elementary and K-8 schools | catalyst-chicago.org

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School closings

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

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elementary and K-8 schools

Controlled enrollment out as CPS pushes 4-track schedule August 25, 2005 By: Ed Finkel To help cut costs, Chicago Public Schools is looking to scale back controlled enrollment busing from overcrowded schools. About 30 elementary schools and five high schools have a controlled enrollment policy, under which overflow students who would normally attend a severely overcrowded school are bused to other schools with space. (CPS officials expect the high schools—Morgan Park, Gage Park, Foreman, Steinmetz and Hubbard—to scrap the policy by 2006-07.) Read More \| (1) Comments	'Treading water' to relieve overcrowding August 18, 2005 By: John Myers Almost a third of the city's community areas—23 of 77—have school overcrowding problems. Fourteen of the 23 communities have been overcrowded for a decade, and a major capital improvement plan launched in 1996 has brought little relief. One CPS official admits the district is only "treading water" in solving overcrowding. Read More \| (0) Comments
Three students, three stories show cracks in special ed August 17, 2005 By: Elizabeth Duffrin Most learning-disabled students in Chicago Public Schools are diagnosed at a late age—typically, at 8 or 9, while in 3rd grade or later. Experts say children whose disabilities are diagnosed that late have very little chance of catching up to their classmates academically. Through interviews and a review of school records, Catalyst tracked the stories of three learning-disabled 6th-graders at Casals Elementary in Humboldt Park, which has a higher-than-average special education referral rate and a higher-than-average percentage of learning-disabled students. Read More \| (1) Comments	Millions spent, little relief August 15, 2005 By: Maureen Kelleher and John Myers A Catalyst analysis finds that after $680 million in capital spending over the last decade, school overcrowding is still widespread. The district says it needs more money. Critics say the district also needs a better capital plan. At Canty Elementary on the far Northwest Side, some teachers are doubled up two to a classroom, students eat lunch at their desks since the cafeteria was converted to classroom space, and primary-grade classes exceed union class-size caps. Read More \| (0) Comments
CPS adopts new policies on school capacity July 29, 2005 By: Maureen Kelleher While one new Chicago Public Schools policy will send more transfer students to some overcrowded schools, another could help improve the school climate at others. Read More \| (0) Comments

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