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June 2003: Reshaping Central Office

June 2003: Reshaping Central Office

After two years of being relatively laid-back, the courteous Schools CEO Arne Duncan (“You doin’ OK?” is a frequent opening line) is forcefully raising his profile and reshaping central office with unexpected new hires who are poised to execute the far-reaching vision that he and Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins have brought forth.

Cover Stories

Duncan puts new emphasis on ‘business of education’ After two years of being relatively laid-back, the courteous Schools CEO Arne Duncan is raising his profile and reshaping central office with unexpected new hires
Shrewd newcomers raise the bar To facilitate his overhaul of central office, Arne Duncan is importing an increasing number of senior staffers from outside the world of education.
Schools chief's job bigger than CEO's Running a big-city school system has never been an easy job.
Duncan strengthens CPS, U. of C. ties Like many leaders, Arne Duncan has looked in his own backyard for talent and for ways to increase opportunities......
Funders warm to 'softer, gentler' CEO During a time of declining public funding and foundation grant-making, the dollar amount of competitive grants awarded to CPS nearly doubled...

Letter From the Editor Business model has limits for schools Arne Duncan is making his move. In two years at the helm of Chicago Public Schools.

Neighborhoods

Pilsen & Little Village: Community organizing pays off On the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend, community members and friends gathered on an empty lot at the western edge of Little Village for an anniversary celebration.
Pilsen & Little Village: Constructing a new school The fledgling Little Village Community Development Corp. did not intend to get involved in schools when it set up shop in 1998.
Pilsen & Little Village: A primer In the 1950s, a growing community of Mexican immigrants leapfrogged from South Chicago into Pilsen.....
Pilsen & Little Village: It’s not your father’s Farragut Long seen as one of the most undesirable high schools in the city, Farragut Career Academy has made major strides...

Research

Freshmen who fail usually drop out Most dropouts leave during their second or third year of high school. Typically, though, their course is set much sooner, according to studies by the Consortium on Chicago School Research.

Updates

Early hiring falls short of initital goal Now into its second year, the CPS Early Hiring program has made some gains since last year, but it won't meet its hiring goal for June.
Programs aim to retain new teachers CPS is counting on an array of new teacher orientation programs to reinforce its proactive hiring strategy.
CPS math, science initiative helps elementary schools at all levels When CPS launched a new reading initiative 18 months ago, it picked low-performing schools to participate.