Recent Press Releases
New Report: How Are CPS Students Doing? New Progress Review Explores Trends in Academics, Attendance, and Well-Being
3/27/25
Kids First Chicago presents a new annual review that examines Chicago Public Schools’ student outcomes from 2018 to 2024, comparing academic performance, attendance, and social-emotional well-being before and after the pandemic.
Statement and Analysis of Baker Tilly Report on CPS Funding Options
3/18/25
Kids First Chicago issues statement on a new Baker Tilly report, commissioned by the Chicago Board of Education to review CPS obligations and funding options.
New Report: Promise in Practice: A New Chapter in Chicago’s School Board Governance
1/16/25
Kids First Chicago (K1C) releases a new report, presenting practical, parent- and student-vetted suggestions for the new 21-member hybrid Board of Education to consider as it begins its official business this month.
Statements from Kids First Chicago & Kids First Chicago Parent Advisory Board on Special CPS Board Meeting
12/19/24
Statements issued on behalf of Kids First Chicago and the Kids First Chicago Parent Advisory Board in response to the special session of the Board of Education on December 20 urge the Board to delay the meeting to ensure more transparency and engagement.
CPS Parents Hold Roundtable Discussion About How CPS, CTU and the Mayor’s Office Must Realign Around Kids
12/12/24
Parents who serve on Kids First Chicago Parent Advisory Board (PAB) met with members of the media on Tuesday to share their perspectives on the most pressing concerns in Chicago’s education system. Parents underscored their frustration with being sidelined in conversations about the future of CPS, while kids remain far behind academically and socially-emotionally.
Media Advisory: Kids First Chicago's Parent Advisory Board Issues Statement & Invites Media to Dec. 10 Roundtable Discussion
12/9/24
In a statement, the Kids First Chicago Parent Advisory Board (PAB) demanded an immediate, refocused commitment to putting kids first amid tense contract negotiations between CPS and CTU. Members of the media are invited to a roundtable discussion with CPS parents from across the city on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at Kids First's offices.
Media Advisory: Thursday Town Hall to Unpack Inaugural Chicago School Board Elections
11/21/24
Join Kids First Chicago for a post-election conversation on Chicago’s continuing transition to an elected school board. On Thursday, November 21, we’ll break down the recent election results, share how stakeholders can directly engage with the new board, and hear from a diverse panel of parents, students, and community leaders on ways to ensure genuine, inclusive engagement.
Media Advisory: Tuesday Youth-led Forum Expected to Draw 15 School Board Candidates
10/22/24
Join Mikva Challenge and members of the Coalition for Authentic Community Engagement, including Kids First Chicago, for a Youth-Led Candidate Forum for Chicago’s inaugural school board races on Tuesday, October 22, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
New Report: Update to Defeating the Digital Divide
10/17/24
Kids First Chicago presents new data analysis on the digital divide in Chicago, focusing on CPS students' device access and connectivity challenges and urging the city and district to commit to expanding access.
Statement from Kids First Chicago Parent Advisory Board Executive Committee on Potential Dismissal of CPS CEO Martinez
9/20/24
As parents and community leaders, we are deeply concerned by reports that the Chicago Board of Education, at the direction of the Mayor of Chicago, may move to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.
New Report: Kids First Chicago Offers Tangible Revenue Options as CPS Grapples with Escalating Deficit
7/24/24
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is facing a staggering $738 million structural operating budget deficit for fiscal year 2025. Kids First Chicago’s new report, “Revenue Options to Address Chicago Public Schools’ Deficit,'' highlights six potential revenue proposals to address this emerging crisis.
Kids First Chicago Celebrates Education Milestones with Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges
5/17/24
On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Kids First Chicago commemorated the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision with featured guest Ruby Bridges and nearly 400 civic, education, and philanthropic leaders.
Kids First Chicago Statement on Illinois Senate Chicago Elected School Board Legislation
3/5/24
Kids First Chicago requests that the Illinois Senate address concerns with Senate Bill 3757, including district representation, undemocratic barriers to participation, noncitizen participation, and compensation for service.
Coalition Pushes Mayor Johnson for Authentic Community Engagement around CPS Board Policymaking
2/21/24
Two dozen Chicago community and education organizations co-sign letter to Mayor Johnson requesting his leadership in committing to authentic community engagement around our public schools.
Kids First Chicago Response to Developments on Chicago's Elected School Board Transition
2/5/24
Kids First Chicago calls upon the Illinois state legislature to hold new hearings to examine the competing proposals for Chicago’s first-ever elected school board.
New Report: Parents Offer Solutions to Chicago’s School Enrollment Crisis
1/16/24
Kids First Chicago releases an in-depth report series with families’ recommendations to help stem Chicago’s persistent and precipitous decline in student enrollment. Parents ranked seven primary roadblocks for retaining population; crime and safety, taxes and cost of living, education, housing, job quality, access to quality healthcare, and the presence (or lack thereof) of government programs.
Kids First Chicago Response to CPS’s December 2023 Board Resolution
12/13/23
Kids First Chicago responds to CPS’s December 2023 Board Resolution, which states the district will "transition away" from from a system of choice, and strongly urges the Chicago Board of Education to walk back this resolution until a comprehensive, inclusive, and transparent public engagement process is conducted.
Parents Celebrate Continued Progress on Inaugural Elected School Board
11/9/23
Parents and community leaders from Kids First Chicago's Elected School Board Task Force (ESBTF) thank the Illinois General Assembly for its continued efforts to ensure equitable representation in Chicago’s future elected school board.
Insights from K1C's Citywide Poll on Chicago’s Transition to an Elected School Board.
10/12/23
Results of a poll commissioned by Kids First Chicago (K1C) of 723 registered and eligible voters on Chicago’s forthcoming elected school board will be shared Thursday evening at a virtual Town Hall hosted by K1C and Mikva Challenge.
Parents Comment on Delay on Drawing Elected School Board Districts
5/26/2023
After watching the districting process play out over the past few months, it's obvious what parents want – fair racial representation so the school board will look like and understand the students and the communities they live in.
CPS Parents Respond to Latest Proposal on Chicago Elected School Board District Map
5/18/2023
We call upon the Senate Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board and the House Working Group to return to the drawing board and amend these maps to better represent CPS’s students.
South & West Side CPS Parents Virtual Press Conference Monday 11:30 AM
1/9/2022
A variety of parent perspectives on remote or in-person learning will be offered by CPS parents with children attending schools on Chicago’s South and West sides in a virtual press conference.
Contact Us
Kids First Chicago has staff experts available to speak on a range of topics related to Chicago Public Schools, education policy, poverty research, and racial equity, as well as an extensive network of parent leaders throughout Chicago who are taking action to advance more equitable, high-quality schools for Chicago’s kids.
For all media requests, please contact Kristin Pollock at kpollock@kidsfirstchicago.org.