Chicago Public Schools workers and pupil journey bills greater than doubled since 2019, watchdog discovered

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Chicago Public Schools staffers took “questionable, excessive, and even exorbitant” journeys to South Africa, Egypt, Finland, and elsewhere — full with wildlife safaris, a sizzling air balloon experience, and camel rides on the district’s expense, a new report by the CPS watchdog discovered.

Lax oversight and an inflow in federal COVID support led to the rise in journey expenditures, which greater than doubled since 2019 whilst funds hassle loomed, in line with the district’s Office of the Inspector General.

The watchdog additionally discovered lots of of district and faculty workers traveled to a collection of conferences in Las Vegas and different cities, in lots of circumstances racking up excessive lodge and airfare prices. When the organizer of those occasions placed on comparable skilled improvement occasions in Chicago or nearly, few district staff attended.

Overall, the district spent $7.7 million on workers and pupil journey in fiscal 12 months 2024, in contrast with $3.6 million in 2019. The watchdog’s report mentioned many journeys have been possible worthwhile and enriching to staff and college students, however some appeared of questionable worth.

“Over and over, CPS employees booked trips using CPS funds without required pre-approvals, exceeded CPS spending limits on hotel rooms and airfare, and enjoyed out-of-town activities of dubious necessity or value to students — all as CPS drew closer and closer to a budget crisis,” the report mentioned.

Over the summer time, the district laid off lots of of custodians, crossing guards, cafeteria staff, and others and made different funds cuts to shut a $734 million deficit in its $10.2 billion funds. It faces extra large shortfalls within the coming years.

In response to the inspector basic’s findings, the district imposed a freeze on almost all workers journey unrelated to pupil actions this fall and shaped a committee this month to give you higher journey approval procedures and controls. A brand new monetary system the district is at present rolling out will higher flag journey bills that exceed district limits or mismatches between preapproved and precise spending, the district mentioned in a press release.

Interim district CEO Macquline King and treasurer Walter Stock introduced the journey freeze in a letter to workers in late October.

“This measure reflects our continued commitment to responsible financial stewardship and to prioritizing resources that directly support classrooms and students,” they wrote.

In an interview with Chalkbeat, Philip Wagenknecht, the inspector basic for CPS, famous that just about 200 of the district’s roughly 500 faculties had no in a single day journey spending. But in any other case, his workplace discovered questionable journey bills throughout town, pushed partially by the larger funds flexibility that got here with federal pandemic restoration {dollars}.

“This is a case of systemic issues in CPS,” he mentioned. “These abuses were widespread.”

The watchdog began investigating after receiving a grievance that one elementary college had paid greater than $20,000 to a journey company for an upcoming workers journey to Egypt with out district approval, along with different “lavish” outings. CPS canceled that and three different journeys deliberate by the company. The inspector basic doesn’t typically title staff, faculties, or distributors in its studies.

Ultimately, the watchdog discovered that eight faculties had spent greater than $142,000 for 15 workers journeys abroad, billed as college visits {and professional} improvement however filled with unscheduled time and non-compulsory actions. Thirteen had by no means been preapproved as required. District officers had explicitly rejected one journey, however workers went anyway.

The inspector basic’s workplace additionally received a second grievance {that a} CPS principal traveled to a number of conferences in Las Vegas with out district approval, at one level reserving a $400 an evening suite for him and his spouse two nights earlier than the occasion started.

The watchdog later discovered that 600 college and district staff had traveled to skilled improvement occasions by the Vegas convention organizer at a price of greater than $1.5 million between 2022 and 2024. Almost 90% of those attendees exceeded the district’s lodge room spending restrict, and at the least two dozen took flights from Chicago to Las Vegas costing greater than $1,000.

Among different examples of questionable journey, one trainer spent $4,700 for a seven-day keep at a luxurious Hawaiian resort to attend a four-day skilled improvement seminar. The inspector basic additionally flagged some pupil journeys, together with a 2023 faculty tour for 80 college students preapproved at $15,000 however really costing $72,000. One journey to South Africa for 20 college students price greater than $5,200 per individual.

In some circumstances, journey companies charged the district as much as 20% of journey prices in hidden charges.

Among the watchdog’s suggestions was to transform a vacant CPS constructing or a portion of an underutilized college into knowledgeable improvement heart for each district staff and workers from different districts searching for coaching.

“CPS can use its bargaining power to bring more professional development to Chicago,” Wagenknecht mentioned.

The report mentioned the district is disciplining two staff.

The inspector basic discovered that the journey company that organized the abroad workers improvement journeys violated the district’s code of ethics by providing a CPS staffer free airfare and lodging to guide a future tour whereas it sought enterprise with the staffer’s college. The company, which didn’t have a contract with the district, isn’t working with CPS now. But the watchdog advisable that the company’s workers endure coaching and signal a contract if it have been to work with the district sooner or later.

Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter masking Chicago Public Schools. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.