Blog
Opinion: CPS mustn't let enrollment declines shortchange the students it serves
Published originally in Crain's Chicago Business on January 21, 2026.
My Why: MLK Day, the PIE Summit, and the Call to Good Trouble
This MLK Day reflection connects a pivotal college experience, the PIE Summit in Atlanta, and a visit to Dr. King’s home to a renewed sense of purpose in the fight for educational equity. It is a personal reminder of why standing on the front lines for families and students matters now more than ever.
How a Federal Child Care Funding Freeze Could Hit Chicago Public Schools
A proposed federal freeze on child care and family assistance funds threatened to destabilize providers and families across Illinois. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the freeze, offering short-term relief while uncertainty remains if the ruling is appealed.
A Spot in the Kitchen: The Important Role Parents Play in School Safety
Kids First Chicago led a featured parent panel at the Gun Violence Prevention Expo, highlighting parents as key leaders in advancing school safety and social-emotional well-being. The session reinforced that parents are no longer satisfied with a seat at the table—they want a spot in the kitchen, helping cook the solutions that keep Chicago’s youth safe.
What 2025 Taught Us About Parent Power
Across Chicago, families showed up not just to react to decisions, but to influence them by asking hard questions, sharing lived experience, and insisting that schools work better for their children. At Kids First Chicago, we believe parents hold essential expertise about what students need to thrive. This year, that belief was affirmed again and again.
A Year at Kids First Chicago: What I’ve Learned from Listening to Chicago Families
My first year at Kids First Chicago has been a journey of listening, learning, and connection. Every conversation with parents, caregivers, and community members has deepened my belief that those closest to the challenges are best equipped to create the solutions.
Elevating Authentic Community Voices: Insights from Chicago Families
Kids First Chicago partnered with Cortico and the Carnegie Corporation of New York to hear directly from parents about how they find and trust education information. Through 22 conversations across 13 communities, families shared the barriers they face, what sources they rely on, and how schools and community groups can better support them.
Safe Schools for All: What the New Law Delivers for Chicago Families
On August 15, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Safe Schools for All Act (HB 3247) into law, making Illinois the first state to explicitly guarantee every child’s right to a free K–12 public education regardless of immigration status. For families across Chicago, this moment matters.
A Win for CPS Families: How Parents Helped Stop a $175M Pension Payment and High-Interest CPS Loan
Over nine months, Kids First Chicago and hundreds of parents, civic allies, and partners worked together to stop a $175 million pension payment from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to the City of Chicago and block a $200 million high-interest loan. On August 28, 2025, the Chicago Board of Education adopted a $10.2 billion FY26 budget.
Don’t Sell Out Students to Bail Out City Hall
Chicago Public Schools presented a $10.2 billion FY26 budget that protects classrooms and avoids short-term borrowing. Some board members are pushing to make a $175 million payment to the City’s pension fund immediately, which parents and families oppose. Hear from Daniel Anello and Hal Woods of Kids First Chicago on why this funding should stay in schools.
Support Dr. King. Choose our Children, Not Politics.
A proud parent of a CPS student, Minijoie, witnesses firsthand the positive impact of well-supported schools and the challenges that arise when political decisions undermine that support. Read their perspective
CPS 2025-26 Budget Update
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is facing a projected $734 million budget deficit. The Board of Education must approve a budget by the end of August, though schools open August 18, marking one of the first times in recent history that the district begins a school year without a finalized budget.