Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union have reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract that, if ratified, would deliver the largest teacher raises in more than a decade, expand classroom resources, and invest in student supports—all while averting a strike.
The proposed deal now heads to the CTU’s House of Delegates for review and, if approved, will move to a full union membership vote. CPS CEO Pedro Martinez would then present the contract to the Chicago Board of Education for final approval.
“Our CPS bargaining team has negotiated in good faith every step of the way and stayed true to our values for public education,” said Martinez, a CPS graduate and parent. “We made sure that this agreement respects the hard work of our talented educators and reflects what’s best for students.”
The tentative agreement underscores a shared goal between the District and CTU: supporting teachers while keeping students at the center. The deal touches nearly every aspect of school life—from pay and class size to prep time, benefits, and funding for critical school supports.
Pay Raises and Teacher Retention
At the heart of the agreement is a significant investment in teacher compensation. Educators will see at least a 16 percent pay increase over the life of the contract, not including step increases for years of service. That’s the largest annual raise CPS teachers have seen in more than 13 years.
- Starting salary for an entry-level teacher without a college degree in SY24 was $66,330. That will rise to nearly $69,000 under the new contract.
- The median CPS teacher, currently earning $94,966, would earn more than $98,000 by FY26.
- CPS teachers contribute only 2.66 percent of their salary toward health insurance, well below the private sector average of 7 percent.
- The contract includes $30 million in additional pay increases over four years to reward CPS’s longest-serving educators.
New Evaluation and Support Structures
Teacher evaluations are also changing under the agreement. The REACH evaluation system will be adjusted to reduce the frequency of evaluations for high-performing educators and provide additional support to those who need it.
- Teachers rated “Excellent,” or those with 19 years of experience and strong performance, will be evaluated every three years.
- Teachers rated “Proficient” will be on a two-year cycle.
- Educators rated “Developing” will receive extra support.
- More teachers will be able to appeal evaluations.
- CPS will ensure equity in evaluations, especially for educators in high-need schools.
Smaller Class Sizes, More Resources
Class size caps have long been a top concern, and the contract includes new limits by grade level:
- 25 students in Kindergarten
- 28 in grades 1 to 3
- 30 in grades 4 to 8
- 29 to 31 in high school, depending on the class
Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, CPS will boost its funding for class size relief from $35 million to $40 million, used to hire more teachers or assistants.
The agreement also reinforces the District’s new funding model to ensure every school—especially those serving the highest-need students—gets a baseline level of staffing and operational support.
That includes a principal, assistant principal, core and holistic teachers, counselors, clerks, and access to central staffing for maintenance, safety, and cafeteria roles. High-need schools will also receive:
- Smaller class sizes through additional staffing
- More counselors, tutors, and intervention teachers
- Support for English learners and students in temporary living situations
- Social-emotional and restorative justice staff
Increased Prep Time, No Loss of Instruction
Preparation time is getting a bump, too. Elementary teachers—already among the most supported nationally—will receive 10 more minutes of prep per day, increasing weekly prep from 330 to 350 minutes. Importantly, this change will not reduce student instructional time.
Other improvements:
- Three professional development days will now provide additional prep time.
- Principal-directed prep periods at the end of each quarter will become teacher-directed.
- High school teachers will continue to receive 68–72 minutes of daily prep.
Additional Benefits and Investments
The agreement expands supports for teachers, students, and schools, including:
- 100% tuition reimbursement for up to 300 teachers seeking bilingual or ESL endorsements
- Expanded medical and dental benefits at no added cost for employees earning under $90,000
- Coverage enhancements for therapies, abortion care, infertility, and gender-affirming care
- Three religious holiday benefit days retained
More investments in school environments:
- Triples funding for athletics programs and staff
- Teacher assistant in every general education Pre-K classroom
- 50 new sustainable community schools, up from 20
- Network-based fine arts teachers to fill school vacancies
- 30 bilingual teacher assistants in a centralized pool
Next Steps
The agreement is being reviewed by the CTU’s big bargaining team. If approved, it goes to the House of Delegates, followed by a full union vote. Should members ratify the contract, it will then be submitted to the Board of Education for final approval, covering school years 2024–25 through 2028–29.
As negotiations conclude, Martinez emphasized the team’s persistence.
He praised his colleagues—including Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova, COO Charles Mayfield, and other senior leaders—for their dedication through “nights, weekends and holidays.”
In the end, CPS and CTU have managed to avoid a strike, while investing more in teachers, students, and the future of public education in Chicago.