catalyst-chicago.org

Remember the good old days of high school? Cliffs Notes, study hall, doodling while the geometry teacher droned on about congruent triangles. How about wading through a sea of hundreds, or even thousands, of students seven periods each day to get to class on time?

Community Links in Little Village is a blend of established reform—such as small class size and block scheduling—and more experimental strategies to improve high schools.

While its fundamental coursework adheres to CPS' traditional format, Community Links delays the start of its school day for sleep-deprived adolescents, and Principal Carlos Azcoitia promises students they will graduate in three years and be accepted into college.

Mid-level school district staffers play a vital role in communicating district initiatives to schools. They design materials, train school faculties, and monitor their progress. But according to a recent study, most central office workers use a top-down approach that overlooks the experience of school-level educators.

A survey of district staffers in Chicago, Milwaukee and Seattle found two-thirds believe that they could help schools improve instruction without substantial input from principals and teachers.

With the new leadership finally in control of the Chicago Teachers Union, a wave of political firings leaves in doubt where the union stands on teacher leadership in school reform.

Among the 18 union employees who resigned or were fired during newly installed President Marilyn Stewart's first days in office were Allen Bearden, director of the Quest Center, and the coordinators of the union's so-called partnership schools—both signature ventures of Stewart's predecessor, Deborah Lynch.

Grassroots activists, parents and local school council members have pounced on the Chicago Public Schools' Renaissance 2010 and Mid-South plans, accusing the School Board of sidestepping community input before deciding to shut down dozens of schools and reopen most as charter or contract schools, without LSCs. Greg Washington, who was on the planning team for Mid-South, talked with Consulting Editor Lorraine Forte about what's wrong—and what's right—with the board's plans.

Are activists satisfied with CPS' response to their concerns?

AT CLARK STREET Clare Muñana has been elected vice-president of the School Board. She has been a member of the Board since 1999. President Michael Scott, who has held the position since 2001, was re-elected. ... Al Bertani, chief officer of professional development, is leaving Chicago Public Schools to join the faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago. No replacement has been named...Rosalina Castillo, director of the office of business diversity, is also leaving CPS to work as a construction manager at the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

Roman Molina de dieciséis años aprendió mucho el año pasado. Aprendió a vestirse de traje y corbata y a establecer contactos en reuniones de negocios. Aprendió a dar presentaciones de una hora y contestar preguntas difíciles.

"Aprendí a tomar responsabilidad por mí mismo," dice.

Molina aprendió estas cosas a través de una combinación de estudio particular y dirigido por si mismo y trabajando dos días enteros a la semana con un mentor en The Resurrection Project, una organización de desarrollo comunitario en Pilsen.

Las escuelas secundarias llevan mucho tiempo ofreciendo cursos que se acreditan tanto para la secundaria como para la universidad. Una extensión de esta práctica es la temprana universidad secundaria, donde los estudiantes simultáneamente obtienen un diploma y un grado asociado.

In June, Teach for America received a flurry of media attention when a national study was released that showed students taught by the program's teachers did better in math than students taught by other teachers at the same schools and in the same grades.

Teach for America contends that the report proves its teachers are having a positive impact on students in the toughest schools. But critics, pointing out that both sets of students scored very poorly, note that the gains made were marginal and do not provide solid evidence that the program produces effective teachers.

Community Links High

2400 S. Marshall Blvd.

Enrollment: 35 freshmen, 30 sophomores

Opened: September 2003

WHO CONDUCTED IT: Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, in collaboration with Patricia Burch, assistant professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison and James Spillane, associate professor, Northwestern University.

WHO THEY STUDIED: 82 cabinet- and mid-level district staff and 185 school personnel in Chicago, Milwaukee and Seattle.