Featured Press Overview

September 15, 2025 • Chalkbeat Chicago

Kids First Chicago parents Katrina Adams and Mykela Collins joined Kids First Chicago’s Chief of Policy, Hal Woods, in calling for urgent action to better support Black students in CPS. While Woods emphasized the need for transparency and careful navigation of federal scrutiny, Adams highlighted the importance of targeting resources to ensure more students graduate ready for college and careers, and Collins underscored the need for the district to stand firm without concessions.

August 28, 2025 • Chalkbeat Chicago

Kids First Chicago rallied alongside support-staff union SEIU Local 73 before the CPS board meeting, calling for the approval of Interim CEO King’s budget. The budget, passed without a high-cost pension loan, reflects the kind of advocacy that organizations like ours are doing to protect student resources and avoid financially risky debt. A win for CPS families.

August 19, 2025 • CBS News

At recent CPS budget hearings, Kids First Chicago’s Chief of Policy, Hal Woods, urged the district to protect classrooms and student supports while addressing a projected $734 million deficit. Woods emphasized the need for transparency around funding assumptions and called for contingency plans if new revenues don’t materialize—ensuring families aren’t left bearing the impact of uncertain budget choices.

August 15, 2025 • Chicago Tribune

Ahead of the highly anticipated CPS Board meeting on August 28, Kids First Chicago was in communities educating families what was at stake for their CPS students. One parent was highlighted for learning about the CPS budget deficit at the Kids First Chicago booth at Piotrowski Park at a CPS back-to-school bash.

August 12, 2025 • Chicago Tribune

In this August 2025 Chicago Tribune opinion piece, Joe Ferguson, President of the Civic Federation, and Daniel Anello, CEO of Kids First Chicago, argue that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) must not be tapped to provide financial relief for City Hall’s budget shortfalls. They warn that issuing loans or using CPS resources for city expenses could trigger rising interest costs, deeper deficits, and restricted access to credit markets—echoing past financial crises for the district. Ferguson and Anello emphasize that Chicagoans strongly oppose using school funding to cover municipal pension obligations or plugging immediate city budget gaps with new debt.

July 23, 2025 • Crain's Chicago Business

In this Crain’s Chicago Business op-ed, our Chief of Policy, Hal Woods, argues that shifting a $175 million pension bill onto Chicago Public Schools would undermine resources for students and jeopardize the district’s financial stability. He calls for alternative solutions that protect classrooms and prioritize Chicago’s children.

July 9, 2025 • ABC7 Chicago

Chicago Public Schools is facing a $730 million budget shortfall—putting real pressure on classrooms, families, and the future of public education in our city. 🎥 In this ABC7 Chicago story, our own Hal Woods speaks at 1:43 about what’s driving the crisis and why it’s critical for leaders to prioritize students in the path forward.

June 4, 2025 • The OEC: Op-Ed Chicago

The OEC: Op-Ed Chicago, examines how nonprofit organizations are adapting to challenges posed by the Trump administration's policies. The piece highlights the impact of a temporary suspension of federal grants to nonprofits deemed to "undermine national interest," leading to layoffs and program suspensions. It discusses how nonprofits like Kids First Chicago have maintained their missions through strategic partnerships and diversified funding sources.

May 3, 2025 • Chicago Tribune

The article features a compilation of letters to the editor by various individuals expressing their opinions on topics related to the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). Amongst the contributors were K1C parents as they openly shared their thoughts.

April 24, 2025 • Book Club Chicago

Chicago’s partially elected school board has approved new policies requiring charter schools to provide at least 18 months’ notice before closing and to take financial responsibility for closure-related costs. This change aims to increase accountability and prevent sudden school shutdowns that disrupt students and families. Kids First Chicago has highlighted ongoing concerns about the district’s delayed financial audits, underscoring the need for stronger oversight.

April 16, 2025 • K-12 Dive

A recent Kids First Chicago report—covered by K‑12 Dive—reveals a promising rebound in elementary English Language Arts proficiency, with an 11-point rise between 2022 and 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. But success isn’t uniform: “racial disparities… potentially speak to disinvestment,” warns data scientist Micaelan Gasperich, noting White students achieved 60% proficiency versus just 23% (Black) and 26% (Latino). While more 8th graders are on track and Algebra 1 completion has improved, high school reading and math scores remain below pre-COVID levels, with math scores declining since 2021. Hal Woods attributes elementary reading gains to pandemic-era investments in tutors and interventionists—but cautions the challenge ahead: “how can the district maintain these interventions…without the funding streams that made them possible?”.

March 28, 2025 • ABC7 Chicago

After nearly a year of negotiations and more than 720 proposals, the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools are nearing a tentative contract deal without a strike—covering veteran pay, teacher prep time, and evaluations. CTU counsel LaToyia Kimbrough called it “a transformative contract.” CPS emphasized prioritizing educator contributions while balancing budget constraints. Hal Woods of Kids First Chicago warned that sustaining the 4–5% annual raises will “require an increase in local and state revenue sources,” noting the challenge of funding beyond the initial year.