* A recent citywide poll conducted by the University of Chicago’s NORC for Kids First Chicago showed that two-thirds of Chicagoans were unaware that the city is moving to a fully elected school board in 2027.
From the executive summary…
○ Roughly six in ten Chicago adults say the City of Chicago should provide more money to CPS, forming the base for the City revenue questions.
■ There is a significant association between parent/non-parent status and belief that the City should provide more money to CPS; 67% of CPS parents believe the City should provide more money, compared to 58% of non-parents.
● Among those who believe the City should provide more funding, support is strongest for corporate and high-end real estate taxes:
○ 74% support increasing taxes on large corporations based in Chicago.
○ 56% support starting or increasing taxes on real estate transactions for homes priced above $500,000.
○ 53% support creating a new local income tax for individuals making above $100,000 per year.
● Support for tourism taxes and TIF reforms is more mixed or uncertain.
○ 48% support increasing certain tourism taxes (hotel, car rental); 32% oppose; 20% are unsure.
○ 45% support closing certain TIF districts early and moving the maximum legally allowable unused TIF funds to CPS, 11% oppose, and a large 43% are unsure.
* The public wants the state to step in, and opposes borrowing and, mostly, layoffs…
When asked how CPS should prioritize closing a $569 million budget deficit, respondents rated five options as high, medium, or low priority.
● High-priority actions
○ Advocate for more money from the State:
■ 43% high
■ 27% medium
■ 18% low
○ Advocate for the State to take on the full cost of Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund and combine it with the statewide Teachers’ Retirement System:
■ 34% high
■ 27% medium
■ 16% low
○ Advocate for more money from the City:
■ 33% high
■ 30% medium
■ 23% low
● Low-priority actions
○ Staff layoffs:
■ 19% high
■ 18% medium
■ 50% low
○ Borrow money:
■ 8% high
■ 19% medium
■ 53% low
Respondents were not asked about closing under-utilized schools.
* However, Chicagoans oppose a sales tax on non-essential services, according to the poll…
Only 28% support expanding the sales tax to certain services (excluding essentials), while 52% oppose it; 18% are unsure.
* Confidence levels that the following will act in the best interests of CPS students…
● Governor J.B. Pritzker
○ 63% have a great deal or some confidence.
○ 27% have not much or no confidence.
○ Net: +36.
● Chicago Teachers Union (CTU)
○ 46% have a great deal or some confidence.
○ 39% have not much or no confidence.
○ Net: +7.
○ CPS parents are more likely to report a great deal/some confidence (54%) compared to non-parents (44%).
● Members of the Chicago Board of Education
○ 43% have a great deal or some confidence.
○ 37% have not much or no confidence.
○ 19% are unsure.
○ CPS parents have more confidence (54% great deal/some) in the Board than do non-parents (39% great deal/some)
○ CPS parents have less uncertainty (12%) than non-parents (21%)
● Mayor Brandon Johnson
○ 35% have a great deal or some confidence.
○ 55% have not much or no confidence.
○ Net: –20.
● Interim CPS CEO / Superintendent Macquline King
○ 30% have a great deal or some confidence.
○ 33% have not much or no confidence.
○ 36% are unsure.
○ 40% of non-parents report uncertainty, compared to 22% of CPS parents.
○ Most parents (57%) report not much / some confidence, compared to non-parents (40%)
* Methodology…
● Study target population: Adults age 18+ living in the City of Chicago.
● Completed interviews: 1,361
● Sample units: 2,887
● Eligibility: Expected 100%; observed 100%.
● Field period: September 16–29, 2025
● Median survey duration: 15 minutes
● Margin of error: ±3.73 percentage points, with a design effect of 1.97.
The survey was conducted using a probability-based sample and weighted to be representative of Chicago’s adult population by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and geography. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding. […]
“CPS parents” are defined as respondents who reported “Yes” to the question, “Are you a parent or guardian of a student currently enrolled in Chicago Public Schools (CPS)?” “Non-parents” are defined as those who responded “No” to this question.
- AlfondoGonz - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 12:47 pm:
Damning number for Mayor Johnson. Certainly he’ll take the opportunity to be introspective, determine what about his behavior or style of governance inspires such a lack of confidence among his constituents, and try to correct that behavior.
