula says the district has just 70% of the resources it needs to be adequately funded — a gap of roughly $1.9 billion.

The state needs to do more. But CPS also cannot spend money it does not have. Repeated budget crises and annual cuts erode school quality as schools lose staff, programs, electives, academic supports and opportunities for students.

That matters beyond CPS. Surveys show school quality influences where families choose to live, while research on families leaving cities such as Washington and Philadelphia has found schools to be a significant factor in their decisions. Budget stability shapes school quality, and school quality shapes whether families stay.

Chicago competes every day for companies, workers and families. We measure ourselves against other major cities on jobs, population growth, taxes, transportation and more.

We should be just as serious about how our public schools measure up.

Mariam Raheem is a Senior Data Analyst and Hal Woods is Chief of Policy at Kids First Chicago.