Chicago Public Schools (CPS) commenced the 2025-2026 academic year on August 18, with over 325,000 students returning to classrooms across the district. This school year begins amid a $734 million budget deficit that CPS officials are actively working to address. The Chicago Board of Education faces a looming deadline to pass a balanced budget, with discussions ongoing about proposals including deferring a $175 million pension payment. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has indicated that state funds are unlikely to be available to assist CPS, emphasizing that there is no extra money in Springfield for this purpose. The district’s interim CEO, Macquline King, supports a fiscal plan that contrasts with Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approach, who has advocated borrowing to manage the budget shortfall. The recently ratified $1.5 billion contract between the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and CPS aims to improve conditions by reducing class sizes, increasing library resources, and expanding access to nurses and counselors. Despite divisions among school board members over budget strategies, Mayor Johnson expressed confidence that a budget resolution will be reached before the deadline. The first day of school also saw an incident at Whitney Young Magnet High School where a student was found in possession of a gun. Meanwhile, nationwide, school districts are reopening amid concerns from immigrant families about potential targeting under the Trump administration, highlighting broader social challenges affecting education.