CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- CPS officials said talks with the teachers' union are continuing and while there are agreements on a lot of issues, the big ones - class-size and staffing – remain unsettled.
"Listen, we can get a deal done. It's a matter of both sides giving and being reasonable," said CPS Chief Education Officer Latanya McDade.
McDade said the strike could not go into next week.
"It's not about making an ultimatum, but it is also about a sense of urgency and being honest about where we are at the bargaining table. There is a lot at stake for our students. So when I say this cannot go into next week, I am saying that we cannot continue to have students out of the classroom and this impacts the progress we have made as a district," she said.
She said they have rescheduled the PSAT and SAT assessments to next week and she said after next week, students will not be able to take the PSAT and qualify for national merit scholarships.
"We are not playing games at the bargaining table here. We are not trying to find chips to use. We support our teachers. We value and respect our teachers and what they are doing for our students every day in the classroom, and we want them back in the classroom where they belong. So we are not at the table trying to use any nugget to try and get teachers back into the classroom," McDade said.
She reiterated the administration's mantra - they have to be financially responsible. She said we have really given on a lot of key issues.