CPS, Teachers Union Dispute On Whether Deal Has Been Reached

CHICAGO, IL — Students in Chicago Public Schools could soon be allowed to return to in-person learning after CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union had reportedly reached an agreement on a phased reopening approach to public schools on Sunday.

“This tentative agreement marks an important milestone for our communities, our families, and most importantly for our children, ensuring that our schools are both safe and that everyone's lived experiences are respected and heard,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement.

“It also marks a momentous step forward in our citywide journey of renewal and recovery which has us fighting even harder to provide our kids the education, and resources they deserve to learn, grow, and pursue their dreams,” the mayor added.

The Teachers Union was set to vote on ratifying an agreement later on Sunday, WGN and others reported. But the union was still reviewing it late Sunday night, according to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times.

Earlier on Sunday, the CTU said on Twitter that no deal had been reached, even after CPS began releasing some details of one. The union said they were sent the terms of the latest proposal just Saturday night.

"There is no agreement yet between the Union and the Board of Education," the CTU said in a statement. "What we have is a framework that all of our members must first review and assess, because it is our members who are being asked to return to school buildings in the midst of a global pandemic."

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Students and staff in pre-K and cluster programs will return on Thursday, Feb. 11, CPS said in a Sunday tweet. Kindergarten through fifth grade teachers will return Feb. 22 and students on March 1. Sixth through eighth grade teachers return on March 1, and students on March 8.

CPS CEO Janice Jackson said, in a statement, the agreement is "a victory for the students and families who need more than remote learning can provide, and it guarantees staff the protections and resources needed to safely return to the classroom."

There was no return date listed for high school students. Preschool and some special education students in the district have had an in-person learning option since the beginning of January. Before that, all CPS learning had been remote since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Since then, much of what had caused a standstill between CPS and the union is connected to the teachers' vaccination priority.

"We’re also doing everything in our power to vaccinate educators as quickly and equitably as possible," CPS said in its Sunday update.

Nearly eight months ago, we began discussions with the Chicago Teachers Union about how to safely open schools.

We can now report that a tentative agreement has been reached that will allow CPS students who want to learn in person to return to their schools.
— Chicago Public Schools (@ChiPubSchools) February 7, 2021

The Chicago Teachers Union has fought returning to classrooms in the nation's third-largest district, defying orders to come to class ahead of students. The union has said that if the district locks teachers out of email and teaching platforms, all teachers would picket.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.