CTU and CPS Reach Tentative Four-Year Contract Deal

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract, potentially avoiding a teachers' strike. The deal includes 4% annual raises, increased classroom prep time, and hiring more librarians and teaching assistants. The union's Big Bargaining Team and executive board have approved the agreement, which now awaits a vote from the CTU House of Delegates, followed by the full union membership, and finally the Chicago Board of Education. Financial concerns remain about funding the contract, estimated to cost $1.5 billion over four years. The negotiations, which lasted nearly a year, involved discussions on veteran teacher pay, teacher evaluations, and classroom sizes. The tentative agreement marks a significant step towards resolving long-standing disputes, with hopes of implementation if all voting processes are successfully completed.