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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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charter schools

In the News: Calif. teachers fund sells gun stocks January 10, 2013 By: Cassandra West The California State Teachers Retirement System, known as Calstrs, voted unanimously to begin a formal process of divesting in companies like the one that made the semiautomatic rifle used in Newtown, Conn., according to The New York Times. Read More \| (0) Comments	In the News: Labor Bd. labels charter a 'private entity' January 03, 2013 By: Cassandra West Teachers at a Chicago charter school are now subject to private-sector labor laws, rather than state laws governing public workers. The ruling, made by the National Labor Relations Board last month, said the Chicago Math and Science Academy is a “private entity” and therefore covered under the federal law governing the private sector, according to WBEZ. Read More \| (6) Comments
In the News: Charter grooms future lawyers December 28, 2012 By: Cassandra West Founders of a new Chicago charter school hope to increase diversity in the legal profession. The formula at Legal Prep Charter Academies in the city's West Garfield Park neighborhood includes a principal with a law degree, field trips to law firms and a biology class is inspired by the science of crime scene investigations. (WBEZ) Read More \| (2) Comments	CPS board approves only two new charter schools December 19, 2012 By: Sarah Karp CPS board members gave the nod Wednesday to two charter schools and the expansion of three traditional schools, but deferred action on two other charters. The board approved Intrinsic Charter School and Chicago Collegiate Charter School, as well as the addition of 7th and 8th grades to Marine Military Academy and Rickover Naval Academy. Disney II also will expand to include a high school. Read More \| (5) Comments
In the News: 4 national groups seek charter contracts December 12, 2012 By: Cassandra West Four national charter operators—Rocketship Education, Basis Schools, Concept Schools and Charter Schools USA—have applied to open schools in Chicago next fall, according to Illinois Network of Charter Schools executive director Andrew Broy. (WBEZ) Read More \| (2) Comments	In the News: CTU points out "utilization" contradiction December 10, 2012 By: Cassandra West Chicago Public Schools said Friday it planned to add four more charter schools to the nine charters previously approved for the coming year, but the Chicago Teachers Union fired back in a press released that said the openings only exacerbate the so-called "utilization crisis." Read More \| (0) Comments
CPS officials make charter recommendations December 07, 2012 By: Sarah Karp Even as CPS is in the midst of intense discussions about which schools to close, district officials announced late Friday afternoon that they were recommending the opening of five new charter and contract schools and the adding of grades at three schools. They did not provide requested information on how many children will be served by these new or expanded schools, should the recommendations be approved. Read More \| (3) Comments	Chicago misses out on Gates money for charter compact December 05, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Chicago was left out of a round of district-charter collaboration grants announced today by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The reason: the city’s turnover in schools leadership. Read More \| (1) Comments
CPS updates school utilization rates, makes case for closings December 04, 2012 By: Sarah Karp In releasing this year’s all-important school utilization rates, CPS officials took pains to make the point that half-empty schools are largely the result of a declining school-age population, likely seeking to take the focus off charter schools as a factor in the enrollment loss. Read More \| (0) Comments

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