Vol. XVI Number 1 CHICAGO SEPTEMBER 2004 INDEPENDENT REPORTING ON URBAN SCHOOLS YOU’RE HIRED! MORE CPS TEACHERS ARE BEING RECRUITED FROM PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON PUTTING CAREER- CHANGERS ON A FAST TRACK TO CERTIFICATION
CHICAGO LOSES MOST TEACH FOR AMERICA
TEACHERS PAGE 10
Start-up high schools reinvent the traditional model PAGE 15
CPS corners market for tutoring under No Child Left Behind PAGE 22
A Publication of the Community Renewal Society www.catalyst-chicago.org FROM THE EDITOR
Chipping awayat LSCs
ocal school councils—Chicago’s grand change will render many local school councils lame ducks. LSCs at schools experiment to put the power and authority on probation lose all of their decision for changing schools into the hands of making authority to the School Board. parents, teachers and community leaders— Last year, councils at 83 schools held L that status; more are likely to join their took more hits this summer. The Chicago School ranks when this year’s probation list is Development Cooperative quietly shut its doors released later this month. at the end of August after five years of recruiting “I’m agnostic on LSCs,” Duncan says. “I just want great schools. I want Veronica Anderson and supporting council members, and kids to learn to read. I want some advocating a grassroots reform agenda. competition.” However, you’re not likely to get In June, Mayor Richard M. Daley Unlike LSCs, so-called transition great neighborhood schools if you pay announced a plan to create 100 new advisory councils seat members who only lip service to the neighborhood. schools—a mix of charter, contract apply to and are chosen by the What happens when a transition advi- and small schools that are not School Board, which in turn may sory council recommends something required to seat elected councils. adopt the councils’ recommenda- that the board does not want to do? Under the Chicago School Reform tions, but is not obliged to do so. The What recourse does a community Act, councils have legal authority to first time these councils were con- have to replace a weak principal at a hire principals, and set priorities for vened was two years ago, when CPS neighborhood school that is on pro- spending discretionary funds and for first tried its close-and-reopen strat- bation? If schools are to be centers of their schools’ improvement plan. egy to jumpstart reform at two ele- their communities, shouldn’t they But the real erosion of local power mentary schools. grow out of that community? began long before this summer. It’s Grand Boulevard Federation There are still hundreds of local been a steady slide that began 10 Director Greg Washington, who was school councils that are a positive years ago when Daley took control of on one of those councils, notes the force at their respective schools. They the district. process is “much more inclusive” stand as examples of what shared Of course, Daley, Schools CEO now than it was then. The advisory responsibility for public education Arne Duncan and others who view council he sits on to help convert can produce. But that’s of little solace councils as obstacles to improving DuSable High School into small when the district’s latest stab at schools are too smart to challenge schools has reviewed proposals and school improvement ignores such contributions and continues to chip “I'm agnostic on LSCs. I just want great schools. I want kids to learn away at councils’ influence instead of welcoming them as partners. to read. I want some competition.” ABOUT US Kudos to Charles Whitaker, Schools CEO Arne Duncan the assistant professor at the Medill School of Journalism who copyedits them directly. The last public official interviewed applicants. Yet he is Catalyst Chicago in his spare time, for who committed that political blun- skeptical about what role the adviso- winning the Charles Deering der was soundly defeated. Instead, ry councils will play after the school McCormick Professor of Teaching they are using the 1995 amendments is reopened. “It’s not clear to me what Excellence Award, which recognizes to the reform act and district policies the scope of authority would be for Northwestern University faculty for to sidestep councils or replace them advisory boards,” he says. outstanding performance. with weaker substitutes that would Also affecting LSCs’ power is a gather the community’s input for recent change in the CPS accounta- schools slated to close and reopen bility policy, which raised the bar under Renaissance 2010, the 100- schools have to meet to escape being school plan. deemed failures. A side effect of that
