Featured Press Overview

September 24, 2026 • WBEZ / Chicago Sun-Times

CPS enrollment has fallen by another 11,500 students, bringing district enrollment to roughly 304,700, its lowest level in more than two decades. The story also draws on Kids First Chicago research showing that CPS served 71% of Chicago’s school-age children in 2023, down from about 75% between 2008 and 2018, underscoring that demographic shifts are not the only factor in the district’s enrollment decline.

September 21, 2026 • WBEZ / Chicago Sun-Times

WBEZ’s behind-the-scenes look at its 2026 CPS School Board voter guide highlights how the newsroom worked with voters, parents and community organizations, including Kids First Chicago, to identify the questions and issues most important to Chicago families. More than 900 people responded to the community survey, helping shape the candidate questionnaire and ensuring the guide reflects the information needs of CPS families across the city.

September 21, 2026 • Crain's Chicago Business

Originally published in Crain’s Chicago Business, this op-ed from Mariam Raheem and Kids First Chicago examines how the strength of Chicago Public Schools affects the city’s ability to attract families, workers, and businesses. Drawing on recent Kids First Chicago analysis, the piece highlights CPS’s areas of strength alongside persistent gaps and opportunities for improvement.

September 15, 2026 • Chicago Tribune

Kids First Chicago parent leader Brenda was featured in the Chicago Tribune’s coverage of the televised debate among candidates for Chicago’s first elected school board president. Her perspective adds a parent voice to the historic election and highlights the importance of ensuring Chicago families are represented and engaged in decisions shaping the future of public education.

September 14, 2026 • WGN Radio

What happens when a school has only a fraction of the students it was built to serve? Hal Woods, Chief of Policy for Kids First Chicago, joins The Lisa Dent Show to discuss declining CPS enrollment, underused school buildings, student opportunities, and the complicated decisions facing Chicago’s public schools.

September 14, 2026 • Chalkbeat Chicago

Chicago’s long-awaited noncitizen advisory panel is finally moving forward, with applications now open for residents who will help advise the city’s Board of Education and bring greater representation to immigrant families who cannot vote in school board elections. Kids First Chicago has been among the advocates pushing for the panel for the past two years, and Chief Community Engagement Officer Jessica Cañas highlighted both parents’ excitement about the opportunity and the need for clarity around how the advisory board will work alongside the elected school board.

September 10, 2026 • WGN 9 News

WGN Investigates reports that 13 CPS high schools were at least 80% under capacity last school year, highlighting the scale of enrollment decline and the challenges facing school communities across Chicago. The findings reinforce Kids First Chicago’s research on CPS’s ongoing enrollment crisis, which examines how declining enrollment is affecting school resources, programming and students across the city.

September 4, 2026 • Government Technology

Chicago is continuing its Chicago Connected program, providing free high-speed internet to roughly 28,000 CPS students and their families for another school year. The extension builds on Kids First Chicago’s longstanding work to close the digital divide, including its research documenting the program’s impact and advocacy calling for sustained investment in equitable internet access for CPS families. ([cps.edu][1]) [1]: https://www.cps.edu/strategic-initiatives/chicago-connected/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Chicago Connected"

September 2, 2026 • Board Rule

Good governance matters, especially as Chicago moves to a fully elected Board of Education. K1C's Daniel Anello joined Heather Y. Anichini of The Chicago Public Education Fund and Arnaldo Rivera of Chicago Education Alliance to discuss the Six Principles of Good Governance to help guide what’s ahead.

August 24, 2026 • Block Club Chicago

Block Club Chicago’s in-depth look at the CPS Black Student Success Plan highlights the experiences and perspectives of K1C parent voices, including DeLisa, Coretta Shane, Natasha Croff, and Koron Nash. Their insights bring a critical parent perspective to the challenges and gaps facing Black students and families, underscoring the importance of meaningful investment, support, and accountability in CPS.

August 10, 2026 • Chicago Tribune

A new look at Chicago’s historic school board elections examines the challenges facing CPS, including declining enrollment and the impact it has on schools and communities. The piece highlights the perspectives of Kids First Chicago voices Blaire Flowers, a parent and Austin community activist, and Emani Johnson, policy manager, alongside data from K1C’s Enrollment report to underscore the importance of listening to families and communities as Chicago’s school system navigates major change.

July 8, 2026 • WBEZ / Chicago Sun-Times

In this letter to the editor, parent leader Claiborne Wade applauds Chicago Public Schools for protecting instructional time and Safe Passage programs despite its budget challenges, while calling attention to the deeper issue of chronic underfunding. He urges Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to increase evidence-based funding and pursue long-term solutions that provide students with the stable, fully funded education they deserve.