parent and community engagement | catalyst-chicago.org

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Special Education

Even as CPS opens more new schools, children with special needs have a tougher time finding options. Placements in private therapeutic schools are scarce, and some charters are reluctant to enroll them.

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parent and community engagement

As contract talks heat up, teachers union seeks stronger ties with parents May 03, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris In recent weeks, teachers at dozens of schools have made efforts to reach out to parents about issues ranging from the longer school day and school funding to class sizes to teacher pay. Read More \| (18) Comments	Stand for Children holds Chicago kickoff April 15, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Several hundred people, including many parents and dozens of members of Students for Education Reform groups at local universities, packed a room at downtown Roosevelt University on Saturday morning for the launch of Stand for Children's Chicago chapter. Jesse Ruiz, a member of the Chicago Board of Education, pledged to work with the group to "prioritize resources for quality schools," and a number of elected politicians made similar pledges. Phillip Hampton, the district's executive director of family and community engagement, was also supportive. Read More \| (42) Comments
Deadline extended to run for local school councils March 07, 2012 By: Lindsay Abbassian Faced with a dearth of candidates, CPS has for the second time extended the deadline to register to run in next month’s local school council elections. Candidates now have until March 23rd to file. So far, only 2,060 candidates have been recruited for more than 6,800 open seats in the April 18th elections. Read More \| (3) Comments	New Schools for Chicago broadens parent outreach February 08, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris A year after announcing ambitious expansion plans, New Schools for Chicago – formerly known as the Renaissance Schools Fund – has hired new staff members and is embarking on a public campaign to promote new schools. Read More \| (4) Comments
Tensions rife at school closing hearings January 21, 2012 By: Catalyst Chicago staff Despite a snowstorm, hundreds turned out to Friday's round of school closing hearings, and tensions were high as supporters brought on yellow school buses clashed with parents, students and community activists. A fight between Crane students and some of the bused-in school closing supporters broke out at the hearing on the proposed phase-out of the West Side high school, according to WBEZ/Chicago Public Media. At the hearing on the planned closing of Price Elementary School, one mother left crying and screaming, “I’m done." Read More \| (18) Comments	Community groups band together against school closings November 22, 2011 By: Sarah Karp With a week left before Chicago Public Schools leaders announce school closings, nine community groups came together Tuesday to try to alter the conversation from shuttering neighborhood schools to investing in them. Read More \| (0) Comments
New school report card in the works October 24, 2011 By: Jim Broadway When the House and Senate reconvene this week, one item on their agenda will be a proposal from the Illinois P-20 Council for a more informative and understandable School Report Card. Read More \| (1) Comments	Survey results detail each school's climate, teaching quality September 13, 2011 By: Rebecca Harris A new website launched this morning gives detailed information about teachers’ and students’ attitudes toward their school. Read More \| (3) Comments
For the Record: Longer day across the district this year? Not likely September 01, 2011 By: Staff UPDATE: A day after CTU President Karen Lewis shut the door on a whole scale extending of the school day this year, teachers at three schools voted to keep students in class for 90 more minutes. Read More \| (20) Comments

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