2 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION A new breed of teachers hicago schools are hiring more teachers from alternative certification programs, most of Cthem for hard-to-fill specialties such as math and special education. In exchange for picking up tuition costs, the district requires most teachers hired out of alternative programs to commit to a three-year stay. A new study will try to answer the question of whether these teachers do a better job of raising student achievement, and CPS is begin- JOE GALLO ning to track retention rates among the various Prospective teachers line up at the CPS teachers fair held in July programs. COVER STORY: PAGE 6 at McCormick Place. CPS ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS Basics on the nine programs the district has partnerships with. PAGE 9 TEACH FOR AMERICA ON HOT SEAT More than half of recruits from national program quit after two years. PAGE 10 EXPERIENCE HELPS CAREER-CHANGERS REACH MANLEY STUDENTS New teachers’ maturity, job background are pluses at West Side school. PAGE 12 NO CONSENSUS ON PROS, CONS Experts say research on alternative programs is limited and inconclusive. PAGE 14
DEPARTMENTS Notebook 4
UP CLOSE Page 15 Viewpoints 20 Four schools on new course Grants 26 Comings & Goings 28 RESEARCH Page 18 School districts often use top-down approach to improve instruction ON THE WEB UPDATES Page 22 Catalyst is going to redesign its web CPS corners tutoring market but site to make it more useful, and we runs risk of losing it all want your feedback. Go to www.catalyst-chicago.org and JASON REBLANDO New leadership shifts union focus take two minutes to complete an Summer music class keeps one new high school’s students on Board closes 8 child-parent centers, online survey. Help us help you! track to graduate in three years. See story, page 17. converts some to Head Start
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 3 Q&A Notebook with ... Executive Director Greg Washington, TIMELINE Grand Boulevard Federation July 26: Tests Cut Aug. 2: Crackdown Aug. 10: More taxes Grassroots activists, parents and local school council members have To save some $6 million, Citing poor academic per- In response to a less-than- pounced on the Chicago Public students will no longer take formance at their schools, expected increase in state Schools’ Renaissance 2010 and Mid- state tests in social studies the School Board fires prin- per-pupil funding that left South plans, accusing the School or writing beginning in cipals at Cregier Multiplex, the district with a $45 mil- Board of sidestepping community 2005, state education offi- Fenger High and Bouchet lion deficit, Schools CEO input before deciding to shut down cials announce. Because the Elementary. Several others Arne Duncan announces a dozens of schools and reopen most as federal No Child Left Behind reportedly agree to quit, but 2.4 percent increase in charter or contract schools, without Act requires testing only in the board does not name school property taxes. The LSCs. Greg Washington, who was on reading, mathematics and them. Some 20 principals increase will raise $40 mil- the planning team for Mid-South, science, legislators elected are given new plans for lion, but more cuts will have talked with Consulting Editor Lorraine to stop the tests to help pay improving their schools. to be made throughout the Forte about what’s wrong—and what’s for the $154-per-pupil The leader of the local prin- year to make up the remain- right—with the board’s plans. increase in state funding for cipals’ group says principals ing $5 million. The district’s local school districts. But are being “scapegoated” total budget reaches $5 bil- Are activists satisfied with CPS’ response some education experts and criticizes the board for lion and targets more mon- to their concerns? express concern that cutting failing to inform local ey toward early childhood, They should stop implementation of the the tests will result in fewer school councils. A CPS reading and dropout pre- plans until they can engage the community resources and less class- spokesman says the actions vention. Critics later ques- more meaningfully. room time being spent on were “an employee per- tion whether the budget is the subjects. formance evaluation.” as lean as CPS claims. Arne Duncan has said there isn’t going to be a final plan for Mid-South schools. That’s bad. I and other people put a lot of ELSEWHERE time and energy into planning, and it was our textbooks, trained teachers and a safe school understanding that the outcome would be a Miami: School shakeup environment, according to the Aug. 11 Los specific plan. Now, it’s too bad it had to wait Supt. Rudy Crew plans an overhaul of 39 Angeles Times. The proposed settlement, until the community was gentrifying. But the failing schools, according to the Aug. 17 which is subject to approval by a judge, original Mid-South concept of linking hous- Miami Herald. The plan includes 10 more would require the state to spend $1 billion to ing, community development and education days in the academic calendar, an extra improve 2,400 low-performing, deteriorating is real exciting and offers a real opportunity for hour in the school day, smaller classes and schools. The state will also pay nearly $139 schools to become much more integrated more training for teachers. Crew will have million for new textbooks this fall. with the community. And I hope that is not to negotiate with labor unions to imple- ment the plan, but if the unions resist, lost in the Renaissance 2010 plan. I don’t see Crew could take advantage of state Board Kentucky: GED program that concept as part of that at all. of Education rules that allow districts to A GED program for struggling students What do you want the board to do to