The president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) received a reported $70,000 annual pay raise while many Illinois students continue to struggle with reading proficiency.
The IFT Executive Board approved a pay increase for IFT President Stacy Davis Gates, raising her compensation for that role from $180,000 to $250,000 annually, according to an Oct. 29 report from NBC Chicago.
The state-level raise comes on top of her existing salary as president of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), where public records show she earned just under $195,000, based on that figure and her newly reported IFT salary, her combined annual pay would total approximately $445,000.
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The nearly 39% pay increase drew criticism from the Illinois Policy Institute, a free-market think tank.
"The Chicago Teachers Union spends more money running itself than it does representing teachers. According to its own reporting, less than 19% of CTU’s spending went toward representation," Mailee Smith, vice president of policy and litigation at the Illinois Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital.
"Davis Gates’ raise reflects the same misplaced priorities seeping into the Illinois Federation of Teachers: more dues money going toward leadership compensation instead of serving members," she continued.
Smith also criticized the disparity between Davis Gates' reported compensation and the salaries of classroom teachers.
"Teachers look for support in their classrooms and representation at the bargaining table," Smith added. "A nearly 39% raise for a leader does not help with either of those, especially when the average Illinois teacher only makes a fraction of Davis Gates’ total combined annual salary of $445,000."
Neither Davis Gates, the CTU nor the IFT responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
The compensation boost comes as Illinois schools face questions about student reading and math proficiency.
According to 2024 results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — often referred to as the Nation's Report Card — only 30% of Illinois fourth graders scored at or above the proficient level in reading. Among eighth graders, 33% scored at or above that benchmark.
Chicago Public Schools' results also show significant proficiency gaps.
In Chicago, 23% of fourth graders performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading in 2024. Meanwhile, 60% of fourth graders scored at or above the NAEP Basic level in math, a slight increase from 59% in 2022 and up from 50% in 2003.
The Illinois Policy Institute reported that 46% of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students in grades three through eight met reading proficiency standards during the 2025-26 school year, according to data from the 2026 Illinois Report Card. Among CPS 11th graders taking the ACT, 44% scored proficient in reading and 28% in math, the institute reported.
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The CTU has also drawn criticism over its political and social activism. The Washington Post editorial board previously criticized the union's emphasis on progressive social justice initiatives as Chicago students struggled with reading and math proficiency. Internal union documents previously reported by Fox News Digital also showed spending on progressive political causes.
Smith said Illinois state and local leaders should prioritize classroom needs.
"Illinois needs to put students and teachers first, while current leadership seems more focused on radical agendas and elevating their leaders," Smith told Fox News Digital.
"It also follows a record of double standards: Davis Gates has demanded others pay their ‘fair share,’ but let her own utility bills pile up," Smith continued. "She chose private school for her own child while opposing scholarships for low-income families. Now she’s receiving a large raise right after local teachers rejected a dues hike to protect their paychecks."
Chicago Public Schools also did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the district's testing results.
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