Chicago Public Schools Travel Spending Soars Post-Pandemic

An investigation by the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of the Inspector General has revealed a troubling trend in employee travel spending, which more than doubled after the COVID-19 pandemic. The report highlights that some trips taken by staff were deemed “questionable, excessive, and even exorbitant,” raising concerns about fiscal oversight within the district.

The analysis, released on October 25, 2023, found that the total travel expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year reached approximately $7.7 million, a significant increase from $3.6 million in 2019, the last full school year before the pandemic. With CPS receiving $2.8 billion in federal COVID relief funding, the district experienced increased financial flexibility, which contributed to this spike in travel expenses.

Questionable Travel Choices and Lack of Oversight

The Inspector General, Philip Wagenknecht, pointed out that insufficient policies allowed for unchecked travel. A significant number of trips were taken to Las Vegas, despite many seminars being available locally or online. Other destinations included international locations such as Finland and Estonia. Wagenknecht noted, “Clearly, in this system there was not significant oversight, and there wasn’t a practice of carefully reviewing school and department expenditures to make sure the trips that were being booked were necessary, that they were justified and that they were done economically.”

In response to these findings, CPS announced a freeze on nearly all overnight travel effective October 29, 2023. The district plans to establish a travel review committee that will consider the Inspector General’s recommendations. Suggested reforms include requiring two levels of approval for student travel and enforcing existing cost-saving measures.

Policy Gaps and Mismanagement

The investigation reviewed six years of travel expenses and identified numerous lapses in adherence to district policies. CPS mandates that staff obtain pre-approval for any out-of-town travel, including details such as itineraries, estimated costs, and the purpose of the trip. However, the report indicated that the employee travel manual is “riddled with holes,” leading to misinterpretations or outright disregard of the rules.

Several employees undertook trips without official approval, opting for luxurious accommodations and expensive flights. In one alarming instance, a teacher spent $4,700 on a week-long trip to a luxury Hawaiian resort for a four-day professional seminar. Such practices were not isolated; the investigation also uncovered cases of potential fraud, including an incident where a clerk altered an invoice to hide costs associated with an upscale hotel suite.

Additionally, lapses in oversight extended to international trips as well. The report noted that eight CPS schools booked a total of 15 trips to Estonia, Finland, and South Africa through a travel agency that, while approved, did not have a formal contract with the district. This agency reportedly added hidden fees of up to 20% to their invoices.

The investigation disclosed that CPS funds were spent on trips that included tourism-like activities, such as museum visits, which did not meet the criteria for allowable professional development. For instance, a staff development trip to Egypt costing $20,000 was ultimately canceled after CPS learned of its questionable value.

CPS is now evaluating disciplinary action against implicated employees, including a principal who booked a luxury hotel on the Las Vegas Strip and extended their stay for personal reasons at district expense.

As CPS moves forward, the findings from the Inspector General’s report underscore the need for improved financial accountability and oversight within the district’s travel policies. The commitment to reform aims to safeguard taxpayer dollars and ensure that all expenditures align with the best interests of students and the community.