Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor Contracts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves tentative four‑year CTU contract and amends FY25 budget to fund first year
Summary
The Chicago Board of Education voted to approve a tentative four‑year collective bargaining agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union and adopted an amendment to the FY2025 budget to pay the agreement's first year, the board said at its April 24 meeting.
The Chicago Board of Education voted to approve and ratify a tentative four‑year collective bargaining agreement between the district and the Chicago Teachers Union on April 24 and adopted an amendment to the district's fiscal 2025 budget to fund the contract's first year.
Board materials and CEO remarks said the FY2025 amendment adds funds from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) surplus to appropriate the first year's costs; the amendment was described in the meeting as adding $139,000,000 of additional TIF surplus dollars. CEO Pedro Martinez told the board the district will use the budget amendment to cover the first year while continuing to pursue revenue strategies for later years.
Why it matters: The contract ends nearly a year of negotiations and is the central operational action before the district for personnel and payroll planning. The board also faces a projected FY2026 shortfall discussed in the meeting; CEO Martinez told members the district projects a $529,000,000 shortfall for FY2026 and will seek new revenue sources, including state advocacy.
What the board said and voted: The board report for the collective bargaining agreement (listed as EX20 on the public agenda) was presented during the business portion of the meeting. The roll call recorded the contract matter as adopted; the clerk recorded 18 ayes and two abstentions (Board Members Pope and Wallace were recorded as abstaining on the contract items per the roll calls and counsel direction). CEO Martinez and CTU President Stacy Davis Gates both addressed the board during the meeting; Davis Gates praised the contract as a major achievement for teachers.
Contract and budget context: CEO Martinez reminded members that implementing the agreement will require familiarizing school leaders and adjusting the district's budget; he said the district will fund the first year by amendment and continue exploring options for subsequent years. Martinez also described an ongoing legislative push to Springfield to increase state funding and listed funding requests presented at the meeting, which the district framed as part of a multi‑jurisdiction advocacy strategy.
Board actions (summary): The board voted to ratify the tentative collective bargaining agreement (EX20) and approved an amendment to the FY2025 budget to fund the first year. The board record notes the budget amendment adds supplemental TIF dollars to the FY2025 appropriation (amount stated in the meeting transcript). The roll calls and attendant abstentions are recorded in the meeting minutes.
What the transcript records and next steps: CEO Martinez and other district leaders said implementing the contract will proceed immediately, including training and budget actions at the school level. Martinez said district leaders will continue discussions about multi‑year funding and will press legislators for increased state support.
Ending: The board's approval clears the way for contract implementation this spring; district leaders said budget and implementation work will continue over the summer and into FY2026.
