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Chicago Board of Education Approves $17.5 Million Settlement in Little Village Abuse Case

CPS says it settled to avoid a trial, denying legal liability.

Overview

  • The Chicago Board of Education voted 14–0 on Dec. 3 to approve the $17.5 million agreement, and a Cook County judge dismissed the lawsuit based on the settlement.
  • The district will pay $10 million and insurance carriers will cover $7.5 million, according to CPS.
  • Former dean Brian Crowder was convicted in 2025 of sexually assaulting the student he began grooming as a minor and was sentenced to 22 years in prison, with an appeal filed.
  • The student’s legal team describes the payout as the largest school‑related sexual abuse recovery reported in Illinois, while CPS maintains it is not legally liable.
  • CPS oversight offices reported narrowed caseloads and ongoing reforms after substantiating misconduct at Little Village Lawndale High School, with OIG cases opened dropping from 463 to 246 last year and OSP noting a rise in dating violence.