# Committee on Education and Child Development meeting, April 14, 2025

- When: Mon, Apr 14, 2025, 11:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: Room 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: [Committee on Education and Child Development](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/committee/education-and-child-development)
- Video: https://vimeo.com/1074754069
- Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1074754069.txt) (6,983 words, official captions)

## Meeting notes

> AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.

The Committee on Education and Child Development approved its Rule 45 report and, by separate roll call votes, recommended two appointments to the Board of Trustees of Community College District 508 (City Colleges of Chicago). The nominees described their backgrounds in nonprofit leadership, social work, and higher education research, and answered questions about protecting students and educators amid federal pressure on academic institutions and about why they want to serve. The committee then accepted a substitute ordinance sponsored by Alderperson Andre Vasquez Jr. requiring Chicago Public Schools leadership to appear before the committee for quarterly hearings, with city funding consequences if officials do not appear. A CPS representative said the district supports the hearings but asked that the funding provision be removed because CPS is moving to a fully elected board, and several members said the provision should stay. The ordinance was recommended for passage on a roll call vote.

Topics: City Colleges trustees, CPS quarterly hearings, CPS accountability, Academic freedom, Rule 45 report

### Agenda items discussed

- [19:12](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=1152) Rule 45 report: passed
- [19:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=1174) Appointment to the Board of Trustees of Community College District 508 (first nominee) (A2025-0015975): passed
- [19:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=1174) Appointment to the Board of Trustees of Community College District 508 (second nominee): passed
- [39:35](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2375) Substitute ordinance requiring quarterly hearings with Chicago Public Schools (O2024-0008387): passed

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Jeanette B. Taylor](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/20) (chair): Asked the nominees why they want to take on the trustee role given their other responsibilities. ([33:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2013)); Said many young people cite affordability as the reason they do not attend college and that City Colleges should be residents' first choice. ([38:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2320)); Said a previous CPS CEO declined to meet with the council, that council members advocate for CPS funding in Springfield and Washington, and that CPS should appear quarterly regardless of who holds office. ([46:25](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2785))
- [Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/33) (alderperson): Asked the nominees how they would protect educators, students, and community members at a time when professors are being detained and institutions are sharing student information with the federal government. ([29:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=1754)); Said sometimes it takes one actor choosing to defend free speech and academic freedom, and asked for the nominees' commitment. ([33:05](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=1985))
- [Andre Vasquez Jr.](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/40) (alderperson): Presented the substitute ordinance requiring CPS officials and the CEO to appear quarterly before the committee, modeled on similar requirements for the CTA and CHA. ([39:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2387)); Said the ordinance includes a provision withholding certain city funds if CPS does not appear and that the substitute reflects agreement with the mayor's administration. ([42:17](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2537)); Said legislation must prepare for worst-case scenarios and that without the funding provision a CEO could refuse to appear without consequence. ([49:13](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2953))
- [Jessica L. Fuentes](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/26) (alderperson): Said quarterly public hearings are one tool for transparency and accountability at CPS and that she fully supports the ordinance. ([52:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=3156))
- [Marty Quinn](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/13) (alderperson): Praised the CPS liaison's accessibility but said that as long as CPS seeks TIF funds from the council there must be a two-way relationship, expressed disappointment that CPS asked for a carve-out, and supported the ordinance as written. ([53:18](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=3198))
- [Nicole T. Lee](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/11) (alderperson): Supported the ordinance as written, saying a lack of trust between government, sister agencies, and residents makes public transparency more important during disentanglement and fiscal uncertainty. ([54:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=3255))

### Exchanges between members

- [49:09](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=2949) Vasquez said he agreed with the chair that the ordinance is not about the current CPS leadership.
- [53:33](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=3213) Quinn said he was building on what Fuentes said about CPS accountability.
- [54:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=3244) Quinn said he supports Vasquez's ordinance in its current form.
- [56:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230?t=3364) Lee said she agreed with Quinn's praise of the CPS liaison.

## Documents

- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/b0fcba0a-f722-42c5-9739-94e209e23aca.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/8856a3a3-3a21-4b39-8b40-dda343f5e9d1.pdf)
- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/94b43ba9-7f1f-48d1-a2bd-d81b0fea0f1a.pdf)
- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/03f667d9-f6c7-4028-85bc-bd2aac9fa5d0.pdf)
- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/a030cb09-8025-4c1a-b0b7-9fed38800c2a.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/6B909011-450F-F011-BAE2-001DD80DF230 · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt