The Illinois State Board of Education reported that 43.2% of Chicago Public Schools teachers missed 10 or more days in 2024–25, a level the Illinois Policy Institute called the lowest in nearly a decade and about 10 points below the state average. The institute blamed union leadership and activist absences for contributing to instability, citing low student proficiency rates in reading and math. Meanwhile, CPS enrollment fell to 316,224, down 2.8% from the previous year.
Report: 43.2% of Chicago Public School Teachers Missed 10+ Days in 2024–25; Enrollment Declines
The Illinois State Board of Education reported that 43.2% of Chicago Public Schools teachers missed 10 or more days in 2024–25, a level the Illinois Policy Institute called the lowest in nearly a decade and about 10 points below the state average. The institute blamed union leadership and activist absences for contributing to instability, citing low student proficiency rates in reading and math. Meanwhile, CPS enrollment fell to 316,224, down 2.8% from the previous year.
07:26 AM, 11/17/2025Society
Nearly Half of CPS Teachers Exceeded 10 Absence Days in 2024–25
The Illinois State Board of Education disclosed in a new report that 43.2% of teachers in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) were absent for 10 or more days during the 2024–25 school year. The board issues an annual snapshot at the end of October that measures teacher absences while excluding certain categories such as professional development, family emergency leave, and some medical-related absences.
The Illinois Policy Institute, a free-market think tank, said this figure "marks the lowest teacher attendance rate recorded in CPS in nearly a decade" and noted it is roughly 10 percentage points below the statewide teacher attendance rate.
"During the past 15 years, since the radical takeover of Chicago Teachers Union leadership, academics at Chicago Public Schools have taken a second seat to politics," said Hannah Schmid, a policy researcher at the Illinois Policy Institute. She pointed to the state report card showing about 43% of Chicago students reading at grade level and 27% proficient in math, figures she said are concerning even after Illinois adjusted its proficiency benchmarks.
Schmid urged the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) to address both teacher and student chronic absenteeism, saying that leadership should prioritize classroom stability over political activism. The Illinois Policy Institute criticized practices it says encourage teachers to miss school for activist days or political lobbying.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Chicago teachers earn a median salary of approximately $95,000, which the paper described as higher than pay in suburban districts and higher than in any other large U.S. district.
Officials also cited declining enrollment: interim CPS CEO Macquline King announced in September that total enrollment stood at 316,224, a 2.8% decrease from the prior school year.
Neither the CTU, CPS, nor the Illinois State Board of Education responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment.