catalyst-chicago.org

Gov. Pat Quinn signed a law Monday requiring the Chicago Board of Education to work with city police to create a hot line that will allow students to report  information about the possible outbreak of violence.

Gov. Pat Quinn signed a law Monday requiring the Chicago Board of Education to work with city police to create a hot line that will allow students to report information about the possible outbreak of violence. The calls, which would be anonymous, must be recorded by police, who must investigate the tips. Information about the hot line, including the yet-to-be-established phone number, must be posted in each school. The line is to be established by January, though officials aren't sure it will be up by then. Schools officials hope the hot line will help prevent shootings and beatings that can erupt when the dismissal bell rings. (Tribune)

Year-round classes start at 10 Chicago public high schools, and some students and teachers complain about the heat and increased class sizes, the Sun-Times' Rosalind Rossi reports.

CPS CEO Ron Huberman says the district "will continue to push for more Track E," or year-round schools. “Ultimately, we want all our schools to become year-round and we welcome more schools to do so,” Huberman told the Chicago Defender Monday, the first day of classes for 100,000 students.

Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, calls unwise CPS' plan to balance its budget by draining its reserve fund. (WBEZ)

In the state

A group of parents wants to donate more than $4.3 million to save teacher jobs and programs in Cary Elementary District 26. (Daily Herald)

Glenbard High School District 87 finishes fiscal year with a surplus — five years after the district was in the red by more than $21 million. (Daily Herald)

In the nation

Groups in early-childhood education and school leadership are emphasizing better professional development on pre-K to grade 3 for elementary principals. (Education Week)

With the Obama administration's sharply increased federal financing on school turnarounds, dozens of untested groups are peddling strategies to overhaul schools. (The New York Times)

The American Civil Liberties Union is examining school districts across California to determine if they are illegally charging students mandatory fees. (SFgate.com/AP)