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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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testing and accountability

In the News: How testing is harming teaching April 24, 2012 By: Cassandra West A literacy consultant in the New York City public schools makes a persuavive case on how testing is hurting the teaching profession —by erasing inquiry, curiosity, study and thinking from the classroom experience for both teacher and student. Read More \| (0) Comments	In the News: State proposes more tests, star ratings April 03, 2012 By: Cassandra West Illinois is moving to overhaul how students are tested and schools judged, with a proposed "star" rating system—one part of a plan aimed at shaking up the status quo, the Tribune reports. Read More \| (5) Comments
New accountability for Chicago charter schools March 28, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Chicago charter schools will face tighter accountability under new procedures announced Wednesday. Read More \| (3) Comments	Testing and the Common Core March 19, 2012 By: Paul Zavitkovsky Everybody agrees: We need Common Core standards because “many 17-year-olds do not possess the higher order intellectual skills we should expect of them.” Read More \| (11) Comments
For the record: Closed schools, more students for turnarounds February 24, 2012 By: Sarah Karp When Chicago Public Schools officials talked about closing Price Elementary School in Bronzeville and Guggenheim in Englewood, they stressed that students would transfer to better schools. What they didn’t talk much about publicly was where future students living in the Price and Guggenheim attendance boundaries would go. In fact, most will be assigned to schools that are currently no better than Price and Guggenheim, but are slated to be turned around next year. In turnarounds, the district fires the current staff, including the principal, hires a new staff, and provides them with more resources. Read More \| (12) Comments	At AUSL, progress but ‘this is not magic’ February 03, 2012 By: Sarah Karp If ever there was a superstar principal, it’s Angel Turner. When Turner took over Morton Elementary School as an Academy for Urban School Leadership turnaround principal, it was one of the worst schools in the district. Now, three years later, it is in the middle of the pack: The percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards has increased by more than 30 points. Read More \| (15) Comments
Data on AUSL turnarounds offer more complete picture February 03, 2012 The investment Read More \| (3) Comments	Board member Hines: School actions not "done deal" January 25, 2012 By: Lindsay Abbassian and Rebecca Harris Read More \| (3) Comments
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

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