In the past four years, three new elementary schools and three small high schools have opened in Austin. But the new schools have barely made a dent in that community’s need for better schools.
In 2004, a study by the Illinois Facilities Fund found that Austin had the largest gap in the city between the number of seats available in good schools and the number of children who needed them: 20,000. Austin ranked second among Chicago communities in its need for better high schools, and third in the need for better elementaries.
In the past four years, three new elementary schools and three small high schools have opened in Austin. But the new schools have barely made a dent in that community’s need for better schools.
In...
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More than half of CPS high school students do not attend their neighborhood schools. Among those, about 10,000 travel six miles or more to school. Charters enroll 16 percent of these long-distance commuters, up 10 percentage points since 2002. Another 56 percent attend selective or magnet schools; most of the remaining 28 percent attend regular schools that have special programs. Students make the long trek for a variety of reasons, from the pull of strong academic programs to the appeals of diversity and safety.
More than half of CPS high school students do not attend their neighborhood schools. Among those, about 10,000 travel six miles or more to school. Charters enroll 16 percent of these long-distance...
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The district’s free-for-all system of school choice may be on its way out, but there’s no guarantee that families will be better able to navigate through the maze of options.
James Dispensa, director of school demographics and planning for CPS, is researching how best to set up a central admissions system, which would dramatically simplify choice by allowing families to fill out just one application and then rank their school choices. New York, Seattle, Boston and Miami-Dade County are among the districts that already have such systems.
The district’s free-for-all system of school choice may be on its way out, but there’s no guarantee that families will be better able to navigate through the maze of options.
James Dispensa,...
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There is a growing body of research on school choice but little hard evidence that it benefits students or spurs school improvement.
“There is an enormous amount that we still don’t know. It is pretty hard to study and the evidence is encouraging but not definitive,” says Brian Gill, co-author of “Rhetoric vs. Reality: What We Know and What We Need to Know about Vouchers and Charter Schools.” Gill is a senior researcher at Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
There is a growing body of research on school choice but little hard evidence that it benefits students or spurs school improvement.
“There is an enormous amount that we still don’t know. It is...
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Dorian Sylvan wasn’t looking for anything extraordinary in a school. What parent wouldn’t want the qualities she ticks off—strong academics, art and music programs, diversity and involved parents?
Dorian Sylvan wasn’t looking for anything extraordinary in a school. What parent wouldn’t want the qualities she ticks off—strong academics, art and music programs, diversity and involved parents...
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Parents United for Responsible Education will unveil new strategies for a citywide parents union at its annual meeting tonight, including plans for a union “steward” to be placed in every
Chicago public school. The Chicago Parents Union, according to PURE, will help solidify parental rights at a time when local school councils are under fire. Stewards will be trained by union staff to act as first-option parent advocates for sorting out issues at the school level. The annual meeting takes place at 6:30pm, Nov.
Parents United for Responsible Education will unveil new strategies for a citywide parents union at its annual meeting tonight, including plans for a union “steward” to be placed in every Chicago...
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With a monumental national election behind us and change coming to both Washington and Springfield, now is the time for our state leaders to tackle one of the most intractable problems facing our state: the need to create a better public education system for our children. We commend efforts by Catalyst for highlighting the intense disparities in education choices and the painful search facing desperate parents looking for a quality education for their children (see Catalyst In Depth, November/December 2
With a monumental national election behind us and change coming to both Washington and Springfield, now is the time for our state leaders to tackle one of the most intractable problems facing our...
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NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERS  This year, 327 teachers in CPS received National Board certification, 120 more than last year and bringing the total number of board-certified teachers in the district to almost 1,000. Statewide, 703 teachers—almost 200 more than in 2007—received certification, making Illinois fifth in the country for the number of teachers receiving the credential from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERSÂ Â This year, 327 teachers in CPS received National Board certification, 120 more than last year and bringing the total number of board-certified...
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CPS backpedaled on four schools that were on an unofficial closings list released to community groups the week of Jan. 5. Ross, Curtis and Lavizzo elementary schools were slated for turnaround, but survived the cut and were not on the official list of closed and turnaround schools released Jan. 16. Key Elementary, slated for closure, also survived the cut. For the official list of closed and turnaround schools, go to our blog.
CPS backpedaled on four schools that were on an unofficial closings list released to community groups the week of Jan. 5. Ross, Curtis and Lavizzo...
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David Figlio, professor of education and social policy at Northwestern University, will head the recently revamped education research program at Northwestern’s Institute for Policy Research. The interdisciplinary program brings together nine faculty members from various disciplines to focus on more rigorous research that will help determine the best strategies to raise achievement and solve other education problems. The other faculty members and their specialty areas are: Thomas D.
David Figlio, professor of education and social policy at Northwestern University, will head the recently revamped education research program at Northwestern’s Institute for Policy...
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