Current Issue

School closings

As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.

Rebecca Harris

September 23, 2010

As CPS prepares to pull the plug on its current merit pay program, known as Chicago TAP, the district has received a $34 million federal grant to launch a new merit pay program that would affect over 1,100 teachers at 25 schools.

September 21, 2010

On Tuesday, federal officials released details about their plans to make Head Start grants more competitive. Under the current system, institutions that offer Head Start programs are generally allowed to remain in the program unless they have serious problems. Now, programs will be rated based on quality.

September 07, 2010

This month, Chicago Public Schools will find out whether the district has been selected for a federal grant to launch a new initiative on merit pay that would radically restructure teacher compensation at participating schools.

The new initiative would replace Chicago TAP, the local version of the national Teacher Advancement Program, which will end in CPS when federal funding runs out in spring 2011.

For more, go to our latest stories in In Focus.

September 07, 2010

In Chicago, the original plan for the Teacher Advancement Program called for phasing-in each individual teacher’s value-added student test scores as part of a formula to determine teacher bonuses. The scores would be combined with school-wide achievement data and evaluations of the quality of teachers’ instruction.

September 07, 2010

This month, Chicago Public Schools will find out whether the district has been selected for a federal grant to launch a new initiative on merit pay that would radically restructure teacher compensation at participating schools.

August 25, 2010

At Wednesday’s board meeting, CPS officials announced plans to restructure some of the district’s debt obligations to balance the system’s budget, rather than draining all of the district’s stabilization reserve funds, as had earlier been proposed.

August 18, 2010

During Wednesday morning’s hearing for the Chicago Teachers Union’s  lawsuit over layoffs, Chicago Public Schools chalked up a preliminary victory on the question of scheduling.

August 17, 2010

Lawyers for the Chicago Teachers Union will go to federal court Wednesday morning to ask a judge to issue a temporary injunction reversing the layoffs of about 1,400 teachers and instructional coaches.

July 28, 2010

About 70 Chicago Teachers Union members and others who oppose the district’s teacher layoffs picketed outside today’s School Board meeting. Jesse Sharkey, the union’s new vice president, rallied them with a megaphone.