Teacher recruitment aims to diversify ranks, reflect communities, boost pupil outcomes
By Emily Olsen David Gregg has been working at Nicholas Senn High School for more than a decade, watching the “very diverse” school transform from academically struggling to a well-regarded neighborhood high school. The Edgewater school is filled with students from all over the world, around 65 different nationalities, including large populations of African-American and Hispanic […]
Down to the wire: Chicago teachers strike narrowly avoided with tentative agreement
By Emily Olsen and Meredith Francis Minutes before the midnight deadline, the Chicago Teachers Union and school board reached a tentative agreement to avoid a strike that would have sent some 20,000 teachers to picket lines. “It wasn’t easy,” CTU President Karen Lewis told reporters at 11:55 p.m. Monday. “Clearly, there are some issues, and […]
Parent, community groups back teachers strike, call for end to financial ‘chaos’
By Meredith Francis and Emily Olsen If Chicago teachers walk, some parents will be right behind them. More than 50 parent and neighborhood organizations threw their support behind the Chicago Teachers Union Tuesday during a City Hall rally as the city prepares for a possible strike next week. “I really feel like this is necessary because […]
Rebel Rouser: High school activist speaks up for better education
By Morgan Gilbard Nidalis Burgos stood her ground when police threatened to arrest her during a school closings protest in 2013. A teacher told Burgos, who was only 15 at the time, that the incident would cost her a future. “My eighth-grade teacher came into the classroom and said, ‘Hey, just so you know, if […]
Anti-testing movement plans 2016 strategy as education cuts take center stage
By Morgan Gilbard Anti-testing advocates worry that the opt-out movement will take a backseat this year as Chicago Public Schools and the state drown in a sea of other problems. Concern over budget cuts and teacher union negotiations threaten to overshadow a movement that led to 20,000 Chicago students opting out of standardized tests last […]
City Colleges, Chicago Public Schools teachers push for elected boards
By Branden Hampton Faculty at City Colleges of Chicago are banding together with their counterparts in Chicago Public Schools to push for legislation that would bring elected boards to both districts. Both groups want to curb Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s power by ending his ability to hand-pick board members, as well as the chief executive officer […]
Illinois GOP leaders propose CPS takeover, mull bankruptcy plan
By Harvard Zhang With backing from Governor Bruce Rauner, Illinois Senate and House Republican leaders proposed Wednesday a state-created Independent Authority to assume control over the Chicago Public Schools system, along with legislation “giving Chicago the financial tool to declare bankruptcy, if necessary.” The CPS and Democratic leaders promptly pushed back.
Education advocates split over elected, appointed school board
By Phoebe Tollefson Roughly two weeks before citywide elections, education advocates debated the merits of a mayor-appointed and voter-elected school board, while noting issues such as conflicting interests and political pressures. “I do have a concern about inserting more politics into school board operations,” said Jesse Ruiz,, vice president of the Chicago Board of Education, […]