suspend union contracts in order to could result in schools dumping low-achiev- improve poorly performing schools. The ing students who might drag down test create trust with community groups? director of United Teachers of Dade County scores, according to the Aug. 12 Lexington LSCs, parents, teachers, and principals says teachers who want to leave the 39 Herald-Leader. Aimed at students who are should be involved in the development of pol- schools should be allowed to do so. still in school, the program requires that stu- icy from the beginning. Another suggestion dents take state tests and have their scores involves the way new schools are selected. I included in their school’s scores. But critics was on the Williams Transitional Advisory California: Funding lawsuit argue that requirement can be sidestepped The state has agreed to pay more than $1 bil- because a student could complete the GED Council and I’m also on the DuSable Small lion to settle a class-action lawsuit charging program, then be pushed to drop out before Schools Advisory Council. At Williams, we that poor children were denied adequate the end-of-year state tests are given. went to different cities to see best-practice schools. There were surveys and focus groups. But that was all after-the-fact. The most IN SHORT important decision, choosing the schools, had already been made. DuSable’s small schools “I don’t want competition, selective enrollment, a neighborhood process has been much more inclusive. We reviewed the proposals, went on visits to other lottery. Education should not be a game where I cross my fingers.” cities and interviewed the planning teams. The community came to meetings and asked Fuller Elementary LSC member Brenda Perry at an Aug. 24 press conference where questions. We don’t have decision-making activists spoke against Renaissance 2010, which favors charter and contract schools. authority. But in other small-schools conver-
4 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 ASK CATALYST More students enter high school having already earned high school credits, and find that there are no suitable courses available for them senior year. How can we provide advanced courses to students who are too few in number to make up a full class? Norman Gelfand, LSC Chair, Von Steuben High School
Illinois Virtual High Schools (www.ivhs.org) offers a full high school curriculum including Advanced Placement classes, says Edward Klunk of the Office of High School programs. Participating schools have a student mentor to oversee the program. CPS also pays for qualified high school juniors and seniors to enroll in a course at any JASON REBLANDO of 12 local colleges. For more information on the College Bridge Program, talk to a guid- sions CPS followed the recommendations of ance counselor at your school. the advisory council. E-mail your question to
How can the district ease the transition for kids at schools that are closing? FOOTNOTE I’ve been told that there are children who started out at Einstein, which was closed, transferred to Donoghue, which was closed and then transferred to Doolittle West, which was closed. Now they have to go somewhere else. That kind of mobility is certainly not good. And when DuSable High stopped accepting freshmen, students had to go to Phillips, creating problems with gangs and turf issues. The board needs to be much more thoughtful about the sequence of closing schools, the stability of children and community issues like gangs and transportation.
Do you agree that when schools have been failing for years, sometimes it’s best to start over from scratch? I’ve heard that to change the culture and image of the school, you need to remarket it. That does not necessarily mean closing the school. There should be other strategies. KURT MITCHELL
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 5 COVER STORY ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION A new breed of teachers
By Debra Williams Chicago is hiring more teachers from alternative certification
n March, Chicago Pub- programs. But a crucial question remains about whether these lic School officials pre- dicted that a third of new teachers for the programs produce high-quality teachers who can raise achievement. coming 2004-05 school year would be hired from alternative certification tricts in California, Texas, New Rockford College in Rockford, RESEARCH IN THE WORKS programs,I a figure that CPS Jersey and New York are rely- Ill., is in the works, but the said would be more than dou- ing more and more on alter- school’s alternative program is But while CPS increases its ble the number hired from native programs as a hiring sending 14 elementary bilin- hiring from alternative pro- such programs in 2003-04. pool. The percentage of gual teachers to CPS this fall. grams, research on their effec- Most alternative programs Chicago’s hires from alterna- In addition, CPS now has tiveness is limited. Experts say are aimed at career-changers, tive programs is about the an office called Routes to that those studies that have and Schools CEO Arne Dun- same as that of Los Angeles, Teaching, created by Duncan been done are inconclusive can called such programs Houston and Newark, and