Mila Koumpilova

Mila Koumpilova

Senior Reporter, Chalkbeat Chicago

Mila Koumpilova is a Senior Reporter at Chalkbeat Chicago. She previously wrote about higher education and immigration at the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis. Mila has also covered education at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and The Forum in Fargo, N.D. A former North Dakota Rookie Reporter of the Year, she has received recognition from the Education Writers Association, the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists and others. She is a graduate of the American University in Bulgaria and the Missouri School of Journalism.

District officials are asking the board to increase the amount of cash flow borrowing to $1.65 billion, adding another $6 million in short-term borrowing costs.

A University of Chicago report out Tuesday shows that missing school took an even bigger toll on students’ grades and test scores post-COVID than it did before the pandemic.

The school board will review proposed calendars for 2026-27 and 2027-28 this week — both in line with the current year’s calendar — and is slated to approve them later this month.

The Chicago Public Schools Office of the Inspector General found eight teachers and staff at the Little Village Lawndale High School campus targeted students. One, Brian Crowder, was sentenced to 22 years in prison late last year.

One manager was found to have inflated student numbers in a federally funded program for years. The district now must repay almost $1.2 million.

The district is seeking applications from students, parents, staffers, and residents 7 months after the school board voted to launch the committee.

District officials are considering a request from Cisneros’ principal and advisory council to move the charter that CPS is absorbing onto a district campus.

Student privacy and mental health advocates are concerned about a no-cost contract between the school district and for-profit Hazel Health, which is set to renew in December.