CHICAGO (CBS) — A stage full of politicians, teachers, public officials and nonprofit leaders says the big battle lies ahead, even though the Chicago teachers’ strike has been settled.

As WBBM Newsradio’s John Cody reports, former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley urged Illinois residents to look beyond the strike, to the fact that only one in four Illinois freshmen goes on to college or training after high school graduation.

“We have got to refocus all of our energies on the students, and improving all students, no matter what school they’re in the state,” Daley said, “or else the future of the state, and the business opportunities, will be very challenging for us going forward, and more importantly for them then are younger, when they want to see the economic opportunities for themselves,” said Daley, the brother of retired Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The teachers’ strike lasted nine days – and kept students out of school for seven. Classes resumed on Wednesday of last week.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s John Cody reports