9/25/26 Community Update Regarding Custodial Services

We appreciate the concerns community members have raised about the custodial situation in Cook County School District 130. A great deal of information has circulated throughout the community, in the media, and on social media regarding conditions in our schools. We want to make sure our community has accurate information about what has been observed in our buildings and the progress being made during this transition.

On Monday, September 21, 2026, representatives from the South Cook Intermediate Service Center conducted visual inspections of Cook County School District 130 schools in response to concerns regarding sanitary conditions that had been reported to the Illinois State Board of Education. South Cook’s findings reflect the conditions its inspectors observed in our schools that day. Inspectors found that exits and means of egress were not obstructed, and at individual schools they frequently noted evidence of recent cleaning and operational restrooms with basic supplies. South Cook also noted individual matters for District follow-up, which are being addressed through our normal maintenance and operational processes.

The inspections also addressed concerns regarding mold. At Everett F. Kerr Middle School, an outside contractor was conducting mold-abatement work in the boys’ locker room, and the District will provide the requested testing documentation following completion of that work. At Nathan Hale Middle School, a separate concern regarding possible mold had previously been evaluated by an outside testing company and was not identified as mold. South Cook has requested a copy of that testing documentation. These firsthand observations are important because South Cook representatives were physically present in our buildings, and their findings provide a more complete picture of conditions across our schools.

We are also continuing to make progress with the transition to our new custodial services provider:

• We are making steady progress in completing the required background-check process for applicants with our new custodial services provider. As applicants complete the required clearance process, additional cleaning staff are being placed in our buildings. We expect staffing to continue to increase as applicants complete all required approvals.

• We know this process has taken longer than any of us wanted. However, we cannot compromise the required clearance process for applicants who may be working in our schools. Student safety is our first priority, and we must make sure these requirements are completed properly.

• We remain committed to maintaining clean and safe buildings throughout the transition. In addition to the regular cleaning taking place in our schools, additional cleaning was completed over the weekend. Our maintenance staff and other District employees have also stepped in to help meet building needs while custodial staffing continues to increase. We are grateful to those employees for their additional efforts.

• We did not want or plan to be in this situation. It was our hope that the collective bargaining process would result in an agreement with SEIU. As was shared publicly at the August 18, 2026, Board of Education meeting, the District began collective bargaining with SEIU in July 2025 and participated in 22 sessions, including negotiation sessions, federal mediation sessions, and additional meetings. Despite the significant time and effort committed to reaching an agreement, no agreement was reached. The Board also shared publicly at that meeting that its consideration of a different custodial service model was not based solely on the inability to reach an agreement. The District had experienced concerns involving staffing, attendance and leave, equipment maintenance, inconsistent completion of custodial responsibilities, and the consistency of building cleanliness. These concerns were part of the information considered by the Board in determining whether the existing service model was meeting the needs of our students, staff, and schools.

We recognize that SEIU and the District have different perspectives regarding the negotiations, the transition, and the circumstances that led to the Board’s decision. We also understand why statements and images circulating publicly have raised concerns among our families and community members. We believe it is important for our community to have factual information, including the firsthand observations of independent inspectors who visited our schools. Our focus now is on completing this transition successfully, increasing staffing as applicants complete the required clearance process, and continuing to address building and maintenance matters as they arise.

We will continue to keep our community informed as this transition progresses.