It’s Wednesday. Take a minute to catch up on the latest stories from WTTW News. Plus, watch for a near-total lunar eclipse headed this way Thursday night and Friday morning.
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(kenhurst / iStock)
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Thousands of kids flooded the hallways of Chicago Public Schools on Monday for the first day of school, but many of these students may become chronically absent as the school year continues — meaning they will miss 10% or more of classroom instruction.
Earlier this year, A Better Chicago launched Every Day Counts, a citywide initiative designed to reverse chronic absenteeism in Chicago.
BUILD Chicago, Enlace Chicago, Illinois Action for Children and The Alliance 98 were selected to receive part of $10 million in grant funding to help increase attendance through mental health services, family support and additional programming.
More than 40% of CPS students were considered chronically absent in the 2024-25 school year. That adds up to about 130,000 students, 10% more than the national average and nearly double the pre-pandemic rate.
More context:
Nataly Barrera, CIO of A Better Chicago, said students may be missing school because of external factors like family stability issues and mental health concerns.
“Missing school matters for so many reasons,” Barrera said. “You’re missing critical learning opportunities, but you’re also missing access to critical supports and resources like mental health, like food access, or even simply a caring adult who’s there to listen to the young person.”
According to CPS’ website, Black and Latino students experienced disproportionately high rates of chronic absenteeism. During the 2024-2025 school year, 45% of Black students and 41% of Latino students were considered chronically absent.
Vero Ortiz, senior director of community wellness at Enlace Chicago, said that absenteeism can cause students to feel isolated.
“Our community is just not engaging in community events, working in the community, living in the community, honoring and loving the community, (which) leads to disengagement, can also lead to disconnectedness, which I think then leads to inner fighting sometimes, or competing for resources,” Ortiz said. “You go to school to connect with people. You go to school to learn. And without that, you just feel disengaged and disconnected.”
CPS high schoolers also experienced disproportionately high rates of chronic absenteeism. Data shows that 48.5% of CPS ninth graders and 72% of CPS seniors were considered chronically absent during the 2024-2025 school year.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson takes questions from the media on Aug. 25, 2026. (WTTW News)
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Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday that Chicago will refinance a chunk of its massive debt to fill a budget gap of $85.1 million after revenue baked into the city’s 2026 spending plan over his objection failed to materialize.
Johnson, who neither signed nor vetoed the $16.6 billion 2026 spending plan approved by the Chicago City Council, allowing it to take effect, said any remaining shortfall would be covered by using unspent federal aid designed to help the city recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnson told reporters at a City Hall news conference that he was doing everything possible to avoid layoffs or service cuts to bridge the gap that he blamed on members of the City Council who refused to levy new taxes on large firms, saying they had chosen to align themselves with corporations over the people of Chicago.
However, Johnson warned Chicago cannot keep relying on one-time fixes to plug budget holes.
“We cannot continue to govern by searching for loose change in the couch, or every time that there’s a budget challenge, we revert to proclivities that have caused tremendous harm to working people in this city,” Johnson said.
Some backstory:
Chicago would have been better off if the City Council had adopted his proposal to levy a $ 33-per-month-per-employee tax on companies with 500 or more employees to generate between $82 million and $100 million, Johnson said.
Instead, the city will refinance at least $500 million, but no more than $525 million, in bonds backed by the city’s sales tax revenues that are at least 10 years old to generate between $65 million and $71 million, said Gregg Ross, a spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Finance.
Johnson said that refinancing will not add to the city debt service costs but did not explain how that would work to reporters.
The city has between $6 million and $10 million left from Chicago’s $1.9 billion share of the federal relief package known as the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, Ross said.
Using those funds to fill the 2026 budget gap will not result in cuts to ongoing programs or initiatives, Johnson said.
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Chicago City Hall (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
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As the Chicago Board of Ethics prepares to enforce the city’s ethics laws during the 2027 municipal election, it has been without a permanent leader for more than a year, and its longtime executive director will retire at the end of the month.
In addition, the terms of two members of the board expired last month, including Vice Chair Ryan Cortazar, who has led the board since former Chair William Conlon stepped down in July 2025, and Board Member Sarah Jin.
