Education Department opens investigation into Chicago Public Schools over alleged racial discrimination
The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into Chicago Public Schools following claims that a new initiative aimed at boosting academic outcomes for Black students may violate federal anti-discrimination laws.
The probe, announced Tuesday, stems from a complaint filed in February by the nonprofit group Defending Education (formerly known as Parents Defending Education). The organization contends that the district’s Black Student Success Plan discriminates on the basis of race, potentially breaching Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars race-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.
This appears to be the first federal investigation of its kind into a public school district’s race-focused program since the start of the Trump administration.
Chicago Public Schools is the nation’s fourth-largest district, serving about 321,000 students. In the 2023–2024 school year, approximately 35% of its student population was Black.
According to Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor, the district’s plan allegedly allocated resources based on students’ race—an approach that raised legal concerns. “Chicago Public Schools have a record of academic failure, leaving students from all backgrounds and races struggling and ill-prepared to meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of contemporary American life,” Trainor stated.
Violations of Title VI can lead to a loss of federal funding, the department noted.
While the district declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, officials defended the Black Student Success Plan, describing it as an effort to provide a more equitable educational environment for all students.
Chicago Public Schools introduced its Black Student Success Plan in February during Black History Month, describing it as a strategy to boost academic achievement and improve recruitment and retention of Black educators and school leaders.
“The District is committed to removing these obstacles and calls upon the community to support efforts to better serve Black students,” said Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova when the plan was announced.
The nonprofit group Defending Education, which filed the complaint prompting the federal investigation, argued that the initiative is racially exclusive and promotes political ideology. The group said its members oppose racial discrimination and political indoctrination in U.S. schools. Attempts to reach the organization for comment on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
According to school officials, the plan was set to launch in the spring and focuses on narrowing achievement gaps while strengthening engagement with Black students and their families.
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates criticized the federal investigation, calling it a political move aimed at undermining progress in public education.
“Rather than using the Department to create opportunities for students, Trump and (Education Secretary Linda E.) McMahon appear determined to transform it into a debt collection agency and a vehicle to dismantle the civil rights protections that support students and their families,” she said in a statement.
