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Aspira students and staff urge CPS for a clear transition plan as charter faces funding shortfall
Summary
Teachers, students and families from Aspira schools told the board they face potential midyear transition due to Aspira’s financial instability and asked CPS to guarantee seniors can graduate together, preserve credits and coordinate staff transfers.
Several speakers from Aspira of Illinois appealed to the board for a coordinated transition plan after Aspira signaled it may not have funds to operate through the end of the school year.
Katie Schmidt, a social studies and special education teacher, told the board Aspira students and staff need a "structured and clear transition plan" that allows seniors to graduate together, preserves credits (including AP and dual-enrollment), and pairs transferring students with counselors and advisers. Multiple teachers asked that educators and counselors be permitted to transfer with student cohorts to preserve continuity.
Students described the emotional impact. Senior student Angelina Mota pleaded for empathy and asked the board to "help us stay together as much as possible to make this tough time more manageable." Senior Jose Aila asked for guarantees that credits would transfer and that athletics and extracurricular opportunities would remain available.
Several Aspira speakers and staff alleged poor communication from Aspira management and urged the board to require Aspira to share parent contact lists and to coordinate outreach. Parent and staff testimony raised fears about vulnerable families and the timing of any midyear transition.
Interim CEO Dr. Meline King told the board that CPS is constrained by contractual obligations — the district cannot unilaterally close a charter — and said the district is seeking Aspira’s cooperation for a mutual transition. Dr. King identified 372 Aspira students districtwide and said 177 are seniors; she pledged the district would ensure students who are on track will graduate this year and said CPS would aim to keep cohorts together when possible.
Next steps: CPS scheduled a meeting with Aspira families and said it is preparing transition plans and options but that implementation depends on Aspira’s actions and contract provisions. Speakers asked for concrete, centralized district communication (phone calls, mailed letters and in-person outreach) rather than email alone.
