Author: Mila Koumpilova, Becky Vevea

Sign up for Chalkbeat Chicago’s free daily newsletter to keep up with the latest news on Chicago Public Schools.Chicago Public Schools officials are urging the school board to absorb one independently operated high school facing closure into the district and wind down another one after this school year.The recommendations come after officials at EPIC Academy, a South Side charter school, and ChiArts, a West Side contract school, both announced they no longer planned to operate the schools, citing financial difficulties. Leaders at both schools suggested CPS keep the campuses going as district-run campuses, as the district is doing with five…

Sign up for Chalkbeat Chicago’s free daily newsletter to keep up with the latest news on Chicago Public Schools.After eight months of contentious talks that cost CEO Pedro Martinez his job, Chicago Public Schools teacher contract negotiations are entering a decisive phase.The union and the district provided separate bargaining updates late Friday afternoon suggesting they are making some progress — and both sides said they agreed to pause a neutral fact-finding process that started in October.The district and union both said they have reached tentative agreements to expand the number of Sustainable Community Schools to 70 over the next four…