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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

As questions arise, more charters planned for Chicago December 12, 2011 By: Sarah Karp CEO Jean-Claude Brizard has said that charter schools will not escape tough scrutiny of their performance--including the threat of closure--and that School Board members would consider taking action against one or two charters at the December board meeting. Read More \| (6) Comments	In the News: Trained to teach; employed as a nanny December 12, 2011 By: Cassandra West As job prospects across the state and nation remain bleak for new and laid-off teachers — more than 8,800 Illinois teachers received pink slips in 2010, according to officials — many are finding welcome work as nannies and baby sitters, according to a story in the Chicago Tribune. Read More \| (2) Comments
In the News: NEA stakes position on teacher evals December 09, 2011 By: Cassandra West The nation's largest teachers union, NEA, laid out an action agenda Thursday with specific recommendations for increasing the quality of teacher candidates, establishing career paths for teachers, and developing new evaluation systems. Read More \| (1) Comments	Q&A with Jean-Claude Brizard December 07, 2011 By: Lorraine Forte and Sarah Karp When state legislators passed a law in 2009 requiring clear guidelines for school closings in Chicago, the goal was simple: to bring transparency and community input into decisions about vital public institutions. But the law didn’t stop complaints on the heels of the recent announcement that CPS plans to turn around a record 10 schools next year. Read More \| (5) Comments
In the News: H.S. dropouts cost society plenty December 07, 2011 By: Casandra West Those who drop out of high school receive on average $1,500 a year more from government than they pay in taxes because they are more likely to get benefits or to be in prison, according to a study of Illinois and Chicago residents done on behalf of the Chicago Urban League and some education groups. (Reuters/Tribune) Read More \| (2) Comments	Charter compact could bring new operators to Chicago December 06, 2011 By: Rebecca Harris Charter schools in Chicago would get easier access to facilities and a likely increase in per-pupil funding under a proposed district-charter compact that would also make charters subject to some of the same testing and accountability standards as traditional schools. Read More \| (1) Comments
In the News: No charters on closing list December 05, 2011 By: Cassandra West While the state last week released detailed performance data for city charter schools for the first time, revealing that many schools from even the most prominent charter networks struggle to close the achievement gap for low-income students, not a single charter school made the schools closing list announced by CPS officials. (Tribune) Read More \| (0) Comments	Chicago to join Gates Foundation charter compact December 02, 2011 By: Sarah Karp Though they are still in negotiations over the details, Chicago Public Schools officials are set to sign on to a national initiative that encourages stronger cooperation between charter schools and traditional schools, as well as providing equitable district funding for charters. Read More \| (27) Comments
In the News: Poor schools shortchanged in funding December 01, 2011 By: Cassandra West More than 40 percent of high-poverty schools receive less than their fair share of state and local funding, leaving students in high-poverty schools with fewer resources than schools attended by their wealthier peers, according to a U.S. Department of Education analysis of new data on 2008-09 school-level expenditures. Read More \| (1) Comments

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