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School closings

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

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Connecting the dots for freshmen August 21, 2008 By: John Myers More than half of freshmen expected to attend CPS high schools this fall signed up for Freshman Connection, a districtwide initiative that aims to prepare soon-to-be 9th-graders for high school. About 19,000 8th-graders signed up for the program, according to CPS. But that figure includes more than 8,500 students who fell short of 8th-grade graduation requirements and needed to enroll in mandatory summer bridge programs to enter high school. Read More \| (0) Comments	Advocates: 'Let the people elect school board' August 21, 2008 By: Phuong Ly Since taking over Chicago schools in 1995, Mayor Richard M. Daley has directly appointed each member of the Chicago Board of Education. But a parent advocacy group says the board has become unaccountable to anybody but the mayor, and the time has come for board members to be elected by voters. Read More \| (2) Comments
Avoiding special ed August 21, 2008 By: Sarah Karp A decade ago, concerns that too many students were being mistakenly referred for costly special education services led Chicago Public Schools to adopt a process to stem the tide. The goal was to use teaching strategies designed to help students who had fallen behind—such as changing a child’s seat in the classroom or working with him or her in a small group—before evaluating a child for a learning disability. Read More \| (0) Comments	Researchers: ACT 'not a test you can game' July 16, 2008 By: Sarah Karp Posted May 30, 2008: Forced to announce another year of disappointing ACT scores, Schools CEO Arne Duncan last summer sought to temper the news by talking up the district’s investment in strategic improvements, highlighting some $3.5 million earmarked for test preparation. Read More \| (0) Comments
'A rude awakening' June 24, 2008 By: Anonymous Friday Feb. 29 Today was another boring day full of testing. Read More \| (0) Comments	Closings spark security concerns June 04, 2008 By: Jennifer Crespo Parents of Von Humboldt Elementary students are always welcome in the building. Principal Christ Kalamatas has even set aside a room just for them. He wants parents of Roque De Duprey students to feel equally welcome when they move into the building at 2620 W. Hirsch St. this fall. To that end, Kalamatas has already set aside a room for De Duprey parents; parents from the two schools have already met, and an assembly is planned to bring together the two faculties. Read More \| (0) Comments
Teach for America goes to preschool June 03, 2008 By: Debra Williams Teach for America, the national program that sends top-tier college graduates to teach in high-needs public schools, has a new mission: Early childhood education. Chicago is the largest effort, with 21 Teach for America teachers now committed for two years to community-based early childhood programs on the South and West sides. Next year, 30 additional teachers will be placed in community preschools. (The initiative is also in place in Washington, D.C., and New York City.) Read More \| (0) Comments	Pushing 'big picture' reform June 03, 2008 By: Rebecca Harris Anew coalition of community groups is working to involve parents in what has been a controversial initiative: school turnaround efforts on the West Side. There, three small high schools at the Orr campus will close in June and reopen this fall as one high school, and two feeder elementary schools will get an academic overhaul, too. Read More \| (0) Comments
Saying YES to helping delinquent teens June 03, 2008 By: Sarah Karp For teens to re-enter Chicago Public Schools upon release from Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, a form letter is faxed to their neighborhood school. Principal Sean Stallings of Manley High School admits that he cringes a bit whenever he sees such a fax coming through. “In truth, we are not excited,” he says. “We are already juggling a lot of tough tasks and [this fax] means one more will be coming.” Read More \| (0) Comments

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