almost two years ago to man- and often not well-designed “extremely valuable,” touting higher than New York and age the partnerships and coor- (see story on page 14). the benefits of bringing expe- Miami, says Emily Feistritzer, dinate hiring from alternative However, one noted expert rienced professionals into the president and CEO of the programs. Director Toni Hill says there’s a larger issue than classroom where they could National Center for Alterna- explains that alternative pro- simply whether alternative have a positive impact on stu- tive Certification in Washing- grams previously had to work certification is better than tra- dents’ lives. ton, D.C. with several departments. ditional four-year training But the prediction fell short. “Now, they are all getting the from a school or college of By late August, only 25 percent SURGE OF INTEREST same message and have one education. of all new teachers hired were The hiring surge is just one place to call to resolve issues “One is not better than the from alternative certification sign of the district’s growing and concerns,” she says. other, if you look at what it programs, according to CPS interest in alternative certifica- And last year, CPS institut- takes to prepare a teacher,” data. tion. CPS now has partner- ed a requirement that teach- says Barnett Berry, executive Even so, for the past five ships with nine alternative ers hired through alternative director of the Southeast Cen- years, the number of teachers programs, most of which take programs commit to stay for ter for Teaching Quality at the from alternative programs has one to two-and-a-half years to three years after completing University of North Carolina been growing steadily, from complete and put participants coursework and obtaining in Chapel Hill, N.C. “There are 140 in 2000 to 417 this year. into the classroom while they certification. If they do not, horrible alternative certifica- Chicago’s hiring trend is part earn their teaching creden- they must reimburse the dis- tion programs and terrific of a national one. School dis- tials. Another partnership with trict for tuition costs. programs. There are horrible
6 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 JOE GALLO Job candidates look over materials and applications at the CPS teachers fair held in July at McCormick Place. By mid-August, the district had hired some 1,700 teachers, 25 percent of them from alternative certification programs. college of education pro- taking to produce quality instructional quality. “Now they are taking the grams. There are terrific ones. teachers.” Among the ques- The second part of the next logical step and plan to It is not a question of alterna- tions the study will seek to study will focus on the critical look deeply and find out tive certification vs. tradition- answer, he explains, is question of achievement, which ones are really quality al programs. It is high quality whether teachers are receiv- measuring student test-score programs,” says Knupp. vs. low quality. “ ing adequate support from gains over a year’s time. It will CPS will try to determine trained mentors and whether compare students whose FILLING IN THE GAPS the effectiveness of programs they are teaching in hard-to- teachers were trained in alter- While the question of it partners with by launching a staff schools. native certification programs quality is up in the air, there is major study this fall. With a “One of the arguments we with students whose teachers one plus about alternative $45,000 grant from the North hear for alternative programs came from traditional pro- certification: The programs Central Regional Educational is that they are meeting needs grams. CPS and UIC have not appear to be helping the dis- Laboratory (NCREL), CPS and that are not being met other- yet obtained funding for this trict solve its teacher shortage the University of Illinois at wise,” says Tozer. “So we want second phase. problems. The majority of Chicago will begin the first to see if they are. These are not Janet Knupp, president of teachers hired through alter- phase of a study examining hostile questions. It is just that The Chicago Public Education native certification are filling how well alternative-certifica- we don’t know much about Fund, says the district slots in math, science, special tion teachers are performing what these programs are con- deserves credit for planning education, bilingual educa- in the classroom and the qual- tributing to the picture.” the research study. The Fund tion and other subjects for ity of training programs. The first part of the study, has raised over $18 million to which the district has a “We don’t know much expected to be complete by support several education ini- chronic shortage of teachers. nationwide about these pro- spring 2005, will examine how tiatives, including three alter- “The universities were not grams,” says Steve Tozer, a alternative certification pro- native programs: Teach for producing enough teachers in professor of education at UIC grams operate and how well America (in Chicago), the the areas we need,” explains who is overseeing the study. they meet staffing needs. In Golden Apple Teacher Educa- Hill. She estimates that 50 per- “And in Chicago, we don’t addition, using a sample of 30 tion (GATE) program and the cent of all math and science know how these programs classrooms, researchers will Academy for Urban School teachers hired in the district work and the steps they are measure teacher attrition and Leadership. for 2004-05 are from alterna-
