Chicago Debates Faces Funding Cuts, Calls for Community Support

In September 2024, Block Club Chicago reported on significant funding cuts from Chicago Public Schools that deeply impacted our programming. The article highlighted how CPS reduced its support for Chicago Debates by more than $110,000 and slashed $450,000 in stipends that helped schools participate—resulting in an overall shortfall of over $600,000.

As a result, the number of CPS schools we were able to serve dropped from 104 to just 69 during the 2024–2025 season. The article brought much-needed attention to the urgent challenges we faced at the time and helped rally community support to sustain our work.

Read the original article here: Block Club Chicago: Chicago Debates Asks For Help Keeping Beloved Program Alive

We remain grateful to our community for stepping up during this critical moment—and we continue to advocate for the resources our students deserve.

Posted by Lauren Hince in In the News, News.