Mauricio Peña
Chalkbeat
Chicago, IL, United States
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Past articles by Mauricio:
Mayor Lightfoot appoints a juvenile-justice official and former charter leader to Chicago school board
Miquel A. Lewis, a current acting director of Probation Services at the Cook County Juvenile Probation department, is replacing Sendhil Revuluri. → Read More
Chicago mayoral election results: More than 100,000 mail-in ballots remain outstanding
More than 100,000 mail-in ballots had not yet arrived to be counted, election officials said Tuesday. The Chicago Board of Elections has until March 14 to count all the ballots. → Read More
Mayoral hopeful Paul Vallas brings complicated Chicago Public Schools legacy
Supporters call Vallas a reformer of struggling school districts, but critics raise concerns about financial mismanagement and harsh punishments for low-performing schools. → Read More
Chicago Public Schools will start before Labor day this fall
The 2023-24 school year is poised to start on Aug. 21 and end on June 6. → Read More
Lori Lightfoot could be the last mayor to control Chicago Public Schools. How has she done?
Whoever wins Chicago’s 2023 mayor’s race will be the last with mayoral control over Chicago Public Schools. The last four years under Mayor Lori Lightfoot saw tense labor relations, pandemic shutdowns and learning loss, but an increase in spending on school building repairs. → Read More
Meet the Chicago educator who is a finalist for Illinois Teacher of the Year
For nearly two decades, Anne Gray has transformed the music department at Franklin Fine Arts Center with her rock bands, ukulele classes, and choir. → Read More
Grammy-nominated teacher creates ‘daily magic’ with Chicago choir students
Inside room 325 at Senn High School, Trevor Nicholas is creating a world of healing through music. His work has earned him his second Grammy nomination. → Read More
Where do the candidates for Chicago mayor stand on education? We asked them 10 questions.
The next mayor will be the last to have direct control over Chicago Public Schools. We asked the candidates 10 questions – including some from our readers – to better understand what direction they might take the city’s schools. Here’s what they said. → Read More
Chicago Mayor Lightfoot’s campaign faces another watchdog investigation into emails recruiting students
With the mayoral election just weeks away, Lori Lightfoot will face two investigations from the city and the Chicago Public Schools’ Inspector Generals. → Read More
Mayor disputes union claims that she interfered with parental leave policy for Chicago schools
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot told the teachers union leader that such policies were subject to collective bargaining agreements and had to be negotiated with the district. → Read More
Chicago Public Schools watchdog to investigate Lightfoot campaign’s bid for student volunteers
Lightfoot said that the outreach to district teachers was an “honest mistake” by a staffer. → Read More
Nine people are running for Chicago mayor. Here’s a look at their education records.
The candidates running for Chicago mayor have various ties to education and youth. Here’s a look at what they’ve done so far and how you can find out more. → Read More
Chicago principals a step closer to unionizing as bill moves to Illinois governor’s desk
A bill that will help Chicago principals and assistant principals unionize passes the Illinois Senate by 45-7 Friday morning and heads to the governor’s desk. → Read More
Chicago Public Schools’ watchdog flags unchecked overtime pay, lost students, sexual misconduct
In 2022, the district’s watchdog found dozens of instances of sexual misconduct and abuse, schools mislabeling truants as transfers, a surge in overtime payments, and an end to automatic JROTC assignments. → Read More
Chicago Public Schools is not tracking COVID boosters among students, staff
Districtwide COVID vaccine uptake has stalled, and Chicago Public Schools is not tracking which students and staff have received the latest bivalent booster. → Read More
As COVID cases rise, Chicago students encouraged to get vaccinated, wear masks over break
With cases of COVID-19, flu, and other respiratory viruses on the rise, Chicago’s top doctor and schools chief are encouraging students to get vaccinated, wear masks, and take at-home tests before holiday parties. → Read More
Chicago shooting outside Benito Juarez High School leaves 2 dead, 2 wounded
As students were dismissed before 2 p.m. Friday, someone fired shots outside the school near 1400 block West Cermak Road on Chicago’s Lower West Side. → Read More
New high school gets more money from Chicago City Council as cost estimate climbs
Opponents of the plan said the high school will exacerbate enrollment declines, criticized the district’s community engagement efforts, and raised concerns about the location, which was previously set aside for affordable housing. → Read More
Chicago aldermen give OK to $8 million in TIF funding to buy land for a Near South high school
The decision by City Hall’s Committee on Finance is the latest in a series of votes laying the groundwork for the estimated $150 million high school campus. → Read More
How one Chicago school social worker is grappling with COVID’s toll on students
Chicago Public Schools doubled the number of social workers in schools over the last four years. A social worker discusses what has changed and COVID’s effect on students. → Read More