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 7 COVER STORY ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION
HIRING HELPS SHORTAGE CPS RELIES MORE ON ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION Many teachers from Over the past five years, Chicago has hired an increasing ney Young’s or the Walter Pay- alternative programs teach number of teachers, many of them career-changers, from ton’s,” Hill explains, referring subjects in shortage areas. alternative certification programs. to two of the district’s selec- tive-admissions high schools. 2004 1,700 417 25% Hill’s office also looks for Bilingual male, bilingual and minority 9% 2003 2,356 277 12% teachers. About half of teach- Special Ed ers in CPS are minorities, 12% Other 2002 2,483 231 9% according to state school 49% report card data, but data Math/Science 2001 2,5.36 203 from the Department of 30% 8% Human Resources shows that some schools still need 2000 2,257 140 6% minority teachers in order to comply with the faculty inte- Source: Catalyst analysis of CPS data. “Other” includes foreign language, physical education and elementary education. gration requirements found in the federal desegregation con- sent decree. Only 23 percent tive programs, up from 45 per- mixed results when asking When students cannot get of CPS teachers are men. cent last year. However, final colleges and universities to in the elementary program Chicago launched Illinois’ hiring figures for math, sci- guide students into teaching because of the glut, some par- first alternative certification ence and other shortage areas careers in high-need areas. ents have even called the program, Teachers for Chica- will not be available until the Private universities have school to ask if they are aware go, in 1991. The partnership end of September. mainly been unresponsive. of the teacher shortage, brought together CPS, the “The big positive [of alter- “Some of them have said, Sorensen says. “I tell them, Chicago Teachers Union, the native programs] for school ‘Hey, these kids are paying ‘Yeah, but it’s just not in ele- Golden Apple Foundation districts is you recruit for big money, they should be mentary education.’” and area colleges, but it was where the demand is great,” able to take what they want,’” NIU began trying another discontinued three years ago says Feistritzer. Hill says. approach three years ago, in part because it was struc- Former Fenger High Prin- Public universities, she pairing students studying ele- tured for schools with at least cipal Phyllis Hodges turned to adds, have been more recep- mentary education with those three teacher vacancies, leav- alternative certification pro- tive. studying special education. ing out schools that were grams when she could not “We do try to steer them to The groups do joint classroom interested in participating but find the special education shortage areas. We have more observations, take some had fewer job openings. teachers her school needed. kids than we can handle in the courses together and talk With the exception of She hired four. elementary education pro- about what they’re seeing. Teach for America and the “They are very effective gram,” says Chris Sorensen, “We’ve had some kids Golden Apple program, any teachers and two of them are the dean of the College of switch majors because of this applicant to an alternative pursuing additional certifica- Education at Northern Illinois program,” says Sorensen. “It program who wants to teach tion in math and English,” University. “We are encourag- has helped to change the per- in CPS must apply through says Hodges. “They are real ing special education, but a spective of the elementary ed the district, not the school. serious about this.” lot of students have their student.” “We are the customers, so we hearts set on teaching small do the screening,” Hill UNEQUAL SUPPLY, DEMAND children. It is very difficult to CPS CALLS THE SHOTS explains. “If we think these At a CPS teachers’ fair this convince them to do anything Alternative programs have people suit our needs, then summer, half the 300 resumes other than that.” been a growing source of they go to the university to be Manley High Principal NIU has 1,200 students teachers in shortage areas. But admitted. The universities Katherine Flanagan received studying elementary educa- the district, which pays part- have never said no to anyone were from social studies tion, compared to only 600 ner colleges and universities we’ve sent to them.” teachers. (For more on Man- studying special education. between $2,000 and $12,000 Since last year, each candi- ley, see story on page 12.) Sorensen says counselors do for each candidate who wants date has been paired with a “There were droves of not have contact with most to work in CPS, also looks to mentor from GOLDEN, the them,” says Flanagan, who elementary education majors these programs to find teach- district-wide mentoring pro- questions why colleges do not early in their college careers— ers who have a strong interest gram for new teachers. do more to dissuade education when it would be easier to in teaching children in low- Previously, teachers on majors from getting credentials steer them down another income communities. the alternative certification to teach subjects that already path—because 60 percent of “These people will be going track did not get a mentor have a glut of candidates. them are transfer students into the neediest classrooms. until they finished their pro- Hill says her office has had from community colleges. They are not going to the Whit- gram. But the district real-
