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City of Chicago School District 299 special meeting, Nov 4, 2025

1 h 52 min · 13 public speakers

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 1 h 52 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Board approves Chicago High School for the Arts becoming district-managed fine arts school 1:19:34

  • Union representatives and other speakers addressed the board at public comment, raising charter school closures and the future of Chi Arts. 10:31
  • The board voted 20 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions to amend the Chicago High School for the Arts agreement so the school winds down and ceases operations effective July 1st, 2026, then voted 20 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions to establish it as a district-managed fine and performing arts school with amended conservatory language. 1:09:41
  • On the Epic Academy Charter High School item, a motion to divide the question failed 9 ayes, 10 nays, 2 abstentions, and the board then adopted an amendment and the amended item, each by 20 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions. 1:31:08
Item by item (9)
  1. Opening and closed session 0:01
    • The assistant board secretary called the roll after the meeting was called to order. 1:57
    • A motion was made to go into closed session to consider matters permitted under Section 2C of the Open Meetings Act, subsection 1. 3:37
  2. Reconvening and agenda change 7:05
    • The assistant board secretary said there were no items to vote on from executive session. 7:12
    • A motion was made to withdraw the 15-minute recess from the agenda and proceed with public comment. 7:23
  3. Union representative comments 8:48
    • A union representative said there needed to be maximum stability in the process and that the district should consider serving dinner to students in danger of losing SNAP benefits. 10:31
    • A union representative said a member survey found most teachers at five Acero schools who meet qualifications want to stay, and asked that Epic students and staff be given the option to stay together. 21:21
    • Representatives of school administrators said principals should be included in the superintendent search and said CPAA won't support anything that takes staffing decisions away from principals. 23:51
  4. Public comment 32:56
    • Several speakers at public comment asked the board to keep the conservatory model and teaching artists at Chicago High School for the Arts. 35:36
    • A speaker at public comment asked CPS to take over the lease of a building used by a school community. 38:47
    • A speaker at public comment asked the board to provide support to Aspira amid financial challenges and staff reductions. 44:57
  5. Board comments on public agenda 56:12
    • A board member said Epic Academy is in the district that member represents, urged the board to appropriate emergency funds so Epic can finish the school year and asked the board to reject the resolution. 56:25
    • Another board member said closing Chicago High School for the Arts had never been on the table and that the question was what a transition plan would look like. 1:00:10
    • A board member said nobody was suggesting forcing Epic students to go to South Shore High School and that the goal was for the community to stay together to the maximum extent they choose. 1:07:40
  6. Chicago High School for the Arts agreement 1:09:30
    • The item was adopted 20 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions. 1:12:25
  7. District-managed arts school 1:12:25
    • A board member moved to amend the item to say the district is committed to preserving the conservatory to the greatest extent practicable and will endeavor to revisit conservatory funding by the January board meeting. 1:12:54
    • A board member said the amendment would allow more community engagement and time to figure out more funding. 1:14:29
  8. Epic Academy charter agreement 1:21:26
    • A board member moved to add a transition plan offering enrollment to all Epic students at a district-run school and employment opportunities for qualified staff, with a report to the board no later than December 19th, 2025. 1:24:04
    • A motion to divide the question failed 9 ayes, 10 nays, 2 abstentions, and the board later voted 20 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions to strike the words high-performing and corresponding from the amendment. 1:31:08
  9. Adjournment 1:51:34
    • A motion to adjourn was made and seconded. ~1:51:36
    • The meeting was adjourned. ~1:51:39

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “Chicago Board of Education November 4, 2025 (Special Board Meeting)”