Chicago Teachers Union's Latinx Caucus: CPS Fails to Deliver Adequate Bilingual Staffing and Contract Progress

Ahead of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students' return, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) Latine caucus organized a press conference, expressing concerns over insufficient bilingual staffing levels and a perceived stalemate in negotiations with CPS. This event intensifies the ongoing debate on whether CPS's $400 million structural deficit for the next five years should hinder its ability to fund and staff programs completely. At Cooper Dual Language Academy, where 130 migrant students enrolled last year, CTU members rallied, demanding CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to either 'step up to the challenge of meeting our students’ needs' or 'step aside,' according to Kathryn Zamarron, a Walt Disney Magnet School music teacher. Rocio Gonzalez, a Cooper dual language teacher, raised issues about staffing challenges when enrolling migrant students at the beginning of the last school year, stating they received no extra support or resources despite their calls for help. Although CPS allocated $77 million in funding for the newcomer students, a $10 million increase from the previous year, the CTU argues that this amount is insufficient. CPS mentioned that Cooper had four dedicated bilingual teachers last year, and as enrollment rose, English learners were grouped to receive additional support.

As the tension between the district and the union escalates, CPS maintains that Martinez, district leaders, and the Board of Education are committed to ensuring a 'smooth start to the school year.' CTU members, however, claim that CPS has been reluctant and uncooperative during negotiations concerning bilingual education proposals. According to a district presentation at a bargaining session, fulfilling the union's more than 700 contract proposals would result in a $2.9 billion deficit in the upcoming school year. If CPS were to accept the union's proposals, the deficit would grow to nearly $4 billion by the 2028-29 school year, Chief Budget Officer Mike Sitkowski cautioned. CTU Vice President Jackson Potter criticized the district's analysis, alleging that it implies that the union's proposals for additional librarians, arts programming, and support for bilingual students are unattainable. Martinez has not personally attended the bargaining sessions, but district leaders, authorized to negotiate, aim to do so

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