8 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 ized that, as novices, the new CPS alternative certification programs teachers needed help with classroom management and he alternative certification programs CPS works with are geared day-to-day tasks such as primarily toward career-changers who teach while taking keeping grade books, mark- ing attendance properly and Teducation coursework at local colleges and universities. The planning lessons. programs also enroll candidates who are not planning to work in PRINCIPAL BECOMES SUPPORTER Chicago. Here’s a snapshot of how each of nine programs works with Once they are in the class- CPS. For more details, go to
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 9 COVER STORY ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION Teach for America on hot seat CPS concerned about attrition rate of a noted national program
By Debra Williams
ewer than half of the teachers hired in Chicago Public Schools through the national program FTeach for America stay on the job for three years, the commitment required of teachers in other alterna- tive certification programs. Data from Teach for America show that 43 percent of its teachers who started in CPS in 2001 stayed on the job in 2004. Of those who started in 2000, 39 percent stayed for a third year. Those statistics raise concerns for CPS, which is looking to cut teacher JOHN BOOZ attrition and is planning to track the Recent college graduates Ariel Beggs (left) and Shay Fluharty attend an orientation retention of teachers in all its alter- session for new Teach for America recruits. Fluharty, hired to teach Spanish at Harper native programs. As a result, district High School, may eventually leave teaching for law school. officials have asked Teach for Ameri- ca, which recruits graduates from Principals voice similar concerns. “There is more work to be done,” some of the country’s most presti- “These people are really good—well- says White. Teach for America will gious colleges and universities, to trained, highly motivated—so they come up with a plan for recruiting a come up with ways to improve its leave to pursue advanced degrees or more stable pool of teachers who will long-term retention. positions in other fields,” says Princi- remain in the district beyond their Toni Hill, director of CPS’ Routes pal James Breashears of Robeson two-year commitment, he adds. to Teaching office, praises the pro- High in Englewood, who, during the “We’ve done this in other places gram but cautions that the district past two years, lost five of six Teach [Houston and Los Angeles] and will may have to “re-evaluate” its part- for America teachers. “That’s the do this in Chicago.” nership if retention does not downside, that they have so many Experts also point out that Teach for improve. She explains that the dis- possibilities. It’s hard to keep them.” America is not designed to turn out trict agreed to Teach for America’s Indeed, Shay Fluharty, a new career teachers. Still, White says, standard two-year commitment teacher from Florida who will be “Nationally, over the course of 15 years, when it began partnering with the teaching Spanish at Harper High in 60 percent of Teach for America teach- program four years ago. CPS now West Englewood this year, says she ers remain in public education—40 reimburses Teach for America $4,500 does not envision staying in the percent as teachers, 20 percent as lead- per teacher to cover training costs; classroom. ers in administrative capacities.” the district hires about 75 teachers In five years, Fluharty says, “I’m Teach for America’s main purpose, each year. going to either [enroll in] law school he adds, is to “recruit top college grad- or become an activist for reforms uates to work in under-resourced TEACHERS HAVE CAREER OPTIONS and help make changes outside the schools, and produce a crop of young “Teach for America candidates are classroom.” leaders who are committed to a life- outstanding,” says Hill. “They have Executive Director John White of long fight for equal opportunity.” In high GPAs, have participated in extra- Teach for America’s Chicago office Chicago, some alumni have started curricular activities and come from says the program will work on boost- schools, are National Board-certified, the best schools. The problem is reten- ing retention and strengthening its and have become leaders in the dis- tion. We want teachers who will stay.” partnership with CPS. trict, White says.
