As college football enters Week 5, trouble appears to be brewing in Chicago. Public Schools football officials say they haven’t been paid since conference play began. After weeks of waiting for promised payments, they’ve finally had enough. Now, they’re refusing to take the field, leaving games hanging in the balance.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, hundreds of officials responsible for overseeing Chicago Public Schools football games have walked off the job over unpaid dues. The fallout is already being felt, with freshman and JV games canceled this week, while 10 varsity Public League matchups scheduled for Thursday remain in jeopardy.
“Varsity games are in jeopardy,” official Breyion Hutchinson told the Sun-Times. “If the officials are not paid today, they will not work tomorrow.”
According to Football Scoop, 39 varsity public league games are scheduled for the weekend in Chicago. However, officials covering several sports, such as football, girls’ flag football, volleyball, and soccer, reported unpaid dues ranging from $1,500 to $2,000 for games worked during evenings and weekends.
Sources told the Sun-Times that individual schools paid officials directly during Weeks 1–3, covering the non-conference portion of the schedule. However, the payment process shifted to Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in Week 4, and officials have reportedly received nothing since.
Frustrated by the delay, officials say they have yet to be paid since the district took over responsibility for their payments.
“Two weeks ago when we met with the [CPS Sports Administration] they told us funds would be released Friday through Monday,” Hutchinson said. “Then we received an email from [CPS Sports Director] Devon Morales on Monday which said funds were being released that day. That wasn’t true.”
Hutchinson also outlined how the payment delays affect the lives of CPS officials, who can work two football games on Thursday, followed by two on Friday and three on Saturday. Along with that, they can also work volleyball and flag football games. “We depend on this money for livelihood,” Hutchinson said.
Chicago Public Schools attributed the payment delays to a glitch involving an external school management software provider, adding that efforts are underway to resolve the issue. A CPS spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that the payment issue was being addressed, with officials expected to receive their outstanding dues soon.
“Chicago Public Schools worked with the vendor that manages payments to referees and expedited efforts this morning to ensure immediate compensation for a portion of sports officials who referee CPS games and were not paid in a timely manner. The District is working with all partners to strengthen the compensation process and ensure it is consistent going forward.”
Some referees have confirmed receiving partial payments, but the issue remains unresolved, leaving coaches concerned about the future of the sport. A poll of its members preceded the decision to halt officiating duties, according to fellow official Mike Outten.
“There’s been no accountability to say that, you know, ‘we messed up.’ And I think that’s part of what the guys are looking for,” said Michael Outten, director of Game Time Officials.
The Illinois High School Association has also weighed in on the dispute, confirming that it is monitoring the situation closely. In a statement, Executive Director Craig Anderson stressed the importance of respecting officials, particularly as recruiting and retaining them becomes increasingly challenging. He also expressed hope that the payment issue would be resolved promptly.
On Wednesday, State Rep. Kam Buckner weighed in on the controversy, acknowledging that human errors are inevitable but insisting they should never come at the expense of young athletes’ hard work and dedication.
“Administrative problems happen,” Buckner said in the statement. “Payment systems fail. Invoices get delayed. But none of those explanations can become an expectation that individual officials finance Chicago Public Schools by continuing to work week after week without being paid.
“A young person who has practiced all week should not arrive at game day and discover there is no contest because an official who worked weeks earlier is still waiting to be compensated.”
Last month, a third-party payroll error disrupted Reynoldsburg teachers’ salaries, leaving some unpaid while others saw deposited funds withdrawn from their accounts. Frustrated educators confronted district officials at a tense school board meeting, demanding answers.
In 2022, San Francisco Unified School District’s (SFUSD) rollout of its $14 million EMPowerSF payroll system spiraled into chaos, leaving thousands of educators and staff unpaid, underpaid, or without health benefits. The ensuing backlash saw teachers stage a sleep-in protest at district headquarters and organize a mass sickout that disrupted classes.
Although software glitches have disrupted payroll systems before, CPS must ensure that officials are not left waiting for their payments because of technical errors.
