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Good morning! It's Ann Schimke with Chalkbeat Colorado.

Walkathons, raffle tickets, and “spiritwear” sales. These are just a few of the ways public schools across the country raise money for field trips, student clubs, and even staff salaries. In today’s lead story, Chalkbeat Reporter Mila Koumpilova looks at how some of Chicago’s higher-poverty schools have leaned into private fundraising in recent years. Read more.

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Around Chalkbeat

Amid Chicago budget crunch, more schools lean on dollars they raise independently

As CPS grapples with massive funding challenges, more schools are turning to private fundraising to pay for essentials, including staff and student clubs.

A network of public microschools wants to expand across Indiana. Is it collaborating or competing?

The Indiana Microschool Collaborative said it’s driven by families’ interest and declining enrollment at traditional public schools. But some don’t believe the network is playing fair.

NYC’s $1.9 billion dilemma: How long can schools be ‘held harmless’ for enrollment losses?

New York City will spend $290 million to ensure schools with declining enrollment don’t lose money this school year. That’s on top of $1.6 billion the city has spent on “hold harmless” over the past six years.