The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Board of Education is poised to remove CEO Pedro Martinez at a special meeting Friday evening. This action could conclude a months-long power struggle that has injected significant political tension into the school system. The board has included two voting items on the agenda: Martinez’s termination or a buyout agreement.
The timing—the Friday evening before the Christmas holiday, with schools already closed for winter break—marks an extraordinary end to the conflict between Martinez and Mayor Brandon Johnson. Furthermore, it comes days before a contract agreement deadline with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). The Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ first reported in August that the mayor’s administration was working to replace Martinez.
Martinez has previously resisted two attempts to remove him from what he called his “dream job” leading the nation’s fourth-largest school system. He publicly rejected Johnson’s resignation request in September and refused a separation settlement earlier this month. However, the board’s consideration of a settlement or termination this week may force his hand. Sources indicate Martinez hoped to remain until at least the end of the school year. His attorney, Bill Quinlan, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Initially scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, the meeting was announced Wednesday morning. The agenda, initially lacking any votes concerning Martinez, only listed closed-session discussion of personnel matters. CPS officials and legal experts clarified that voting items must be explicitly listed for the board to take action. Hours later, the agenda was updated to include votes on both a settlement agreement and the termination of his contract, moving the meeting time to 5:45 p.m.
The school board’s hesitation to fire Martinez stems from language in his contract. Amended in December 2022 under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the contract requires six months’ notice for termination without cause, including continued employment and a transition period. This would entail 20 weeks’ severance pay, totaling $138,733. His five-year contract runs until June 30, 2026.
Firing Martinez “for cause” requires citing misconduct, criminal activity, failure to perform duties, fraud, or other wrongdoing, as defined in the 2022 amendment. This includes “any other conduct inconsistent with the CEO’s duties and obligations to CPS or the Board, or that may be reasonably perceived to have a material adverse impact on the good name and integrity of CPS or the Board,” a decision solely at the Board’s discretion. Supporters of Martinez believe this gives him grounds to sue the district and potentially board members, a factor contributing to the October resignation of all school board members.
This situation unfolds as the CTU seeks a contract settlement by Christmas, increasingly demanding transparent financial information from Martinez and blaming him for slow negotiations. While Mayor Johnson, a staunch CTU ally, hasn’t publicly called for Martinez’s removal, his administration and appointed board have worked behind the scenes to achieve this.
CTU President Stacy Davis Gates stated Wednesday that Martinez must explain how he would handle the financial implications of a new contract, emphasizing she wouldn’t accept a deal leading to furloughs or layoffs. CPS claims insufficient funds to cover a new CTU contract. Gates also reiterated the possibility of a short-term loan to navigate the school year without budget cuts, calling the notion that such a loan is impossible “absolutely ridiculous.”
The initial breaking point between the mayor and Martinez involved the mayor’s office demanding a short-term loan to address a budget deficit—a proposal Martinez rejected as fiscally irresponsible. He also excluded funding for expected teacher and principal raises (currently under negotiation) and a pension payment demanded by City Hall from the district’s budget.