Urban school systems all over the Northeast and Midwest are facing declining enrollment and struggle with the challenge of downsizing without shortchanging students’ education. Unfortunately, Chicago is a leader in the problem, but new thinking on the role of neighborhoods could propel the city to become a leader in solutions. Enrollment in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has been sliding…
Tag: CPS
Applying for School in Chicago? Your Odds May Have Just Changed.
Originally posted on Chalkbeat by Cassie Walker Burke on October 25, 2018. One of the key factors in Chicago public school admissions, tier numbers assigned by a student’s address serve to more equitably distribute seats in test-in and magnet programs. The numbers, on a 1 to 4 scale, reflect a neighborhood’s socioeconomic status. The school district has issued new tier…
From Chicago to Connecticut, Moms Are Fighting for Equity
From Connecticut to Chicago, moms of all backgrounds are starting a conversation about educational equity. In Connecticut, mom Gwen Samuel and parents like her are fighting to open empty seats in magnet schools to Black and Brown children. One of Connecticut’s greatest challenges in creating diverse magnet schools has been building bridges to white and affluent families who have multiple…
Let’s Ensure Trans and Gender Diverse Kids #WontBeErased at School
While political leaders score points by bullying trans and gender diverse people, schools and advocates can ensure all our kids are welcome at school. On Sunday, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration is considering ways to define a person’s sex that would eliminate Title IX protections for transgender people and others who express their gender identity in…
This Week in CPS: College Enrollment Rises among CPS Grads and Latinx Students Lead the Charge
There’s good news today about college enrollment for CPS graduates. New data show that about two-thirds of the graduating class of 2017 enrolled in college. Moreover, new tweaks to data collection now include students who start in the spring semester after graduation or attend certain Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other schools. This new method of c bring…
6 Questions I’m Asking My Child’s School About Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Late last week, Maggie Hickey of the Schiff Hardin law firm released her eagerly-awaited preliminary report on preventing and responding to sexual misconduct in Chicago Public Schools. There’s a lot in there, including a page of preliminary recommendations. You can read the full report here. Local media took gave us quick takes on the report last Friday. The Chicago Tribune’s…
To Get the Schools We Deserve, We Must Tell Our Stories
I have a love/hate relationship with the city of Chicago. I love the city for its beauty, vibrancy, diversity and opportunity. I hate the city for how its underserved communities sometimes gets the short end of the stick—especially when it comes to education. I grew up in Englewood and there were no good school options in my community. Luckily, my…
Progress, Problems and Politics in the Chicago Public Schools
Last weekend, I bought a subscription to the Chicago Sun-Times, which recently instituted a paywall. I love the gritty, bare-knuckles reporting and cut-through-the-noise columnists of the self-described “Hardest-Working Paper in America.” I’m even getting home delivery. Monday morning, the paper arrived with a lengthy story on “fiascoes” in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) that could become a headache for Mayor…