FY2026 Budget Community Engagement Opportunities

CPS is facing a difficult budget situation going into the 2025–26 school year. While definitely challenging, this moment presents an opportunity to engage directly with our families, educators, and valued partners to develop financial solutions that are grounded in community insight and fully aligned to the needs of our students.

CPS is pleased to announce a series of community engagement opportunities happening this July. The goal of these meetings will be to:

• Explain the CPS budget and its impact on the student experience;
• Help everyone understand how we got here; and
• Discuss options that will allow CPS to build on our students’ outstanding progress, both next school year and in the future

These engagement opportunities will be divided into two categories:

• Community Feedback Sessions. These five meetings (four in-person, one virtual) were a chance for stakeholders to learn about our current budget situation and provide feedback on options to balance short-term needs with long-term goals while continuing to prioritize student safety, well-being, and academic growth.
• Public Learning Session. This virtual session is an opportunity to hear from local and national experts about CPS' budget history, where things stand now, and what solutions can be considered going forward. This conversation will be broadcast live and available to watch afterward on the CPS YouTube channel CPS YouTube channel.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas. CPS concluded four in-person and one virtual Community Feedback Sessions, and one Public Learning Session. The dates and locations for these past events are below.

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