catalyst-chicago.org

The late G. Alfred Hess Jr. studied Chicago schools for

more than 25 years, first as a post-doctoral fellow at Northwestern University,

then as executive director of the Chicago Panel on Public School Policy and

Finance and, for the last 10 years, as director of Northwestern's Center on

Urban School Policy. Before his death on Jan. 27, he shared his insights on

school reform under Mayor Richard M. Daley with Catalyst Publisher Linda Lenz.

In 1995, Richard M. Daley was the first big-city mayor to take control of a public

school system. Since then, mayors in New York, Cleveland and Detroit have followed

suit, and the new mayor of Los Angeles is seeking control of his city's schools.

Daley talked with editors Lorraine Forte and Veronica Anderson about the past

decade and his vision for the future.

What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment?

Getting the people, the citizens of Chicago to support the public school system.

Timeline

| In Short

TIMELINE

Feb. 1996: Action plan

Download the complete report [PDF]

In 1995, Catalyst Chicago reported that Mayor Richard M. Daley and his takeover team had used their new power over the city’s public schools to fix budget deficits, pay for teacher raises, build new schools and launch new programs—all during the summer break.

"What a difference three months make," Catalyst observed. Fast forward to today. How much of a difference have 10 years made?

Who goes to public schools?

Fewer black and white students, more Latinos

The most significant shifts in student demographics have been the increase in Latino students, and a corresponding drop in the share of African-American students, which recently dropped—by a fraction—to less than half the district's student population.

134 new schools open, 60 close

Two years ago, Mayor Daley pledged to close low-performing schools and create 100 new ones under his Renaissance 2010 initiative. The new name merely underscored school openings and closings that had been ongoing since the mayor took control.

Are there enough seats in preschool?

Enrollment up, waiting list full

Jafet Melendez se mira bastante como otro alumno del octavo grado en Pulaski Elementary en Bucktown. El lleva un suéter masculino de la tienda Old Navy y zapatos de lona alto casi cada día. El tiene un teléfono celular—y la lengua perforada, gracias a su padrastro, Sergio, un trabajador de la fábrica y artista a tiempo parcial de tatuaje. El escritorio cerca de su cama de familia esta cubierta con artículos que la mayoría de los chicos adolescentes reúnen—las figuras de acción, las gafas de sol de duro-tipo y CDS.