Chicago City Wire

Steve Cortes, President of the League of American Workers, has criticized U.S. schools for failing to produce adequately prepared young adults despite significant per-pupil spending. In an interview, he cited Chicago as a prime example of this issue.

"What about the system that is supposed to form young minds and prepare our children our treasures for lives of success, virtue and dignity," said Cortes. "American education on the whole, is simply not producing the kinds of young adults a healthy society needs. So Chicago Public Schools are spending around $30,000 per pupil per year. At any given time, fewer than 10% can read or do math at grade level."

Debates over K–12 education reform in the United States are intensifying as leaders grapple with learning loss, funding equity, and school choice initiatives. According to The Wall Street Journal, some Democrats are now supporting accountability and limited school choice programs. However, unions and progressives argue that such moves undermine public education. This shift reflects mounting pressure to address declining performance outcomes.

Chicago Public Schools reported per-pupil spending of about $18,287 in 2023. ProPublica data suggests that average spending approaches $18,700. Financial inefficiencies are evident in the district, with some under-enrolled schools spending more than $90,000 per student, highlighting structural funding challenges.

Academic proficiency in Chicago Public Schools remains below national levels. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, in 2024 only 30.5% of students in grades 3–8 were at grade level in reading and 18.3% in math. Furthermore, only 22.4% of 11th graders met reading standards and 18.6% met math standards.

Cortes is an American political commentator, author, and financial strategist who worked as a senior adviser and Hispanic outreach lead for Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He has appeared as an analyst on CNBC, Fox News, and CNN and now serves as president of the League of American Workers as well as a senior advisor to CatholicVote.