As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.
Join the conversation
We encourage our readers to leave comments and engage in dialogue about our stories. But before you do, please check out our "rules of the road."
Recent Notebook Entries
Right Now On Notebook
By:
By:
Subscribe to catalyst-chicago.org by e-mail
Other Blogs
catalyst-chicago.org feeds
Current Issue
In the News: CPS plans to add 60 more charters
By: Cassandra West / May 17, 2012
Chicago Public Schools plans to add 60 more charter schools over five years, part of a larger proposal for 100 new schools over the same five years that is laid out in an application seeking $20 million for charter schools from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Tribune reports.
The Chicago Teachers Union emailed a registration form to media members who intend to cover its May 23 rally at the Auditorium Theatre. News organizations will be limited to three press passes for the CTU members-only event. When the auditorium reaches its capacity, people will be directed to an outdoor rally that will be held simultaneously at 431 S. Michigan Ave. in Grant Park.
Dyett High School on the South Side, one the 17 schools that the Chicago Board of Education to "phase out," held a combination of celebration, protest, and news conference on May 14 that also included a celebration of student art. One of Dyett's successes was a highly creative art program. (Substance News)
IN THE NATION
David Coleman, an architect of the common core curriculum standards, will take over the College Board in October, The New York Times reports. Coleman said one of his top priorities is to reshape the organization’s influential college-admissions test, the SAT, to better reflect the new standards.
In New York City public schools, a student’s educational outcomes and opportunity to learn are statistically more determined by where he or she lives than their abilities, according to "A Rotting Apple: Education Redlining in New York City," released by the Schott Foundation for Public Education.
The Clark County School District — the fifth largest in the nation and the largest public employer in Nevada — announced it will send pink slips to 1,015 teachers and literacy specialists next month, triggering the worst-case scenario in dealing with a $64 million budget shortfall. (Las Vegas Sun)
A study by researchers at John Hopkins University found that as many as 15 percent of U.S. students miss at least one school day in 10, and have gone undetected because of the way attendance is measured. Recent studies of children in New York, Chicago and other cities suggest that attendance may predict a student’s academic progress as effectively as test scores do. (NYT)
Charter School Headline
The headline on the Tribune article should read, "CPS pledges to exempt 60 more schools from special education requirements." The article could use a little bit of editing too. For example:
"I'm not looking for a quota, I'm not looking for a percentage, I'm looking to respond to a need [as long as it's not a "special" need. Get it? Man, that joke kills with the Gates crowd.]," said CPS chief Jean-Claude Brizard. "As a whole, people are not satisfied with their neighborhood schools [and we plan to add to that dissatisfaction by shifting as much of our capital budget over to charters as possible, stripping local school councils of any authority, and making a joke of school improvement planning]. Clearly, there's a demand [for resegregated education and charters are the best way to accomplish this lofty goal]."
Really?
If the demand for Public Schools in Chicago is down, then theres no need to pay over 250K to Brizards Salary or theirs no need for a CEO at all either. If he is so concerned over Charter Schools, he can contact them for a job opportunity. Obviously we need someone in charge that will faithfully serve our PUBLIC schools. This is similiar to the President of the United States stating that this country is not meeting the needs of the people and he will find another option for them. Way to back your Neighborhood Schools brizard.
This is horrible stuff. Nice
This is horrible stuff. Nice to see Gates blowing his money on this nonsense. Why don't you support the public schools that already exist. What a joke!
jumpin the gun on Common Core again??
Why is their this rush to "psoitive" judgement for common core? I remember the State Standards were treated like gold? Why do they need to go after the colleges when we dont even know if they will work in the lower grades and high school? Doesnt the common core standsards need at least 5 years before we know if they are actullay effective??? And why are we using NWEA when we have common core standards?? That test is just an elevtroinic version of the ISAT..just now standar admin practices!!
spelling mistakes
sorry! i wrote it too fast:
Meant to say Why is there this Rush to Positive Judgement!
Common Core
I think that people liked the idea that something that something other than the ACT (College Readiness Standards) would be controlling curriculum for a change. The College Board (known best for the SAT and AP testing) just hired one of the CC authors to be their president, which makes sense because the rush to make standardized tests is on and the College Board is up against the ACT.
As long as costs are a consideration, the tests are going to be multiple choice, which means no higher order thinking, which means more awful tests that teachers will be pressured to teach to.
So I'm guessing that it won't be long before the CCSS starts to look a lot like the bad old CRS in practice.
