Chicago Public Schools has put longtime charter operator ASPIRA on blast, warning that the network's Avondale high schools could be in serious trouble unless its finances get sorted out fast. In a sharply worded letter, the district accused ASPIRA of fiscal negligence after a months-long review that officials say uncovered “a failure of governance” and shifting budget stories that made it impossible to pin down the network’s true financial picture. ASPIRA CEO Edgar Lopez is pushing back, arguing that CPS’s funding model - not mismanagement - is driving the crisis and openly worrying that the network might not have enough cash to cover payroll next week.
District Letter Calls Out 'Fiscal Negligence'
The showdown kicked off with a formal "Notice of Financial Irregularities" sent to ASPIRA's board by Zabrina Evans of CPS's Office of Innovation & Incubation. Investigators found “a failure of governance” and told the board the district could not substantiate the network’s latest request for more money, according to WBEZ. Evans wrote that ASPIRA had asked for an advance on June 30, received a $250,000 payment, and used it to make payroll. CPS is now insisting on a long list of financial documents before it will even consider sending another dollar.
Aspira Blames Funding Model And Enrollment
Lopez, for his part, says the problem starts at CPS headquarters. He told WBEZ that district funding and enrollment policies have hollowed out his schools and left charters under-resourced compared with district-run campuses. "They can’t leave students out on the street," Lopez said, stressing that his top priority is simply keeping the doors open through the end of the academic year.
Enrollment Slide Has Real Price Tag
CPS officials say ASPIRA has lost more than a third of its students over the past four years, a drop that translates into roughly $1.5 million less in funding this school year, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. The two Avondale high schools now enroll about 570 students combined and, according to district data, brought in only 41 and 38 freshmen at each campus this fall. To cope, Lopez has already slashed payroll and staff costs, rolling out layoffs that hit 27 administrative staff and 10 teachers.
Where This Leaves Families And The Board
Members of the Chicago Board of Education have been wary of closing schools mid-year because of the chaos that creates for families. School Board member Norma Rios-Sierra warned that losing the two ASPIRA campuses "would be devastating for the Latino community," according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The network already closed Haugan Middle School earlier this year amid an enrollment slump. Families and advocates say that beyond academics, neighborhood campuses act as crucial hubs for services such as food pantries that are not easily replaced if a school goes dark.
Charter Sector Under Strain
ASPIRA's troubles are landing in the middle of a broader shakeout in Chicago's charter sector, where falling enrollment and tight margins are forcing consolidations and, in some cases, district takeovers. The CPS board recently voted to save and absorb multiple Acero campuses after that charter network reported a budget shortfall, according to Chalkbeat. Those decisions have left CPS weighing the legal and financial consequences of taking on more buildings and programs at a time when the district itself is dealing with shrinking enrollment.
Legal And Oversight Stakes
On top of everything else, state law boxes districts into a tight corner when it comes to charter funding. Rules generally require CPS to send charter schools about 97 percent of what the district spends on each student in a district-run school, a formula that complicates any effort to simply plug ASPIRA’s budget gap, according to Chalkbeat. In its letter, CPS told ASPIRA it will not extend any further support until the network turns over detailed financial records so regulators can "validate ASPIRA's financial position," documents show.
What Comes Next
ASPIRA's board has already canceled a scheduled November meeting, leaving key decisions hanging while the clock ticks on payroll and operating costs. Board members will now have to decide whether they can produce the documentation CPS is demanding. The district has said it will review whatever ASPIRA submits before approving any additional advances. In the meantime, families, staff and the school board are watching closely to see whether the charter network can stabilize its finances or whether CPS will feel compelled to step in further to protect students.
