Summer Web Edition

July 1, 2004

Summer updates from Catalyst found exclusively online.

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Lawmakers put the brakes on governor's education agenda Daniel C. Vock In January, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced an ambitious agenda for his second legislative session, with a focus primarily on education. He called for dismantling the state Board of Education, increasing the minimum amount of per-pupil funding by $250, bringing responsibility for construction and some personnel functions under state oversight, banning pop and candy in schools, mandating community service for high school students and sending free books to pre-school children. Six months later, none of that happened. The governor's office, however, still claims victory. "... > Read More
Plan for Mid-South schools draws support, ire from community groups Debra Williams Five years ago, the Chicago Housing Authority began moving residents out of the infamous Robert Taylor Homes, a two-mile stretch of high-rise buildings saturated with crime and intense poverty. The goal for this and other areas in the Chicago Housing Authority's Plan for Transformation: To remove concentrated public housing structures and replace them with mixed-income communities. Known as Mid-South, the area encompasses four neighborhoods—North Kenwood, Oakland, Douglas and Grand Boulevard, where much of Robert Taylor was located before demolition began—and sits along the... > Read More
Future of Quest Center, partnership schools in limbo John Myers As representatives of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) investigate the bitter Chicago Teachers Union election dispute, leadership isn't the only thing in question. A major grant to the Quest Center is on hold. And the future of the 'partnership schools,' failing schools that the union took over last year, is up in the air as well. Facing the possibility that Marilyn Stewart, a leader with more interest in bread-and-butter union issues than education reform, could eventually replace sitting President Deborah Lynch, The Chicago Community Trust temporarily froze a $740,... > Read More
Votes cast months ago, but election still not over John Myers Following is a timeline of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) election controversy: May 21: Runoff Set CTU President Deborah Lynch and her slate of officers beat four challengers in union elections, but fail to get a clear majority. The United Progressive Caucus, fronted by Marilyn Stewart, scores a close second to earn a bid in the June 11 runoff. June 11: Close Vote Stewart and her slate beat Lynch by 566 votes. To avoid charges of fraud that plagued past elections, the American Arbitration Association counts the votes. But voting irregularities and a lack of... > Read More

Comings and Goings

Comings & Goings

By: Catalyst

AT CLARK STREET Lisa Scruggs, an attorney at Jenner & Block and vice president of the board of directors at Young Women's Leadership School, has been named senior policy advisor to CEO Arne Duncan's Senior Policy Advisor.

AT CLARK STREET Lisa Scruggs, an attorney at Jenner & Block and vice president of the board of directors at Young Women's Leadership School, has been named senior policy advisor to CEO...

Q and A

Q&A with R. Eden Martin

By: Lorraine Forte

In July 2003, the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago issued the report "Left Behind: Student Achievement in Chicago Public Schools" which called for creating at least 100 new charter schools to jump-start lagging achievement and offer parents more educational choice. Almost a year later, this past June, Mayor Richard M. Daley echoed the recommendation when he unveiled Renaissance 2010, a sweeping plan to shut down dozens of existing schools and create 100 new ones—mostly charter and contract schools—over the next six years.

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