Hidden Agenda
The truth of the matter is that there is a national hidden agenda related to the purge of minority communities from large urban school districts. This has nothing to do with improving education for scores of minority students who have been so egregiously undeserved in the public education system in large urban districts in America. The data constantly reveal no improvement in academic achievement but CPS continues to implement failed strategies designed specifically to This is a move to purge and cleanse the school system of people that those in the system feel are undeserving. That includes minority students, teachers and a few administrators who will not participate and help facilitate the demise of their own communities. The evidence of this attack on minority communities culminate with data.
In Chicago since REN 2010 there has been a purge of 200,000 African Americans, 50,000 African American Students and the loss of over 50% of African American Teachers, dropping from 40.6 to 19.5 today. Since the late 90's , when Jackie Vaughn was president, African American teachers were 54% of an over 30,000 member union. Approximately 17,000 strong. Now we are down to 4,600 with 16 schools closing in the African American community this year. If we are blessed at the end of the year, we may have 2,500 teachers servicing the needs of a 45% African American student population. The irony is that all other minority teacher and student populations have increased population except African Americans. Although white veteran teachers are under attack as well , their teacher population remains stable.
With Chicago being the model for school reform, this agenda has been implemented nationally via Race Too The Top and Arne Duncan. The impact of all of this educational upheaval has caused African American communities to suffer with horrific consequences. Since teachers are the largest number of professionals in the community and generally are the foundation for upward mobility in there families, joblessness, foreclosures, homelessness , suicide, death from having inadequate insurance, children having to return from college are consequences to this hate filled agenda and much more. Community, please wake up. This is our Selma, It's our Birmingham.
TYpo
The data constantly reveal no improvement in academic achievement but CPS continues to implement failed strategies designed specifically to undermine the integrity of school communities that serve minorities by implementing cheap education through charters. (Notice how all the charters are in minority communities). Communities that they feel deserve low quality..cheap education dressed up with an abundance of resources and little or no improvement in education. ( Next Sentence)
I really love my charter school. I like the test prep.
My students need to be able to pass these tests if they want to be successful in college or the work force. Besides, the test prep curriculum makes my job so much easier. What I teach each day is already laid out for me. I hardly have to plan at all.
And I am sooooo glad we can deal with our problem children without all the restrictions of CPS. I feel bad that some disruptive kids are kicked out or they leave because they just can't handle it at my school but when they're gone everyone else in the school benefits.
I like working in my charter school. I don't mind the long hours, lower pay, and relatively short-term nature of the job. It's a really nice way for me to give something to those poor black and Latino children before I go into investment banking our law school or become a full time mom.
Our LSC had to approve a budget that spends $300,000 on recess
-RECESS, plus give-up our textbook and supply money as well to do it!
SUPPLY MONEY?
Are you serious! I am not shocked...but this sounds very very realistic.....The new trend is that "textbooks" are beneath and "real" teacher......teachers are expected to design their own curriculum and then scour the earth for books at every childs level! each child is basically given their own personalized curriculum. then of course now teachers need to pay for the books, and copy paper...etc???
This is nuts!!! Then CPS can say...see we have given CPS schools money for recess....but they don't mention at the expense of BOOKS?? then they will wonder why the test scores have gone down ....and they will blame those darn teachers!!!
Hidden Agenda (The Separate and Unequal School System)
Rosita, I also want to mention that the CPS Charter buildings are usually old and filled with friable asbestes. Buildings built before the 1970's have the type of asbestos that is considered toxic (causes mesotheliomia, a form of cancer that is incurable). Therefore the health and well-being of our children are also being shortchanged.
Anyone who is really paying attention can see that a separate and unequal school system is being set up!!
CPS took TIF money out of African American communities under the "Modernizarion of Schools" program to build healthy school building outside of our communities, while we are expected to operate in death traps. Have you noticed how care is taken to spruce up the outside of an old CPS building, while the environmental hazards remain? CPS is expressing to us on a daily basis that the health of our children and teachers do not matter and Mayor Rahm seems to ditto the lack of concern for our children.
To Anonymous - Hiidden Agenda
The idea that CPS has dilapidated and asbestos filled buildings is such an interesting observation. I never thought of it that way. However, now that it's been pointed out it fits quite nicely in the scheme. Someone needs to do research on these "sick" and dilapidated structures minority students have to attend school in. Thanks for letting us know about this problem.
To clarify, I think the
To clarify, I think the district is using NWEA next year because the Common Core assessments won't be ready until 2013-2014. The standards get rolled out next year, but not the assessments or performance tasks. Also NWEA is a bit more challenging than the ISAT and also is adaptive based. In other words, the computer adapts to a particular students' level which helps ensure that schools are focusing on helping all students, not just those need the cutoff of the "meets" category.
asbestos and other things
I have known about this for years. CICS bucktown charted had a huge abatement removal. Suder did too. These old CPS buildings are full of lead and asbestos. No wonder this kids are not able to focus!
