Overview

• The Chicago Board of Education will meet Friday evening to vote on whether to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez or approve a settlement agreement, ending months of speculation about his future.
• The move follows growing tensions between Martinez and Mayor Brandon Johnson over financial management, including disagreements on short-term loans and funding for teacher contracts.
• The Chicago Teachers Union has criticized Martinez for delays in contract negotiations and financial transparency, while calling for his replacement by the end of the year.
• Martinez has faced resistance from the mayor's administration and the union but has received support from many CPS principals and aldermen, citing his leadership during pandemic recovery and academic improvements.
• The decision comes weeks before a new hybrid school board is seated in January, with some calling for the current board to defer major decisions until the transition.