The last day for Chicago Board of Ethics Executive Director Steve Berlin will be Monday, which will mark the end of his 33rd year as an employee with the Chicago Board of Ethics. Berlin served as Chicago’s chief ethics enforcer for 18 years, records show.
Berlin told the board on Aug. 10 that he was “honored and fortunate” to have served the seven-member board and Chicago.
“I hope the contributions that I made to the government of the city of Chicago will long outlast me,” Berlin said. “I love this complex, sprawling, brawling city and hope to continue to serve as a member of an appropriate board or commission.”
Berlin said he had urged Johnson to name the deputy director of the Ethics Board, Lauren Maniatis, as his replacement.
Johnson’s failure to name a new Ethics Board chair for 13 months has infuriated good-government advocates who are again demanding that he do more to combat Chicago’s reputation as the most corrupt of corrupt American cities.
Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward) called Johnson’s failure to act “unacceptable."
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More From WTTW News:
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The Rev. Michael Pfleger has been reinstated at St. Sabina Catholic Church, more than a month after the longtime leader and vocal social justice advocate was removed from the South Side parish amid new allegations of sexual abuse. Cardinal Blase Cupich announced Monday that an Independent
Review Board found there was “no reason to believe” Pfleger committed the alleged abuse.
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Back in the Day: August 26, 1926 - Owner Frederic McLaughlin Chooses “Black Hawks” As New Chicago Hockey Team Name
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In 1926, the NHL was expanding and Chicago, under the new ownership of Frederic McLaughlin, a coffee magnate and World War I veteran, was the latest team to join the hockey league. On this day 100 years ago, McLaughlin chose the “Chicago Black Hawks” as the name for the new franchise. The origin of the name came from McLaughlin’s tenure during the Great War commanding the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion of the U.S. Army’s 86th Infantry Division, which was nicknamed "the Blackhawk Division“ after the Sauk War leader Black Hawk. “The name of the team was picked yesterday,” Tribune sports editor Don Maxwell wrote on Aug. 27, 1926. “McLaughlin and his associates decided that the team should be called the Black Hawks. Uniforms will be symbolic of the name.” While the team became the one-word Blackhawks in 1986, the original logo and name remain to this day despite numerous calls to change them out of respect for Native American people in the United States.
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Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for Aug. 26-Sept. 1
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Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.
Wednesday, Aug. 26:
Brandi Carlile at Ravinia. Tickets.
The Grammy-winning folk songwriter and friend of Joni Mitchell takes the stage in Highland Park.
Quicksand, Bane at Bottom Lounge. Tickets.
The NYC post-hardcore icons are in the middle of a much-deserved renaissance.
Thursday, Aug. 27:
Kool & the Gang, Morris Day & The Time at Ravinia. Tickets.
Recommended if you like ampersands.
Pond, Daisychain at Metro. Tickets.
Australian psych-rock at an iconic Lakeview venue.
Friday, Aug. 28 through Sunday, Aug. 30:
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Mucca Pazza, NNAMDÏ, Maps & Atlases, more at Edgewater Music Festival. $10 suggested donation.
A dark horse contender for the best-booked street festival of 2026.
Friday, Aug. 28:
LUCKI, Sk8star at Aragon Ballroom. Tickets.
A Chicago rapper plays a big headlining show.
Magnolia and Johnson Electric Co. at Lincoln Hall. Tickets.
The Texas songwriter Will Johnson teams up with Jason Molina’s former band to celebrate the late songwriter's oeuvre.
Saturday, Aug. 29:
Ray LaMontagne, the Weather Station at Ravinia. Tickets.
A night of cozy folk-pop on the North Shore.
Robert Lester Folsom, Corey Parsons at SPACE. Tickets.
An influential songwriting icon takes the stage in Evanston.
Trish Toledo, Six Foot Blonde, Runner and Bobby, more at Thalia Hall. Free.
This is part of the Pilsen venue’s all day “Free For All” festival.
Sunday, Aug. 30:
Asleep at the Wheel at Old Town School of Folk. Tickets.
Western swing in Lincoln Square.
Monday, Aug. 31:
Gerfety, Double Extra Large, Sacred Heart Academy at Empty Bottle. Free.
There’s nothing better than a free Monday show in Ukrainian Village.
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What Chicago food item would you willingly wait in line for? Tell us why.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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5:30 PM | 10:00 PM
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Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on
Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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