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Adolescent Literacy

A raft of past programs have failed to substantially improve the reading skills of middle grade and high school students. CPS is trying once again, as part of a federal project that aims to help teens learn how to analyze complex non-fiction.

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legislation

Bill to delay CPS school closings announcement goes to governor November 29, 2012 By: Jim Broadway SPRINGFIELD - The CPS request for an extension of its Saturday deadline to announce school closures easily made its way through the final legislative hurdle Thursday. Read More \| (7) Comments	Bill to delay school closings announcement moves forward November 28, 2012 By: Jim Broadway SPRINGFIELD – CPS took another step to getting a critical deadline on school closures extended to March 31 when the House voted 84-28 Wednesday in favor of an amended Senate Bill 547. Without an extension, CPS would have to make public – by Saturday – a list of schools that the board and new CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett plan to close at the end of the current school year. Read More \| (18) Comments
Lawmakers vote to give CPS more time to decide school closings November 27, 2012 By: Jim Broadway SPRINGFIELD - Despite a last-minute wave of angry opposition, the Illinois House Executive Committee voted unanimously, 11-0, on Tuesday to give the Chicago Public Schools until March 31 to "announce all proposed school actions to be taken at the close of the current academic year," as provided in a House amendment to Senate Bill 547. Read More \| (9) Comments	CPS: School closures could halt after this round November 26, 2012 By: Sarah Karp and Rebecca Harris If CPS gets extra time to plan this year's round of school closures, district leadership is pledging to stop closing schools for the following 5 years. That announcement made by CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett Monday provided one of the backdrops for the first Commission on School Utilization meeting. Another backdrop was a state legislative hearing set for Tuesday, when lawmakers will consider a bill to extend the deadline to announce school closings from Dec. 1 to March 31. Read More \| (12) Comments
Charter funding bill not yet a done deal May 10, 2012 By: Jim Broadway SPRINGFIELD -- The Chicago Teachers Union and other charter critics spoke out strongly in opposition to a proposal that would increase the funding that school districts must provide for charter schools, squaring off against supporters who want equal funding with traditional public schools. Read More \| (14) Comments	State funding for Chicago schools on lawmaker's agenda April 10, 2012 By: Jim Broadway and Pam Monetti SPRINGFIELD - The House Elementary and Secondary Education-Appropriations Committee meets Thursday in Chicago to take testimony on programs funded through the Illinois State Board of Education budget. This committee will have a great deal to say about FY 2013 funding for programs that include After School Matters, started by the late Maggie Daley, and programs for dropouts and homeless students. Read More \| (0) Comments
Legislators grill Brizard on school closings, turnarounds April 02, 2012 By: Jim Broadway SPRINGFIELD -- Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and members of his staff were grilled for more than two hours by legislators who sharply questioned the district’s decision-making on school closings and turnarounds and called for a summit of the CPS facilities task force. Read More \| (33) Comments	Chicago schools: 'tough year' in Springfield? February 23, 2012 By: Jim Broadway SPRINGFIELD--Halfway through his presentation of a bill to force the Chicago Public Schools to testify as to how it plans to spend block grant money it receives from the state, Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago) was asked to take the bill “out of the record.” Read More \| (3) Comments
Despite opposition, CPS moves ahead on closings, turnarounds February 22, 2012 By: Sarah Karp and Rebecca Harris Rejecting pleas from parents and grassroots activists not to move forward with school closings and turnarounds, School Board members unanimously approved actions that include a record 10 turnarounds in one year. Read More \| (20) Comments

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