Possible deal reached with Chicago teachers

CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Sunday that a “tentative agreement” has been reached with the teachers union over COVID-19 safety protocols, potentially averting a strike in the nation’s third-largest school district.

The possible deal, which still requires approval by the Chicago Teachers Union, would allow some students to return to schools as early as Thursday, with the reopening of classes being phased-in by grade. The city would vaccinate 1,500 teachers and staff weekly at sites dedicated to Chicago Public Schools. The agreement also includes metrics that would trigger school closings when cases spike.