It is just one of many dirty little secrets. Another one is how early kids get out of the classroom because of bussing! They are lined up in the hallway at least fifteen minutes before class it out and then the kids that are not bussed are cheated out of these minutes, so between lunch in the classroom and bus departures the kids instructional time has been limited even more then you know.
NWEA
I think you give nwea a little too much credit. I find the scores to be ALL over the place. Up and down 10 20 points per year. I have see the same students score go up 20 30 points in 1 year...up or down. I have seen the same kid go up 20 points in 1 day? I think NWEA talks a big adaptive talk...but lets face it....it's a moveable ISAT test. It's multiple choice. CPS tried to do a common core test this fall. It had spelling errors? It looked like they made it up over night.....
Test is a test!!
Fix the public schools! Add all day pre-k and kindergarten!
It is appalling that the seemingly public cry is for charters. Who are they polling? When children come to school at the age of five without any type of schooling, they are already behind two years. Is it the school's fault that the children are unable to catch up? No that is on the parents. One of the ways we can fix public school education is by implementing school at the age of three. Our children are capable of attending all day pre-kindergarten at the age of three which would expose them to the goals and objectives that are mandated for those in kindergarten. Children in kindergarten are expected to have more than a sense of their name and address these days parents. They are expected to have mastered sight words from a system called the Dolch words which you can google and expose your child to at home. Children are expected to be able to add numbers with manipulatives, you can use beans at home and other objects to teach your child those early skills that they are lacking when they come to us. There is a need to educate the public on parenting before the age of five. The norm now is for your child to be ready to tell time and read basic sentences. If your child is behind, don't blame it on the educators who get these children two years behind at the age of five. We do the best we can to try to make a positive out of a negative from the very beginning. Again, all day pre-k for three and four year olds, all day kindergarten for five year olds, that is how you fix this system!
You like your charter school's test prep?
Truth of the matter is subject matter that is taught according to goals and objectives is test prep. A teacher who has planned her lessons according to the state's curriculum required has incorporated test prep. When children are disruptive, they have additional socio-emotional issues that need to be addressed and not passed on. When a child is put out of any school, that school has failed that child. At sometime in that child's lilfe someone needs to stop and address what is the situation that is causing the student to be disruptive. I call putting children out of schools, throwing children away. We cannot afford to throw away our children, they are our future. School is suppose to address the needs of the students under their care. Again, where is the social worker, the psychologist and other clinicians that need to address the ills our children are being exposed to. This is not a perfect world and God knows we don't have perfect children. We need to fix our public schools to be the best they can be. As a taxpayer, I have never wanted my funds to be diverted from public school education. As you state, when children are sent away, where do you think they go? Right back to public schools and the sad thing is their money has already been sent to the charter school which by the way does not refund or send it with the child. If we correct the ills of the system, work with parents who send children to us damaged, public school education would flourish. By the way, who likes short pay, long hours and short term assignments....Thank you!
Hidden agenda?
I was in a school in 1993 that underwent asbestos removal. It was my understanding that many companies addressed this issue during the 1990's. I would hope that the writer would take the time and google that issue and research before stating there is a hidden agenda. There have been many African American and female companies that originated for the purpose of asbestos removal from our historical landmark schools. Perhaps you were unaware of this! As an educator in many old buildings, I have known this service to take place and unless it was a sham by the company, CPS expects the asbestos was removed. By the way, as a realtor I know most houses were built 80 years ago or more. Have all of the residents of houses removed the asbestos from their structure? Remember the first paints used were lead based paint and those chips were found to cause lead in our children which was detrimental. I hope you are aware of that issue also. One of the criteria for section 8 property is to make certain there has not been lead base paint. Everything is not a hidden agenda. Let's work together to identify the ills in our schools and correct them for our children's health.
Anti Poverty
Lets face it. I don't think CPS has an Anti-black, white, Hispanic agenda. I think it is an anti POOR agenda. I don't think we can fully blame CPS. Our country has set its goals on boosting big business. The only color they care about is GREEN!! Its too few people controlling the budget!
I am a "white" teacher, and believe me....my road has not been 100% smooth either. One of my principals once , in front of me, made fun of my Spanish and called me and a group of teachers "Gueros (gringos)". That principal also fired 5 "white" and 1 "black" person. It was very very sick. CPS is nuts....too much power in the hands of the Principals in my opinion!
