August 2007: Summer Web Edition

August 6, 2007

Budget Limbo, Comings and Goings, viewpoints and more.

	Order
Merit pay program gets ready to debut Yvon Wang and Debra Williams The 10 schools slated to pilot a merit pay and professional development program for teachers this fall have given the edge to their own faculties when hiring lead teachers for the initiative, according to interviews with principals. At nine schools Catalyst spoke with, 10 of 13 lead teachers already hired came from within school faculties. Schools are still hiring for the pilot, which will include 17 lead teachers and 32 mentor teachers, says Sylvia Flowers, senior manager for the program. Based on the well-regarded Teacher Advancement Program, Chicago's merit pay... finance, teacher evaluation, teacher retention, teachers union > Read More
CPS releases 'keep afloat' budget John Myers Posted August 6, 2007--Chicago Public Schools today released a $5.8 billion "keep afloat" budget that includes an additional $98 million in expected state aid and a 3-percent raise for teachers. School officials also plan to raise property taxes to the limit, generating about $55 million, and to use about $73 million in reserve funds, to fill a deficit of $165 million and increase educational programs by $60 million, according to Finance Chief Pedro Martinez. With legislators still at an impasse over the state budget, it's unclear how much state funding CPS will... finance, teachers union > Read More

Merit pay program gets ready to debut

The 10 schools slated to pilot a merit pay and professional development program for teachers this fall have given the edge to their own faculties when hiring lead teachers for the initiative, according to interviews with principals.

At nine schools Catalyst spoke with, 10 of 13 lead teachers already hired came from within school faculties.

Schools are still hiring for the pilot, which will include 17 lead teachers and 32 mentor teachers, says Sylvia Flowers, senior manager for the program.

Based on the well-regarded Teacher Advancement Program, Chicago's merit pay...

finance, teacher evaluation, teacher retention, teachers union

> Read More

CPS releases 'keep afloat' budget

John Myers

Posted August 6, 2007--Chicago Public Schools today released a $5.8 billion "keep afloat" budget that includes an additional $98 million in expected state aid and a 3-percent raise for teachers.

School officials also plan to raise property taxes to the limit, generating about $55 million, and to use about $73 million in reserve funds, to fill a deficit of $165 million and increase educational programs by $60 million, according to Finance Chief Pedro Martinez.

With legislators still at an impasse over the state budget, it's unclear how much state funding CPS will...

finance, teachers union

> Read More

Sidebar

Education programs get a boost

By: John Myers

The $4.6 billion FY08 operating budget includes $60 million in additional funding for some of the district's core education programs. Here's a preview:

Core instruction programs: $17 million

* High school transformation project ... $8 million

* New elementary materials ... $6 million

* Benchmark assessments (Learning First/DIBELS) ... $2 million

* Science and library enhancements ... $1 million

Professional development: $6 million

* Teacher induction ... $2 million

* Saturday teacher training ... $1.5 million

The $4.6 billion FY08 operating budget includes $60 million in additional funding for some of the district's core education programs. Here's a preview: Core instruction programs: $17 million * High...

Sidebar

Tight budget signals tough fight for LSCs

By: John Myers

Principals and LSCs could be in for tough fights come September, if expected state revenues fall short and force the district to tighten its budget.

Schools hammered out their discretionary budgets in the spring, using locally-controlled dollars that provide extra programs for low-income students. Their work is based on enrollment and revenue projections put out by the district's budget office.

But the enrollment estimates are often wrong, say educators and LSC members, forcing schools to fight for additional teachers and resources once enrollment is finalized in the fall.

Principals and LSCs could be in for tough fights come September, if expected state revenues fall short and force the district to tighten its budget. Schools hammered out their discretionary budgets...

Comings and Goings

TEACHER HIRING CPS loses out on hiring many of the strongest applicants for teaching positions, according to a recent report on the district's teacher hiring and transfer policies by the nonprofit New Teacher Project. Seventy percent of prospective teachers who withdrew their applications cited the late hiring practices as a major deciding factor, according to the study. CPS typically begins hiring in the late spring and into the summer, when top applicants have often secured jobs elsewhere. The report credits CPS for giving principals the right to choose their own teachers.

TEACHER HIRING CPS loses out on hiring many of the strongest applicants for teaching positions, according to a recent report on the district's teacher hiring and transfer policies by the...

Notebook

Timeline | Elsewhere

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TIMELINE

June 29: Magnet admissions

Timeline | Elsewhere | Ask Catalyst | Math Class TIMELINE...

Q and A

Q&A with Thomas E. Darden Jr.

By: Debra Williams

As a young man growing up in Indianapolis, Thomas E. Darden Jr. remembers attending low-performing schools. But good teachers helped him succeed in school and helped spark an interest in public education, says Darden, who is managing director of Reliant Equity Investors and a member of the Board of Directors for the Chicago Public Education Fund. Darden, who believes community involvement is part of being a good businessman, is also a member of the Board of Trustees at National-Louis University.

As a young man growing up in Indianapolis, Thomas E. Darden Jr. remembers attending low-performing schools. But good teachers helped him succeed in school and helped spark an interest in public...

Letters From Readers

Higher scores on 'weakened tests' are disservice to poor kids

Many voices have recently been raised to celebrate the "increase" in Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) scores, and, in turn, to call for much-needed school funding from the state. But amid all of the babble about money, we must ask: Who speaks for children? And whose interests are served—children or consultants and test publishing companies?

Letters From Readers

Charters not to blame for scarce capital funds

Your attention to the issue of capital improvement at CPS schools is timely. However, the recent Catalyst Chicago cover story, "First Bite" (May/June 2007), could leave readers with the false impression that charter public schools have an unfair leg-up over traditional public schools when it comes to attracting public funding for capital improvement projects.

Your attention to the issue of capital improvement at CPS schools is timely. However, the recent Catalyst Chicago cover story, "First Bite" (May/June 2007), could leave readers with the false...

Updates

WebExtra: Governor's budget cuts hit CPS

By: Aaron Chambers

Dozens of grants that lawmakers earmarked for building repairs and after-school programs at individual Chicago schools are among the $463 million in spending cuts Gov. Rod Blagojevich made Thursday, a Catalyst budget analysis shows.

He also cut $5 million statewide for severely overcrowded schools, and $3.5 million in charter school startup grants. For Chicago, that means a loss of $3 million for overcrowding relief and $3 million for charter school startups, according to CPS' Chief Financial Officer Pedro Martinez.

Sidebar

What the governor cut, what he spared

Here are the CPS-related cuts made by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, as well as a list of items that remain in the budget.

District-wide and miscellaneous cuts:

$5 million for severely overcrowded schools

$3.5 million for charter school startup grants

$625,000 for schools in Edgewater and Rogers Park

$500,000 for auditorium renovations at Nettelhorst

$150,000 for the United Neighborhood Organization to build a new charter school at 47th and California

Here are the CPS-related cuts made by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, as well as a list of items that remain in the budget. District-wide and miscellaneous cuts: $5 million for severely overcrowded schools $3....

Updates

Charter schools and unions

A conversation among:

• Steve Barr, founder of the Los Angeles-based Green Dot charter schools, where teachers have their own union contract.

• Marilyn Stewart, president of the Chicago Teachers Union.

• Jo Anderson, executive director of the Illinois Education Association.

Mike Klonsky, founder of the Small Schools Network, moderated this discussion at an Aug. 15 program co-sponsored by the Workshop, National-Louis University and Catalyst Chicago.

Charter schools and unions A conversation among: • Steve Barr, founder of the Los Angeles-based Green Dot charter schools, where teachers have their own union contract. • Marilyn Stewart,...

In Other News