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

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Opinions on five-year high school December 29, 2005 By: Grant Pick The idea of building an optional fifth year into high school, which Chicago plans to do next school year, got a national airing this summer. Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers, advocated it at the union's July convention as a way to stem dropouts. One other city where the AFT represents teachers, Rochester, N.Y., already was planning a five- year program that would allow students to take fewer classes for longer periods of time. The Rochester school system enrolls about 37,500 students and has a 45 percent dropout. Read More \| (0) Comments	Principal loses appeal of LSC's decision not to renew contract December 29, 2005 By: Dan Weissmann On March 13, less than two hours before a midnight deadline, an arbitrator from the American Arbitration Association sent out, by e-mail, a decision on Elizabeth Elizondo's appeal of the decision by the Finkl Local School Council not to renew her contract as principal. Read More \| (0) Comments
No parents running for Julian LSC December 29, 2005 By: Mario G. Ortiz Julian High School in Washington Heights is the only Chicago public school where no parents signed up to run for the local school council. But then Julian hasn't had any parents on its council for about the last year. They resigned for a variety of reasons. Meanwhile, the troubled school saw the School Board remove Principal Karen Wilson last spring and install Reginald Brown, a once-retired administrator, as interim principal. Brown did not recruit candidates for this month's election. "It's not my job," he shrugs. Read More \| (0) Comments	South Loop controversy sparks big contest December 29, 2005 By: Ericka Moore-Freeman Some schools struggle to get a bare minimum of parents and community residents to sign up to run for local school council seats. Other schools draw more candidates than they need and play host to contested council elections. "Usually, when that's the case, [school] issues are hot and heavy, and the parents are more inclined to come out and get involved," says Estelle Jarrett, CPS assistant director of school and community relations. Read More \| (0) Comments
The picture outside Chicago December 29, 2005 By: Linda Lenz Outside Chicago, only three to four seats are filled in each school board election, and, typically, there are contested races for only one or two of those seats, according to Gerald Glaub, deputy executive director of the Illinois Association of School Boards. "It's not unusual to see no challenges," he says. "In a very limited number of circumstances, there are not enough candidates one or two each election." Contests develop most often when an incumbent steps down, says Glaub. Read More \| (0) Comments	Lake View a leader in AP calculus December 19, 2005 By: Danielle Hirsch This year, Lake View High School, a city pioneer in innovative math instruction, has one of the most extensive Advanced Placement calculus programs in the country. Sixty-one seniors, about a third of the senior class, are taking the college-level course. Read More \| (0) Comments
NSF grants December 19, 2005 By: Danielle Hirsch The National Science Foundation, an independent government agency funded by Congress, gives grants to education and research programs in science, math, technology and engineering. Its goal is for all students to be technologically literate when entering the workplace or college. The following are among the larger grants NSF has made to Chicago area institutions in recent years. CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS The Chicago Systemic Initiative. A citywide effort involving staff development and school-based teams. Amount: An estimated $10 million from 1994 through 1999. Read More \| (0) Comments	$900,000 grant for innovative math teaching December 19, 2005 By: Danielle Hirsch On a hot day in July, students in Bill Buchanan's math class at Foreman High School saunter around waving fake hundred-dollar bills. In clusters of four, they play dice and card games. But the main attraction is a roulette-like game. The dealer, senior Lisabelle Valle, instructs all players not to touch the board once their bets are placed. One student, who bet all his money on one number and lost, insists on playing one more round. "What do you have for collateral?" demands Lisabelle. Read More \| (0) Comments
Higher pay not enough to get teachers for troubled schools December 01, 2005 By: Debra Williams To attract and retain teachers in hard-to-staff schools, districts need to do a better job of matching teachers to schools and providing adequate support and training, as well as financial incentives, according to teachers from Illinois and two other states. Read More \| (0) Comments