Guest Column Community schools support immigrant students, strengthen democracy by Carlos Azcoitia Aug 16, 2010 Immigration and community-focused schools reflect and strengthen the core values of democracy in America. Both are just and wise investments. Our country was founded on the principles of freedom and economic and educational opportunities.

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Letter From the Editor Shift course on renaissance by Lorraine Forte Aug 12, 2010 Ask Wanda Taylor to give her view on Renaissance 2010, and you get a brief sigh and a “Where do you start?” Her story is a parent’s-eye view of what has happened since Mayor Richard M. Daley and then-CEO Arne Duncan launched the plan in 2004.
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Guest Column A 'bottom-up' approach to make after-school programs more effective by Montana Butsch Jun 22, 2010 Despite modest increases in the number of available after-school opportunities for our young people over recent years, the demand for quality programs far outpaces the supply.  According to Chapin Hall, an independent policy research institute, and the Chicago Out-of-School Time (OST) Project, there are only enough publicly funded opportunities to reach a little more than one-third of Chicago’s teens.  Last summer, the number of applicants to the City’s YouthReadyChicago summer jobs program was more than 70,000—for fewer than 30,000 jobs. 

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Opinions More resources, not more suspensions, is the real solution to discipline problems by Lorraine Forte Jul 8, 2009 Recently, Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman told school principals that the district plans to focus on data analysis as a first step toward improvement. There's one statistic that the district ought to immediately turn its attention to: suspensions and expulsions of African-American boys.
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Guest Column New principal prep law will create visionary leaders focused on students by Judy Erwin Jun 9, 2010

It’s all about student success.

That is all anyone needs to know to appreciate the need, the scope, and the value of the School Leader Reform Act signed into law recently by Governor Pat Quinn to totally reform the way Illinois selects, trains, and certifies educational leaders to be principals in our schools.

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Guest Column Use stimulus funds to expand vision for high-quality early education by Eboni Howard and Celina Chatman-Nelson May 18, 2009 Our nation is making unprecedented investments in supporting young children’s development and well-being. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides more than $2 billion in one-time funding to expand and improve Head Start and Early Head Start; more than $2 billion for high-quality child care for parents seeking employment or pursuing higher education; and a significant earmark for early intervention and special education services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. States are also eligible to receive additional stimulus dollars for early childhood education.
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Letters From Readers ACTNow! calls for universal after-school programs, not "vouchers" by Mary Ellen Caron Jan 29, 2010 It is indeed my hope that the system of supports for after-school in Illinois will advance enough someday to break-out from today's funding "silos" and "follow" the youth.  I applaud Rebecca Harris and Catalyst Chicagofor helping to draw attention to this important issue. Nonetheless there is one point made in Ms. Harris' article that requires correction.  ACTNow! (After-school for Children and Teens Now!) does not call for an after-school “voucher” system as the article states.  
 
ACTNOW! is a campaign to give all young people in Illinois access to quality after-school programs. It calls for the creation of a universal after-school program for young people age 6 – 19, and points to the need for greater state-level coordination.  I encourage you to visit the campaign's website to learn more
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Guest Column Best bets for stimulus spending: Teacher training, technology, equity by Dom Belmonte Apr 9, 2009 With the recent announcement that Illinois will receive close to $3 billion in stimulus funds earmarked for education, the debate over how best to use that money has reached a fever pitch. As a leader in advancing the teaching profession in Illinois since 1985, Golden Apple Foundation offers the following recommendations for getting the biggest bang for Illinois’ new education dollars: Enhancing professional development, more and better technology, level the playing field between rich and poor schools, more support after high school.
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Guest Column Obama's education plan misses the mark on testing by Dom Belmonte Mar 11, 2009 Standardized testing hurts classrooms and curricula, and ignores the need for developing skills in problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity.
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Guest Column Grassroots sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up by Lorraine Forte Feb 5, 2009

Grassroots opponents to the selection of Ron Huberman to head CPS insist the flap over his appoinment won't die down. The long-term repercussions may be just beginning. Activists want a new state law that would require City Council approval of Daley’s pick to head the school system. With new reform-minded Gov. Pat Quinn in office, they think they’ve got a shot. Another idea that might well resurface is the call for an elected School Board

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Guest Column Duncan's task: Keep the spotlight on education by Lorraine Forte Dec 17, 2008 Quick--name three of the last seven secretaries of education. Outside the world of education, most people probably can’t—which says something about the level of attention the general public typically pays to the job, despite poll after poll that says we rank education as one of our top priorities. That could change under Arne Duncan, selected by President-elect Barack Obama for secretary of education.
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Guest Column Community must demand high-quality schools by Phyllis Lockett Dec 12, 2008

Thank you for drawing attention to the high demand for more quality public school options in Chicago.  Your recent article on school choice (“The challenges of choice”) notes that 62% of African-American CPS students are attending schools outside of their neighborhood for high school.  This is a startling figure and testament to the need for more and better options across our city. 

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