Teachers unions call for special session, more money
[June 25, 2026]
By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The Chicago Teachers Union and the Illinois
Federation of Teachers are calling for a special session of the General
Assembly to fund public education.
Chicago Board of Education member Jitu Brown joined CTU members at a
press conference on Tuesday.
Brown said Illinois owes children more than evidence-based funding.
“The $2 billion that we are owed just adequately funds, but when you are
repairing harm you have to fund above and beyond,” Brown said.
Brown also asked that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson duplicate his
December 2025 $1 billion tax-increment-financing sweep to Chicago Public
Schools.
CTU and IFT President Stacy Davis Gates has called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker
to convene a special legislative session and to raise revenue from the
“ultra-wealthy.”
During a media availability in Chicago on Tuesday, Pritzker said he
agrees with everyone who says schools are not as well funded as they
should be.
“Indeed, every year I have increased funding for our K-12 education.
It's almost $3 billion in total,” the governor said.
The Center Square asked Latasha Fields, a Chicago homeschool and
parental rights advocate, about the unions’ call for taxing the
ultra-rich to raise revenue for public schools.
“Raise it for what? We have no return on investment here in Illinois, so
we're gonna continue raising the cost to fund what?” Fields said.
Fields said Illinois public schools are an abject failure and children
are suffering from poor academics.
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According to the latest Illinois Report Card, 38% of the state’s
public school students demonstrated proficiency in math last year.
52% showed ELA proficiency. The state’s chronic absenteeism rate is
25%.
The IFT and CTU are also calling on Pritzker to reject a federal tax
credit scholarship program.
The initiative set to take effect Jan. 1 allows tax credits for
donations to scholarship organizations that fund education-related
expenses for students in public, private and homeschool settings.
The presidents of the American Federation of Teachers and National
Education Association joined the IFT’s call for rejection in an open
letter sent to Democratic governors across the country.
"Vouchers betray the promise that, no matter their place, race, or
ability, a local public school ought to help every student reach
their full potential," AFT president Randi Weingarten and NEA
president Rebecca S. Pringle said.
Fields said Pritzker and the Illinois legislature should opt in.
“Illinois should not leave money on the table that can help
children, especially families that are already carrying the weight
of this educational failure and rising costs that we have in
Illinois,” Fields said.
Fields said she supports fully funding public education for parents
who send their children to public schools but said the tax credit
program would not hurt public school funding.
Fields said the federal initiative is donor-based and distinctly
different than voucher programs.
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