A program created to improve Black student achievement, discipline and sense of belonging in Chicago Public Schools is under investigation by the Trump administration.
The U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights announced on April 29 that the district’s Black Student Success Plan violates federal law because it discriminates against students on the basis of race.
The plan, released in February, outlines strategies over the next five years to improve Black student’s daily learning experiences and life outcomes.
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Stacy Davis Gates, Chicago Teachers Union president, said in a statement Tuesday that the plan was developed to address the “man-made educational achievement gap” for Black students caused by inequitable policies such as redlining.
“We expect CPS to stand up against this baseless investigation — and we call on our city and state leaders to take real action to protect our students and schools,” Davis Gates said.
An Illinois law signed in 2023 required the Chicago Board of Education to create a Black Student Achievement Committee and develop a plan to “bring about academic parity between Black children and their peers.”
The plan was based on the group’s recommendations, which include providing comprehensive resources for Black students’ academic and social-emotional needs and partnering with historically Black colleges and universities to create a teacher pipeline.
The plan’s main goals include doubling the number of Black male educators, reducing out-of-school suspensions and expulsions for Black students by 40% and increasing Black history and culture in classrooms.
LAUSD Overhauls $120 Million Black Students Program After Activists File Complaint
The investigation into the plan is based on a complaint by conservative Virginia-based advocate Defending Education, which targeted a similar program last year in the Los Angeles Unified School District called the Black Student Achievement Plan. A district spokesperson said Thursday that Los Angeles Unified resolved the complaint by opening the plan’s services to all students.
The Education Department said in a press release Tuesday that the Chicago plan violates federal law by focusing “on remedial measures only for Black students, despite acknowledging that Chicago students of all races struggle academically.” It’s the latest move by the Trump administration to eliminate school diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Craig Trainor, the department’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement that the administration won’t allow federal funds to be used “in this pernicious and unlawful manner.”
The department previously said government funds were at risk for states and school districts that didn’t agree to end DEI programs. Last month, federal judges blocked the department from withholding federal funds because of DEI.
A Chicago Public Schools spokesperson said Thursday that the district will not comment on pending or ongoing investigations.
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