* Consortium on Chicago School Research The Consortium on Chicago School Research has conducted dozens of major studies in CPS on dozens of topics, ranging from absenteeism and academic press to truancy and vouchers. This page on the Consortium web site links to lists of studies by topic and by publication date.
http://www.consortium-chicago.org/publications/p0001.html

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* Surveys: CPS students, teachers, principals Since 1991, the Consortium on Chicago School Research has regularly surveyed Chicago public school principals, teachers, and students to learn their views on and experiences in the public schools. The surveys ask about learning climate, student-teacher relationships, leadership and quality of the school's instructional program. They also ask about the school's professional environment and the nature of the school's relationships with parents and the community. Starting with the 2001 survey, questions about education technology have also been included. This Consortium web page links to the surveys and the school quality measures developed from them.
http://www.consortium-chicago.org/surveys/s0001.html

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** Designs for Change

This research and advocacy organization has produced studies on such topics as Hispanic dropouts, an exemplary low-income Chicago school, local school councils, testing and student retention. This web page lists the organization’s recent reports.

A November 2005 study shows that 144 inner-city Chicago elementary schools have shown 15 years of substantial sustained achievement gains.

http://www.designsforchange.org

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After-school programs This 2002 study by researchers at Chapin Hall looks at the role of after-school programs in literacy development. It is based on surveys of more than 200 after-school programs in Chicago and Seattle and case studies of 16 programs in Chicago, New York City and Seattle.
http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1262&L2=64&L3=113

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Budget equity This 2005 study by Catalyst found that from the perspective of student-based budgeting, schools with the fewest poor students and schools with selective enrollments have padded budgets. At the other end of the funding scale, large and overcrowded schools, many of which are mostly Latino, are likely to be shortchanged. Catalyst calculated a budget equity index for each school, for various types of schools (e.g. high schools, small schools, magnet schools) and for each of the city’s 77 official community areas.
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/news/index.php?item=1650&cat=23

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Children in out-of-home care This 2004 study by researchers at Chapin Hall indicates that many abused and neglected children placed in out-of-home care are academically behind early in their school careers and remain at risk for educational failure throughout their teenage years.
http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1372&L2=64&L3=116

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School probation policy This 2002 study by Jennifer O’Day found that probation kick-started some of Chicago’s lowest-performing elementary schools but left others floundering, and in some cases may have made them worse.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/%7Ehepg/oday.html

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Student mobility Using data from the Chicago Public Schools, this 1996 study by David Kerbow looks at the extent and causes of urban school instability.
http://www.csos.jhu.edu/crespar/techReports/Report5.pdf

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Teacher credentials This 2003 study by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago found teachers had an enormous impact on test scores but that their credentials, including their advanced degrees and years of teaching experience, did not.
http://www.chicagofed.org/publications/workingpapers/papers/wp2002-28.pdf
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