ALARMING — MILLIONS Spent on TRAVEL While Kids Can’t Read

A collection of school supplies including notebooks, a pencil case, and writing instruments on a desk

Chicago Public Schools squandered millions in COVID relief funds on luxury travel while 83% of third graders can’t read at grade level, exposing a shocking betrayal of students and taxpayers that demands immediate accountability.

Story Highlights

CPS spent $18 million in unapproved travel from 2021-2024, including spa visits and overseas trips
83% of CPS third graders cannot read at grade level while administrators lived lavishly
Inspector General report reveals total travel spending reached $23.6 million over six years
District has frozen employee travel and launched internal investigation after public outcry

COVID Relief Funds Diverted to Administrator Luxuries

The Inspector General’s damning report reveals Chicago Public Schools administrators spent at least $18 million in unapproved travel between 2021 and 2024, largely funded by federal COVID relief money intended for student recovery. These expenditures included luxury hotel stays, limousine rides, spa visits, and overseas trips while children struggled in underfunded classrooms. The misuse of pandemic relief funds represents a fundamental breach of trust with taxpayers who expected these resources to address learning losses and support vulnerable students.

Adam Guillette from Accuracy in Media highlighted particularly egregious examples, including a $175,000 expenditure on a recording studio facility complete with a swimming pool in Albuquerque. Such extravagant spending decisions demonstrate complete disconnection from the educational mission and fiscal responsibility expected of public servants. The pattern of unauthorized travel spending suggests systemic failures in oversight and accountability within the district’s administrative hierarchy.

Academic Failure While Administrators Travel in Style

The stark contrast between administrative excess and student outcomes exposes misplaced priorities that should outrage every parent and taxpayer. While CPS employees enjoyed luxury accommodations and international travel, 83% of the district’s third graders remain unable to read at grade level. This fundamental literacy crisis affects thousands of children whose educational futures hang in the balance while resources intended for their benefit funded administrator adventures instead.

The timing of this excessive spending during the pandemic recovery period makes it particularly unconscionable. Students faced unprecedented learning disruptions, remote instruction challenges, and social-emotional trauma requiring intensive support and resources. Instead of directing relief funds toward tutoring, technology, mental health services, or classroom improvements, administrators prioritized their own comfort and convenience over student needs.

Watchdog Investigation Exposes Systemic Corruption

The Inspector General’s comprehensive investigation documented $23.6 million in total travel spending over six years, revealing a culture of financial irresponsibility within America’s third-largest school district. Watchdog groups and education advocates condemned the spending as “excessive” and “exorbitant,” demanding immediate reforms and accountability measures. The investigation’s findings validate long-standing concerns about administrative bloat and mismanagement plaguing urban school districts nationwide.

CPS officials have acknowledged the findings and implemented an immediate freeze on nearly all employee travel while launching an internal investigation. However, this reactive response comes only after public exposure of the scandal, raising questions about whether genuine reform or mere damage control motivates current leadership. The district’s track record suggests skepticism about meaningful change without sustained external pressure and oversight.