CPS Travel Spending Irks Community Amid Low Student Performance
A recent report by the Office of Inspector General for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has raised alarms, revealing that the school system incurred $14.5 million in what they termed “excessive” travel expenses during the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years.
As of spring 2024, it was noted that only 30.5% of students in grades 3-8 demonstrated reading proficiency, with just 18.3% scoring well in math. This disparity in student performance has led to critical responses from community leaders, including Pastor Corey Brooks, who stated, “This is a sad commentary on how degraded our city is and how poor our leadership is.” According to him, it seems more attention is given to personal expenditure rather than investing in the education of children who truly need it.
He highlighted the dire situation in local schools, mentioning, “In our neighborhood, reading comprehension is only 6 percent. A 30% proficiency across Chicago should be alarming for those in power.” There’s clearly a disconnect between financial priorities and educational needs.
The report further detailed that CPS spent $7.7 million on travel in fiscal year 2024 alone, marking an astronomical 2,467% increase from $300,000 in fiscal year 2021. Interestingly, travel costs before the pandemic were notably lower, recorded at $3.6 million in fiscal year 2019. Some CPS officials reportedly embarked on extravagant trips to places like Las Vegas and Egypt, raising eyebrows amidst declining student performance.
Additionally, the report indicated alarmingly low proficiency levels among older students, with only 22.4% of 11th graders being proficient in reading as per SAT results, while merely 18.6% excelled in math. “The Chicago public school system is a complete dumpster fire,” remarked Corey DeAngelis, executive director of the Institute for Educational Freedom, emphasizing that these government-run schools are failing to provide children with opportunities.
Amid growing concerns, it was noted that a staggering 40.8% of CPS students were chronically absent in 2024. Brooks lamented the lack of acknowledgment regarding this issue, suggesting that many fail to grasp the depth of the problem. “We have third, fourth, and fifth-graders who can’t read,” he said. “It’s frustrating for them, and many just give up.” He pointed out that some parents seem to be disengaged, allowing their children to drift into apathy.
In response to the criticism, CPS stated it has instituted a committee dedicated to reviewing travel expenses since October 29, aiming to implement changes. The school system also indicated plans to impose stricter travel policies and enhance financial transparency through a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) financial system.
A CPS spokesperson emphasized that they are serious about addressing the recommendations from the OIG report, ensuring that policies align with ethical standards that prioritize the welfare of students. Moreover, Brooks critiqued the educational leaders for seemingly prioritizing the interests of their children in private institutions over those reliant on struggling public schools, questioning the fairness of this approach.
