The CPS watchdog investigated more than 300 complaints beginning July 1 2023, ending June 30 2024.
They involved sports fraud, sexual misconduct cases and improper conduct from former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's campaign.
Highlights of the CPS Inspector General's annual report include ongoing fraud involving high school sports.
Former Kenwood Academy basketball coach Mike Irvin, who resigned in 2024, has been placed on the Chicago Public Schools Do Not Hire list. According to CPS' Office of the Inspector General's annual report, Irvin and his coaching staff fraudulently recruited 17 students who were not eligible to play at the school.
"There were students living in the suburbs. There were also students living beyond the district or the residency boundary of the school," said Interim CPS Inspector General Amber Nesbitt.
Without mentioning specific names, the report says coaches helped families prepare fraudulent enrollment records.
"They assisted in creating false utility bills, leases, you know, various materials that would help create the appearance that the students resided within the boundaries," Nesbitt said.
The OIG is recommending CPS reform how it oversees and regulates high school sports, including creating a new position to manage and enforce compliance.
The watchdog's report also includes an investigation into former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's second mayoral campaign. In a written response today, CPS says it is in the process of hiring a new Executive Director of the Office of Sports Administration.
The CPS Office of Inspector General also suggested CPS expand background checks to include ISHA certified referees. The watchdog found 36 former CPS employees on the "Do Not Hire" list who worked as CPS sports officials.
"We identified, I believe, it's 36 officials who were either designated as Do-Not-Hire by the district because of some previous misconduct," Nesbitt said.
The watchdog's 131 page report also includes an investigation into former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's second mayoral campaign. The OIG says a campaign employee improperly solicited staff and CPS students to volunteer for the Lightfoot's campaign. However, there is no evidence Lightfoot was aware of it before media reports last year.
"We did not find any evidence that there was coordination between the district and the campaign, or that the candidate herself was involved or aware," Nesbitt said.
Nesbitt accused the campaign of limited cooperation with the investigation.
A spokeswoman for Lightfoot denies the former mayor didn't cooperate. She said they faithfully cooperated with all requests for available documents as well as a lengthy interview.
To view the report, click here