Chicago Public Schools' internal watchdog dropped a blistering report Wednesday: staff trips featuring wildlife safaris, hot‑air balloon rides, camel treks, and luxury hotel stays were charged to the district even as jobs were cut and the budget tightened. The findings landed amid a summer of layoffs and tough budget calls affecting custodians, crossing guards, and cafeteria workers.
The Office of the Inspector General labeled some of the travel as "questionable, excessive, and even exorbitant," flagging staff trips to South Africa, Egypt, Finland, and other far‑flung spots that included optional tourist add‑ons, according to Chalkbeat. The report traced the spike to lax oversight and a post‑pandemic influx of federal relief dollars.
Travel Tab Soared After the Pandemic
The watchdog found CPS spent $7.7 million on staff and student travel in fiscal year 2024 — roughly double the $3.6 million the district logged in 2019 — and investigators said pandemic relief funds gave schools extra budget flexibility that helped fuel the rise, as reported by WBEZ. The OIG reviewed six years of travel records.
Vegas Conferences Piled On Costs
The report singled out a series of Las Vegas professional‑development events that drew roughly 600 CPS employees from 140 schools and departments and cost more than $1.5 million between 2022 and 2024, according to WTTW. Nearly 90% of CPS attendees at those events stayed in rooms that exceeded district spending limits, and at least two dozen booked round‑trip flights that topped $1,000 — proof that what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay off the expense report.
Overseas Trips And Hidden Fees
Investigators also flagged overseas staff trips arranged through a single travel agency that tacked on hidden fees up to 20% and billed some itineraries as professional development even when they included extensive tourist activities; one elementary school had paid the agency more than $20,000 for an Egypt trip that CPS canceled, according to CBS Chicago. The watchdog found eight schools spent more than $142,000 for 15 overseas staff trips, and it flagged student outings that carried steep per‑person costs — one South Africa tour topped $5,200 per student. The report also describes a teacher who spent about $4,700 for a seven‑day Hawaii stay tied to a four‑day seminar.
District Response: Freeze And New Controls
In late October, CPS imposed a near‑total freeze on staff travel unrelated to student activities and set up a Travel Review Committee while rolling out a new financial system to better flag overspending, as reported by WBEZ. Interim CEO Macquline King and Treasurer Walter Stock framed the pause as a step to prioritize classroom resources and said the enterprise resource planning rollout will automate checks between approved travel and actual charges.
Discipline And Recommendations
The inspector general recommended practical fixes — including converting a vacant CPS building or underused school into a professional‑development center, tighter vendor contracting, and a centralized "Travel Desk" — to keep learning opportunities local, according to WTTW. The OIG also said the district is considering disciplinary action for two employees and urged clearer pre‑approval and auditing to prevent future abuses.
The report lands against a backdrop of real cuts: CPS estimated a $734 million hole in its $10.2 billion budget this year and moved this summer to pare staff and services to close gaps, making the watchdog's findings politically sensitive, according to Chalkbeat. Whether the new controls and committee will turn recommendations into practice — and whether the district will recover any of the questionable spending — remains to be seen.
