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Teachers

Chicago Teachers Union to Train Members on Filing Complaints with Illinois State Board of Education

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) faces scrutiny over its handling of special education services, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has announced plans to train its members on how to file complaints with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). This move comes in response to a recent Sun-Times report highlighting the understaffing and lack of legally required services to CPS students in special education. CTU President Stacy Davis Gates emphasized that the union has fought for years to center the needs of students in special education and will not allow the district to cut corners.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Chicago Teachers Union will host a training for its members to learn how to file complaints with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) regarding special education services.
  • The training aims to equip educators with the tools to enforce students' rights and ensure compliance with legally required standards.
  • The CTU has fought for years to prioritize the needs of students in special education and will not allow the district to cut corners, despite the challenges posed by the Trump administration's efforts to defund the Department of Education.
  • The union warns that the district is at risk of returning to the practice of delaying and denying students the services they are entitled to by law.
  • The CTU has a long history of advocating for students in special education, including exposing and challenging former CEO Forrest Claypool's slashing of special education in the name of budget-balancing.
  • The training will review the legal and contractual standards and provide members with the knowledge and skills necessary to file complaints with ISBE in the event of documented violations.

Statistics:

  • Over 30,000 teachers and educational support personnel are represented by the Chicago Teachers Union.
  • The CTU serves more than 300,000 students and families in Chicago Public Schools.
  • The union has fought for years to center the needs of students in special education, despite the district's efforts to cut corners.
  • The Trump administration's efforts to defund the Department of Education have left special education students in Chicago and across the country without due process, support, and safety nets.

Sources:

  • Chicago Teachers Union website: www.ctulocal1.org
  • Sun-Times article: (no link provided)
  • Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE): (no link provided)
  • American Federation of Teachers: (no link provided)
  • Illinois Federation of Teachers: (no link provided)

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