Catalyst Notebook

The Consortium on Chicago School Research surveyed 700 principals and assistant principals and 900 teachers in December about CPS' new teacher evaluation process and will do so again in May. CPS, however, would not authorize the organization to release preliminary findings. A district spokesman said the data are "too preliminary to be of any value."

Comings & Goings: Chou, Vahey

By: Debra Williams

Tags: Comings and Goings

Victoria Chou, the dean of the College of the Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago is retiring in August. Chou has been dean of the college for the past 17 years. She is also currently an interim executive associate chancellor for external and government relations. Chou has been a co-chair of the Steering Committee of the Consortium on Chicago School Research, chair of the Governing Board of the National Teachers Academy-Professional Development School in Chicago, and co-chair of the Council of Chicago Area Deans of Education.

In the News: Money said to drive virtual schools' growth

Profits, rather than student outcomes, is clearly the main driver behind the rapid growth of virtual schools, says a report from the National Education Policy Center, with funding from the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice. And although virtual schools have expanded rapidly in the last decade, there is little data to justify their growth.

CPS releases draft 10-year capital plan

By: Sarah Karp

Tags: facilities, finance and budgets, school closings

On page 36 of the long-awaited draft of the district’s 10-year master facilities plan is this revelation: The district will only save $437 million in capital costs by closing schools, significantly less than the original figure of $560 million.

The updated figure is the result of new assessments being done to prepare the final version of the 10-year master facilities plan, says CPS spokeswoman Kelley Quinn. Also, the $560 million figure included some mistakes that district officials have now corrected.

In the News: Emanuel vows casino funds for CPS

By: Cassandra West

Tags: Rahm Emanuel

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is amping up support for a Chicago casino by vowing that all revenue would go to city schools. Emanuel released a video Wednesday showing footage of students and teachers and ending with a promise that 100 percent of revenue would go to education. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Arbitrator counting union votes at UNO Charter

By: Rebecca Harris

Tags: charter schools, teachers union

UPDATED: Teachers at UNO charter schools have voted 87 percent in favor of joining a union, an Illinois Federation of Teachers spokeswoman said.

The announcement comes just days after scandal prompted the state to cut off capital funding to UNO charter schools, and it means the city's charter teachers union will roughly double in size. According to the Illinois Federation of Teachers, more than 20 percent of charter teachers in Chicago will now be union members.

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