Education Department Opens Investigation Into Chicago Public School System Over New Program Designed To Improve Success Among Black Students & Educators

The U.S. Education Department has launched an investigation into Chicago Public Schools (CPS) following a civil rights complaint alleging that a new academic initiative aimed at supporting Black students violates federal law. The probe, announced Tuesday, focuses on the district’s Black Student Success Plan, which was introduced during Black History Month as a targeted effort to boost academic achievement and retention among Black students and educators. The complaint, filed in February by the conservative nonprofit group Defending Education (formerly Parents Defending Education), claims the initiative is racially discriminatory and violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded education programs.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor stated the department is investigating whether CPS “sought through the Black Student Success Plan to allocate resources favoring students based on race.” He added, “Chicago Public Schools have a record of academic failure, leaving students from all backgrounds and races struggling and ill-prepared to meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of contemporary American life.” CPS declined to comment on the investigation but defended the initiative as an effort to ensure equity in Education. “The District is committed to removing these obstacles and calls upon the community to support efforts to better serve Black students,” said Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova.

With 321,000 students—35% of whom were Black in the 2023–2024 school year—Chicago is the fourth-largest school district in the U.S. The Black Student Success Plan was designed to launch in spring, with goals including narrowing academic disparities and improving engagement with Black families. Defending Education labeled the plan “racially exclusive” and objected to what it described as race-based resource allocation and political indoctrination.

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates criticized the investigation as politically motivated. “Rather than using the Department to create opportunities for students, Trump and [Education Secretary] Linda E. McMahon appear determined to transform it into a debt collection agency and a vehicle to dismantle the civil rights protections that support students and their families,” she said.

Link: NBCNews