/s
- bcube - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 12:49 pm:
people want more money spent on things they want/need/use and they want someone else to pay for it. rinse, repeat.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 12:49 pm:
Well good news for CPS. I propose they pass a referendum for money just like towns do in the collar counties
But what is even better news for CPS is that 2/3 of those asked do not realize there will be an all elected school board meaning CPS influence will be critical and no questions about closing schools. Chicago used to be a big Union town now it is a one powerful Union town. Nothing will change
- TNR - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 12:57 pm:
This is another one of those “we like nice stuff and want someone else to pay for it” polls.
== Respondents were not asked about closing under-utilized schools. ==
Maybe because they were afraid of the answer they would get?
- City Zen - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 12:58 pm:
Someone Else continues to poll well.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 1:04 pm:
I’m surprised CTU’s numbers are not underwater. A victory for government secrecy, lol. I suspect MBJ and company will overemphasize the numbers regarding taxes and corporations to justify their continued public shaming of the alders who oppose their budget.
- Amalia - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 1:23 pm:
disconnect between supporting things the Mayor seems to want and not supporting the Mayor. think people are confusing taxing bodies too. focus on non schools issues for the city budget. see what answers are given.
- Anon62704 - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 1:46 pm:
=56% support higher real estate taxes on transactions over $500,000=
And yet, Bring Chicago Home lost 52/48. Respondents ≠ Voters
- Rich Miller - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 1:47 pm:
===Respondents ≠ Voters ===
“Among those who believe the City should provide more funding”
- Oklahoma - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 2:01 pm:
In this type of poll, without any negative testing, you really have to look at something closer to 60%, vs. a majority or a plurality.
Specifically, two things that were net positive but clearly show weakness in this poll:
- new income tax for earners over $100k
- only 54% of existing CPS parents have confidence in CTU (I feel that was in the 70s at some point)
Also, I think the “some confidence” is doing a lot of the heavy lifting for MBJ.
I don’t count the TIF question because the unknowns were so high on that one. Not surprising.
- Pundent - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
=disconnect between supporting things the Mayor seems to want and not supporting the Mayor.=
The problem is the messenger, not the message.
- pragmatist - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 3:15 pm:
Chicagoans generally seem to support progressive ideas and taxation but don’t trust the mayor. Whose fault is that?
- cover - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 3:18 pm:
= Someone Else continues to poll well. =
“Tax that fellow behind the tree” always polls well.
- pragmatist - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 3:48 pm:
I could be wrong but one conclusion I come to is how inept the Mayors Springfield operations are. You have a popular governor who has supported progressive taxes and so instead of making friends, building a case, and playing the long game, the mayor hires Kennedy Bartley and John Arena. Textbook of what not to do. Also textbook bad organizing.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 4:00 pm:
I was a bit surprised that the net figure for the mayor was just minus 20.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 4:03 pm:
This is a Republican leaning policy group, so the outcome is not terribly surprising.
The answers you get on revenue depend heavily on how you ask the question. For example “expanding the sales tax…” is never going to be popular, and people stop listening after those four words. “Taxing luxury services like yacht rentals…” gets you a very different answer.
At the end of the day, for advocates it does not matter. The governor and the general assembly must agree on new revenue, and whatever new revenue they agree on is going to be the revenue stream. It aint gonna matter what the CTU or anyone else thinks it should be.
Advocates should be focused on The Need.
These are the best numbers the mayor has had in awhile, BTW. 35% is enough to make it into a runoff with Paul Vallas.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 4:08 pm:
===with Paul Vallas.===
The Mayor wishcasting this since his literal first days in office will not make it so.
- Shytown - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 6:03 pm:
Umm…this is like from mid September? So much has changed since then…someone needs to tell Kids First that releasing a poll two months after the fact is a waste of cash.
- Goofy Ridge Goober - Monday, Dec 8, 25 @ 10:37 pm:
How could the State provide any meaningful $$$ to CPS???
That’s Downstate & we know that those poor people don’t
have enough $$$ to be a financially viable breakaway new
State. Plus they educate many of their children at Half the cost of
CPS.