Come second semester of her freshman year at Marshall High School, Crystal Durham was getting bored with whipping through her lessons and earning good grades without much studying.
Then, to her delight, she learned that she had earned a spot in the school's brand-new freshman honors track, where all of the students will be like her—diligent and able to move at a fast pace.
"More challenge makes you think," Durham says. "It makes you use your brain. I like that."
Come second semester of her freshman year at Marshall High School, Crystal Durham was getting bored with whipping through her lessons and earning good grades without much studying.
Then, to her...
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Come second semester of her freshman year at
Marshall
High School, Crystal Durham was getting bored with whipping through her lessons and earning good grades without much studying.
Then, to her delight, she learned that she had earned a spot in the school’s brand-new freshman honors track, where all of the students will be like her—diligent and able to move at a fast pace.
Come second semester of her freshman year atMarshallHigh School, Crystal Durham was getting bored with whipping through her lessons and earning good grades without much studying.
Then, to her...
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On this 90-degree cloudless September day, hundreds of teenagers are swarming Marshall Metropolitan High School’s mammoth orange-hued auditorium. It’s sweltering, despite an industrial-size fan that muffles the din of confusion. On the stage, a whirl of activity is underway. Guidance counselors sit at folding tables showing new students how to fill out registration forms or searching through cardboard boxes for class schedules.
On this 90-degree cloudless September day, hundreds of teenagers are swarming Marshall Metropolitan High School’s mammoth orange-hued auditorium. It’s sweltering, despite an industrial-size fan that...
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Frida Williams,* a petite girl with a pale complexion and high cheekbones, silently reads the first page assigned in a math workbook. Frustrated, she puts her head down on the desk and pulls her sweatshirt’s black hood over her face.
It’s Oct. 3. Technically, the school year began a month ago, but Marshall Metro High School has been plagued with late registrants—like Frida, who registered 10 days into the school year—and a faulty computer system.
Principal Juan Gardner has declared this day the first real day of school at Marshall.
Frida Williams,* a petite girl with a pale complexion and high cheekbones, silently reads the first page assigned in a math workbook. Frustrated, she puts her head down on the desk and pulls her...
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It’s about 11 a.m. on a cold, gray December day and Derrick Green’s* incessant talking has gotten him in trouble once more. He’s been suspended three times already this school year, and now risks being put out again.
But rather than go straight down to the disciplinarian’s office, as ordered, Derrick stops to slap hands with a group of boys who are hanging out in a corner. Suddenly, a young man comes barreling down the hall, signaling that a security guard is on the prowl. The boys, including Derrick, take off.
It’s about 11 a.m. on a cold, gray December day and Derrick Green’s* incessant talking has gotten him in trouble once more. He’s been suspended three times already this school year, and now risks...
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Freshman Tamoura Hayes speaks with conviction about her dream of going “to Harvard or Spellman to become a pediatrician.”
But she’s a realist. “Come on,” says the round-faced 14-year-old. “I go to Marshall High School.”
Many of Tamoura’s relatives—her father, two brothers, a sister and assorted aunts, uncles and cousins—attended Marshall, and most of them left with a diploma. Only two graduated with real plans for college.
Freshman Tamoura Hayes speaks with conviction about her dream of going “to Harvard or Spellman to become a pediatrician.”
But she’s a realist. “Come on,” says the round-faced 14-year-old. “I go to...
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Letter From The Editor
Frankly, we were stunned when Associate Editor Sarah Karp first reported in the Catalyst Chicago newsroom that there were so many incoming 9th-graders registering late at Marshall High School that the freshman class nearly quadrupled within the first month.
Only 85 were pre-registered when Marshall opened its doors on the first day of school Sept. 4. A month later, on the critical 20th day, when budgets are locked for Chicago public schools, the freshman class had mushroomed to some 322 students.
Letter From The Editor
Frankly, we were stunned when Associate Editor Sarah Karp first reported in the Catalyst Chicago newsroom that there were so many incoming 9th-graders registering...
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This year Catalyst Chicago analyzed reams of data on high school demographics and performance. Our findings fill out this year's annual school report card.
College readiness
Predicting college success
View from the top
This year Catalyst Chicago analyzed reams of data on high school demographics and performance. Our findings fill out this year's annual school report card.
College readiness...
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Chicago Public Schools has allotted nearly $47 million so far to plan and launch its transformation project in 25 schools. The district plans to spend another $35 million to expand the effort in 2008, adding as many as 20 schools to the mix and extending the effort into the upper grades in participating schools. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is footing much of the bill, giving CPS nearly $28 million to date. Next year's investments will include:
Chicago Public Schools has allotted nearly $47 million so far to plan and launch its transformation project in 25 schools. The district plans to spend another $35 million to expand the effort in 2008...
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Allan Alson, head of CPS' Office of High School Transformation, talks with Catalyst Chicago reporter Sarah Karp about the district's multi-faceted approach to turning around failing high schools. In this audio clip, he discusses IDS (Instructional Development Systems), designed to help schools improve in many ways, such as raising student expectations, supporting good teachers and providing additional supports.
Allan Alson, head of CPS' Office of High School Transformation, talks with Catalyst Chicago reporter Sarah Karp about the district's multi-faceted approach to turning around failing high...
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