The Chicago Teachers Union launched the #UnderFundedUnderStaffed Tracker, designed to monitor the impact of understaffing and underfunding on Chicago students. With frontline testimony and up-to-date data from CPS’ own reporting on understaffing, the tracker shows that vacancy issues in Chicago Public Schools are systemic and persistent, especially for roles like clinicians, school social workers, and school psychologists. Vacancy data doesn’t even account for the additional staff needed to provide a high-quality school day for our students — for example, ensuring that the 80 percent of schools currently without a library are properly staffed. The district’s inability to address these problems highlights the urgent need for a transformative contract that can truly meet the needs of our students and educators. “Imagine the stress a parent must feel when they drop off their child for their first day of kindergarten to a room with 35 children and one adult,” said CTU President Stacy Davis Gates. “Looking at this data, it’s clear that CEO Martinez has misled families, students, educators, and the Board of Education. The staffing levels that he touts in his PR campaign are different from the staffing levels actual people are experiencing in our school communities. That’s not OK, and the actual experience in our schools cannot be swept under the rug.” CTU members across the district will continue to report on the real-life consequences of these critical staff shortages in Chicago Public Schools, brought on by the district’s lack of a plan to fully fund our schools. You can access the tracker, at tracker.ctulocal1.org