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Current Issue

School closings

As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.

In the News: CPS principal search goes nationwide

Chicago will search the country for 50 new school principals this year and hand each of them a $25,000 bonus if they agree to come and take over a failing school, another move toward rewarding high-performing educators in the city with cash, the Tribune reported over the weekend.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Friday that CPS will offer up to 50 out-of-town principals privately funded $25,000 signing bonuses for landing jobs in CPS. (Catalyst)

More competition this year makes it even harder to get into one of Chicago's elite public high schools. (Tribune)

A 17-year-old student accused of fatally stabbing a schoolmate Thursday inside a Southwest Side alternative high school was ordered held without bond Saturday. (Sun-Times)

IN THE NATION
The increasing flow of venture capital into K-12, and heightened interest in educational technology, are creating opportunities for market newcomers. (Education Week)

Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education, says new teacher-evaluation methods are needed, but judging teachers based on student test scores does more harm than good. (Education Week)

D.C. schools chancellor addresses the contention lurking within allegations of cheating in the District and other urban school systems is the belief that minority children can’t make significant gains on test scores without improper intervention from teachers or administrators. (The Washington Post)

7 comments

me wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Principals

I would highly recommend not taking 25k to move to chicago under CPS current leadership. Don't leave your job to come here. You will not reform urban children you will just need to cowtow to testing companies, vendors, mayors, CEO.....IT IS NOT WORTH IT. You will not be able to "help" the kids...this is a lie!!! Maybe if they offered you 250k....you might. However, if you have a job you like....stayyyyyy

Danny wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Who--not how--you teach

The LDH article in Ed Week cited above is a must-read. (Unfortunately, policy-makers never tend to read things like this.)

Key point: "These test scores largely reflect whom a teacher teaches, not how well they teach."

And in the end, those most in need of good teachers don't get them.

Schools do everything wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Children First Principal

Rahm--your money will not attract me to come (today) or to stay in CPS.
Send this money to the CPS neighborhood schools your are stripping of funds and programs. That would help to keep your best principals.

me wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

IDEA FOR 25k

Maybe we could use it to give your school new science books . to replace our books from 2002??? HMMM Rahm.....you love Chicago so much you dont even trust it's own citizens to run our schools????????????

MBA wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

4%

No money for teachers but.................. What's bigger, Rahm's ego or Illinois's deficit?

Anonymous wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

Will Rahm tell the

Will Rahm tell the out-of-towners who get the $25,000 that they will not get a pay increase for years and will have to take furlough days that result in a LOSS of pay?

Shhhhhhhh wrote 1 year 9 weeks ago

You forgot one thing!!!

I couldn't find anywhere in the article about how much the new principal's security detail is going to cost!! I suppose Rahmbo is expecting the new principal to pick that up on his/her own, too!! Full school uniforms for the kids and full body armor for the new principal. $25,000 more is PEANUTS!!!

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