Aesbestos Removal
Dr. Hollingsworth,
I did the research on friable asbestos in schools within the my community and turned the information in 2 years ago to CPS Attorney Patrick Rocks and the Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force. I live in a predominantly African American community and our buildings are very old and also contain friable asbestos. This is a fact! Are you aware that CPS lists the asbestos reports on their website for most of the schools. It shows when the schools were built and if they contain asbestos and whether it is friable. The reports also list when the last inspection was done.
Asbestos
I don't think it's accurate to say CPS buildings are riddled with friable asbestos. CPS, with federal aid, spent hundreds of millions removing asbestos in the past two decades. It also tested every single school and mapped the location of non-friable asbestos. There may be a couple of places with problems, but there is no way it's widespread.
Asbestos
Again, I turned in a report to CPS using their own asbestos reports regarding CPS building in my community and all of them had friable asbestos. All of these building were built before the 1970's. I also did a random sample of other CPS buildings in African American Communities across the City and it did not mattter which side of town they were on. If they were old they also had friable asbestos listed in the 6 month reports.
CPS building in African American Communities are riddled with asbestos!!
CPS has found a whipping boy, Abestos and everytning else!
I spoke at the BOE meeting yesterday. We have an influx of teachers that were once superior and excellent who are now being given E-3s, unsatisfactory ratings. Of course over 75% are in African American communities. I requested a FOIA into the actual numbers from CPS in terms of a breakdown by age, race, tenure and seniority and gender. Of course they'll give me some bogas information and not the accurate information. However, we have other sources of information gathering.
I also talked about the situation at CVS. CVCA , where teachers at that school worked under the leadership of one of our most dynamic principals in South Shore Doug Maclin. Upon his arrival four months into the school year, the school was in chaos because of the previous administrator who bullied and harassed teachers. Upon his removal, the teachers were motivated and inspired by the new leadership so they pulled together and literally lifted the school out of the dismal state it was in. The principal was recognized for his accomplishments but 80% of the teachers will be fired. Many will go home with unsatisfactory rating s that will end their professional careers. Thanks for all the hard work teachers!
After yesterday, I am totally convinced that there will be no justice for teachers who work at CPS. In terms of the African American teaching force who will have lost 80% of it's teaching force since the late 90's and via REN 2010, we are a deaths door. Unfortunately no one cares. There hasn't been a single significant campaign to defend their rights by anyone.
I am just a lone voice crying in the wilderness about this injustice which will surely reach a national epidemic very soon.
So it looks like CPS has found a Whipping Boy and it is the African American School Community. All wrapped up in the traditional head dress of our people and our 400 year legacy of victimization by corporate America. We have our children being used as merchandise to provide jobs for anyone other than us. They are warehoused in asbestos saturated sick buildings, underfunded and under resourced separate and unequal school system. . Teachers who have worked in these conditions, being treated like second class citizens, hated by the corporate structure. Professional and very well educated people walking around acting like "THE HELP" to keep a job. . We have a group of people operating as if they are navigating a slave ship with the black slave bosses (principals) beating everyone's BUTT to keep the Master happy
Sorry to make these analogies here so proliferate. However from this vantage point, as Harold Washington would say, "more of the same ole dOO dOO .
Talk about history repeating itself!.
African American teachers becoming extinct in the public school!
I agree and specifically with the CVS/CVCA situation. Instead of getting a motivational dinner, you are correct, teachers are being E3d as you state. For those of you who do not know what and E3 is it is the process whereby you are suppose to be given a mentor teacher to assist you in remediating your skills at teaching. We find at CVS and other schools, principals are ignoring the process and giving people unsatisfactory ratings without any kind of remediation. This is dangerous. If the principal does not like you, how in the heck can you get away from that individual with an unsatisfactory rating? If you are a mediocre teacher you still deserve the opportunity to hone in on your deficits and bring them up to par before you are dismissed. By the way, if the teachers are so terrible at CVS, how did all of that great data get created that states the students are doing better? It is time that some body do some underground investigation and find out exactly what is going on in many of our schools. We all agree there are a few bad apples but in the case of CVS this principal has been given accollades being able to take command of a ship and lead it into settled waters with positive outcomes. Ok, so these people blindly adhered to his directives and followed his course. This means these people deserve the right to another year of performance. And for those of you who do not realize it, most principals if you disagree with them, you are destined to walking the plank, they do not want you to be opinionated, just follow them blindly, but then if it is wrong, they will throw you under the bus! Shame on any administrator who does not welcome a different view, appreciate differentiated responses which in fact should assist in their leadership. As best practices goes, that is what shared leadership is about.
Let's Not Forget the E-3's given out a Julian High School
E'3's are also being given out by the defunct , interim, once fired from CPS principal at Julian. CPS didn't trust her and fired her now she's destroying teachers lives at Julian.
Add your comment