A new report from the CPS watchdog points to problems with how NWEA tests are given. But the report just scratches the surface of the problems.
Author: Maureen Kelleher
If Student-Based Budgeting Is the Slicer, We Need a Bigger Pie
Chicago Public Schools recently wrapped up a series of workshops discussing how student-based budgeting works and asking parents, school leaders and community members for their ideas about how to make sure the neediest schools and students get an equitable share of funds. Critics charge the current budgeting process creates a vicious cycle of disinvestment when already under-resourced schools lose students.…
Where’s the SQRP That Measures ‘Academic Gusto?’
To many parents, teachers and principals in Chicago Public Schools, the letters “SQRP” spell a four-letter word. SQRP–which stands for “School Quality Rating Policy“–has been a simmering issue for years, and it boiled up last June when Mayor Lightfoot’s newly appointed Board of Education approved tweaks proposed under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Currently, SQRP is the yardstick by which the…
Fired Up About School Performance Ratings? Take This CPS Survey
This week Chicago Unheard has focused in on equity and opportunity in Chicago Public Schools. Today is your chance to take some action and urge the district to move in the direction of opportunity and equity when it comes to school performance ratings. One way the district tries to help parents get a feel for the quality of schools and…
Hey Chicago, Let’s Stop Cheating Our Kids out of Educational Opportunity
The roots of so-called achievement gaps lie in lack of access to opportunity for disadvantaged kids. Chicago must continue to create opportunity for every child in every school, starting with access to science, social studies and the arts.
For 2020, Chicago Unheard Promises You More Parent Voices and School Snapshots
As we move into a new year and decade, I looked back on our top posts of 2019 to see what our readers found most compelling. For 2020, I can promise you more how-they-did-it stories from strong Chicago schools serving the highest-need kids and lots more reflections from parents with kids in Chicago Public Schools. In 2019, Chicago Unheard fans…
Two Chicago Charter School Students Named Cooke Young Scholars
With help from High Jump, two talented young women from Chicago charter schools have been selected as Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars.
Friends of the Children Chicago Builds a Vital Bridge Between Families and Schools
Friends of the Children-Chicago cuts through the endless debate over whether to address poverty or education first by simply mentoring kids and families for the long haul.