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Back Issues
 July, 2003
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 June, 2003
After two years of being relatively laid-back, the courteous Schools CEO Arne Duncan (“You doin’ OK?” is a frequent opening line) is forcefully raising his profile and reshaping central office with unexpected new hires who are poised to execute the far-reaching vision that he and Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins have brought forth. |
 May, 2003
The Chicago Public Schools is looking to attract and retain better teachers by partnering with local universities and training them in the system. So far, three professional development schools, each with a distinct mission, are operating in the district. The effort parallels a growing national trend where school districts and universities collaborate to provide teacher-training programs that showcase best instructional practices used by master teachers who mentor student teachers. |
 April, 2003
Two years ago, a task force of educators, advocates and legislators crafted a plan for universal-access preschool that would be high quality and staffed by certified teachers. The plan calls for 202,000 3- and 4-year-old children to be served by 2012. Fully implementing a universal preschool program would cost an estimated $441 million a year. However, a state budget crunch—projected revenues are expected to fall $5 billion short—and a tough economic climate limit the outlook. |
 March, 2003
High school guidance counselors are in short supply, and those on the job struggle to serve an overwhelming number of students while keeping up with a host of administrative tasks. As a result, many CPS students do not get enough guidance to succeed in high school and move on to college or the workforce. |
 February, 2003
The stakes are high for both CTU President Deborah Lynch and Schools Chief Arne Duncan. Duncan’s predecessor, Paul Vallas, staked a large chunk of his claim to fame on having brought labor peace to a system that had endured decades of turmoil. Lynch was elected union president in 2001, largely by promising to be tougher on management than her predecessor, Thomas Reece, was. The current talks will be her only chance to bring in a contract victory before she stands for re-election in 2004. |
 December, 2002
Special education students in Chicago are disproportionately enrolled at low-performing high schools on the West and South Sides. These schools are overwhelmed and often unable to provide students with the services they need. Conversely, selective high schools are admitting relatively few special needs children despite mandates from the district and federal court to do so. In fact, such schools are attracting top performing students away from neighborhood schools, which are then left with a concentration of special education students. This fall, special education enrollment in CPS high schools ranges from 3 percent to 40 percent of incoming freshmen. |
 November, 2002
Many children who have been in the child welfare system, who are more likely to have difficulty in school, are concentrated in schools in the poorest neighborhoods on the South and West sides, a joint analysis by Catalyst and The Chicago Reporter shows. These children are likely to attend the system’s worst high schools, and few graduate. Schools get few, if any, extra resources to address the academic and emotional needs of these children. |
 October, 2002
In June 2001, Catalyst published the first in a series of periodic reports on the experiences of nine African-American and Latino students who had their sights set on a college degree. In this issue, we cap off these personal reports with the results of a survey of 350 minority students from Chicago who are enrolled in a wide variety of four-year institutions. The survey was conducted by the Metro Chicago Information Center. The entire project was conducted in cooperation with Future Teachers of Chicago/Illinois, under a grant from The Joyce Foundation. |
 September, 2002
No Child Left Behind |
 June, 2002
CPS Teacher Training |
 May, 2002
The New Regime |
