Dive Brief:

• The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are finally bringing an offer to a vote, after a year of contract talks. 
• Union leader Karen Lewis described the new agreement to the Chicago Tribune as a "basic framework" that proposes economic compromises for educational quality and job security protections.
• A vote by negotiators is expected Monday, after which another vote by the union's House of Delegates would happen Wednesday.

Dive Insight:

The latest offer may indeed signal a willingness by both sides to move beyond the longstanding contract impasse for the benefit of Chicago's schools. This will likely alleviate concerns over a looming spring walkout for CPS teachers; 88% of Chicago Teachers Union members previously voted to authorize a strike, though a walkout probably would not happen until March at the earliest.

Factors leading to the possible strike included a projection of 479 teacher layoffs this summer, with an overall budget that had been reduced by 1% and district pension fund contribution phase-out for non-union employees.

Right now, 200 layoffs are planned for CPS and an additional 180 vacant positions will soon be closed in order to save the district an annual $45.1 million. The Illinois general budget, which has yet to be passed by the state, has been referred to as a "slow-motion mess." Chicago Public Schools were expected to “run out of money” this past summer.  

CPS is also still dealing with ongoing fallout from the guilty plea of former CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett, who admitted to receiving kickbacks on multimillion-dollar no-bid contracts.