Chicago’s first fully elected school board represents a genuine democratic advance — but voters must ask whether CTU-backed candidates will govern in the interest of students and taxpayers, or serve as an instrument of union priorities at odds with the district’s precarious fiscal reality.
Chicago Public Schools has scheduled districtwide parent-teacher conferences for Monday, Nov. 2, with no classes Monday or Tuesday in observance of Election Day. Superintendent Dr. Macquline King urged families to engage with teachers and eligible voters to cast ballots in Tuesday’s historic board election.
Chicago Public Schools’ outgoing board restored $150 million in previously proposed budget cuts without a new funding source, banking on state aid that Gov. JB Pritzker indicated is not a current legislative priority during the fall veto session.
A Chicago Public Schools high school continues to operate a Chinese-government-linked program, including a sister-school relationship and a student field trip to the Chinese consulate, even as federal officials flag Confucius Institutes as national security concerns.
The University of Illinois Chicago achieved the top tier of Seal of Excelencia certification and Harold Washington College earned the distinction for the first time, placing both Chicago institutions among just 55 schools nationally recognized for advancing Latino student success.
The Chicago-based American Bar Association announced that Barrier Breakers and the HNBA/VIA Intellectual Property Law Institute will receive its 2027 Alexander Awards, which honor organizations that expand legal career pathways for underrepresented students. The awards will be presented at the Titans for Change Gala in Chicago on Jan. 30, 2027.
The Illinois Institute of Technology spotlighted two campus physicists whose research connects to the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded for contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. The prize recognized the discovery of high-energy neutrinos from distant astrophysical sources, opening a new window into studying the universe.
Saint Xavier University will host a public Veterans Day event on Nov. 11 honoring campus Chief of Police Dan Murphy, a former Air Force sergeant who served at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and supported Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The Student Veterans Alliance and the McCarthy Brigade are organizing the event, set for 1 to 2 p.m. in the Butler Reception Room.
Saint Xavier University psychology students gained real-world experience with infants, toddlers and families through a structured field study with the university’s Birth to Three program, connecting classroom theory to child development practice. The collaboration between professor LaTreese Hall and program director Lori Winkler drew strong positive feedback from both students and participating families.
Northwestern University announced it will launch an undergraduate major in AI-Augmented Decision Systems in fall 2027, combining artificial intelligence with operations research to prepare students for high-demand careers in data science and strategic decision-making.