CHICAGO (CITC) — Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is considering delaying the start of its 2024-25 academic year to allow students to attend and volunteer at the Democratic National Convention.
This year's Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago from Aug. 19 to 22. On Friday, CPS announced it may push its first day of school back a week in anticipation of the convention, which the district notes is estimated to bring in 75,000 attendees.
"This shift not only accommodates the city’s logistical needs as they relate to the influx of Conventiongoers, but it also allows time for students to attend, volunteer and participate in the civic process of hosting the Convention," the announcement reads.
If the proposal passes, CPS students will return to the classroom on Aug. 26. and the first semester will not end until after winter break. Last year, the first day of school was Aug. 21.
A survey seeking input from parents of CPS high schoolers closed Wednesday. The school board will vote on a final calendar at its February 22 meeting.
CPS has previously faced controversy for being linked to politics. Last January, then-Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's reelection campaign emailed CPS employees looking for student volunteers. The campaign was seeking students willing to devote 12 hours per week to its efforts, and any who joined would have received "class credit."
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The request outraged Paul Vallas, one of Lightfoot's Democratic challengers, who claimed "pressuring teachers and students" into politics is a potential ethics violation.
A spokesperson for CPS told Crisis in the Classroom (CITC) at the time the district has a "rule" against coordinating "with any political candidates or campaigns."
CPS's proposal comes as the majority of its students continue to struggle academically. Only 26% of students met or exceeded their grade's proficiency level in ELA in 2023, while only 17.5% did in math. Both statistics put CPS students under the state average, according to the Illinois Report Card.
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Additionally, only 82.9% of CPS students were found to graduate high school within four years in 2023, a more than 3% drop from the year prior.
CITC reached out to CPS for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. This story will be updated if a response is received.
Have something for the Crisis in the Classroom team to investigate? Call or text the national tip line at 202-417-7273.
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