Chicago Public Schools opened the 2025-26 academic year on Monday, welcoming more than 300,000 K-12 pupils back to class after a short nine-week summer break. Mayor Brandon Johnson and interim Chief Executive Officer Macquline King visited several campuses, including Courtenay Language Arts Center and Austin College & Career Academy, to mark the start of term. The Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace provided free rides for students for the day, repeating an initiative that logged more than 50,000 trips last year. The new year begins under the cloud of a projected $734 million operating shortfall. District officials have scheduled a Board of Education vote on measures to close the gap, while the Chicago Teachers Union argues the deficit could approach $2 billion and is pressing state lawmakers for additional funding. City leaders say the district is working with federal, state and local partners to secure revenue and avoid cuts to classroom programs. Safety also drew attention on opening day after a student was apprehended with a firearm at Whitney Young Magnet High School, one of the city’s top public campuses. No injuries were reported, but the incident underscored ongoing security concerns as the nation’s third-largest school district embarks on the new term.