10 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 Critics: No solid evidence that Teach for America alums created KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) Teach for America boosts achievement schools, a nationally growing chain of charter schools aimed to get stu- n June, Teach for America received a flurry of Angeles/Compton, Mississippi Delta (two districts) dents to college. Last year, two KIPP media attention when a national study was and New Orleans. schools opened in Chicago. Ireleased that showed students taught by the John White, executive director of Teach for “Teach for America does not set program’s teachers did better in math than stu- America’s Chicago office, dismisses the criticism. [retention] as a goal,” says Daniel dents taught by other teachers at the same “The gains made may be abysmal to less then Humphrey, the associate director of schools and in the same grades. abysmal. But anything that demonstrates strong the Center for Education Policy at Teach for America contends that the report academic achievement should be praised, replicat- SRI International, an independent proves its teachers are having a positive impact on ed and enhanced,” White says. nonprofit research organization. students in the toughest schools. But critics, point- “They view their program not as one ing out that both sets of students scored very DISCIPLINE A SERIOUS PROBLEM to deal with teacher shortages but as poorly, note that the gains made were marginal The study also included a survey in which a third a leadership program.” and do not provide solid evidence that the pro- of Teacher for America teachers reported serious gram produces effective teachers. problems with physical conflicts between students KIDS NEED STABLE TEACHERS “There are no differences in reading [scores]. or general misbehavior such as talking in class. In However, Barnett Berry, president There was only slight difference in math and that comparison, only 17 percent of other teachers of the Southeast Center for Teaching difference was miniscule,” says Barnett Berry, presi- reported serious problems with fights while 23 per- Quality in Chapel Hill, N.C., ques- dent of the Southeast Center for Teaching Quality cent reported serious problems with misbehavior. tions that approach. in Chapel Hill, N.C. “The bottom line is neither the “If you read the reactions to this study, you’re “Is this program for children, or Teach for America teachers, nor the other teachers, going to see, depending on people’s political per- for the bright kids to have something were adequately prepared to serve these children.” spective, ‘Teach for America works’ or ‘Kids in urban to put on their resumes when they In fact, the math gains were equal to what districts are getting the short end of the stick.’ apply for law school? Kids need would be expected from an additional month of Both of these are probably true,” says Daniel teachers who will stay and build a instruction, according to the report from Mathe- Humphrey, associate director of the Center for stable faculty,” Berry says. “This is a matica Policy Research in Princeton, N.J. Test Education Policy at SRI International, an independ- problematic cycle: new teachers, scores for students taught by Teach for America ent research institute based in Menlo Park, Calif. under-prepared teachers, high teachers rose from the 14th percentile in the fall The real issue, Humphrey explains, is that turnover, unstable faculty and incon- to the 17th percentile at the end of the year. Stu- assigning first-year teachers to difficult classrooms sistent improvement.” dents of other teachers scored in the 15th per- in dysfunctional schools—which is what Teach for Berry adds, “We know that any centile in the fall and remained there at year’s end. America does—is not good no matter what route a school improvement effort worth its Researchers used standardized test scores for teacher has taken to enter the profession. salt is going to take at least five years 1,893 elementary school students in seven high- to take hold, and will take teachers to poverty districts: Chicago, Baltimore, Houston, Los Debra Williams move the process and programs in the right trajectory.” Along with cutting attrition, CPS not prepare graduates for the difficul- gram were more likely to report wants Teach for America to provide ties of teaching in low-achieving, problems with student disruptions more teachers in shortage areas underserved urban and rural areas. and physical conflicts than their col- and make participants who will be “These are bright, dedicated kids leagues in the same schools. working in Chicago more accessible who want to do good, so why not Despite the drawbacks, principals for training in the district during prepare them?” says Berry. “You are who have hired Teach for America the summer. Currently, Teach for putting under-prepared teachers in participants report positive results. America trains all its teachers at classrooms and they leave before “They have lived up to expecta- institutes in Houston, New York and they learn to teach. And some would tions and then some,” says Principal Los Angeles. The program is consid- probably be really good, but they Leonard Kenebrew of South Shore ering creating another institute in don’t get to find out.” High, who adds that his Teach for Chicago. Principal Constance Means of America teachers have great content Teach for America’s training Barton Elementary in the Auburn knowledge and creativity. includes observations of experi- Gresham neighborhood agrees that At Grant Elementary on the Near enced teachers in the spring and a training needs to be beefed up. “You West Side, Principal Doris Hobson five-week summer program that don’t get the same experience stu- Staples says three Teach for America includes classes in curriculum plan- dent-teaching for one summer in the teachers “started with me as a new ning, lesson planning, student Bronx. Student teaching should be a principal and it was a wonderful assessment, classroom management year for everyone.” experience. The students loved and literacy development. A major concern is classroom them.” Two of the three quit after two Some educators say the training management skills. A national study years, but Staples says, “I would hire fosters poor retention because it does found that teachers from the pro- from the program again.”
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 11 COVER STORY ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION Experience helps career-changers reach Manley students
By Debra Williams teacher certification. Williams earned education gives career-changers an a math certificate and landed a posi- advantage when it comes to showing arl Williams’ parents were tion teaching freshman algebra at students how to connect academics both teachers. But when he Manley Career Academy. Now, he is to real life, Flanagan says. And work- chose a profession, Williams one of eight teachers from alternative ing through alternative programs has Edecided not to follow in their programs at the West Side school, served to ease the stress of hiring by footsteps and stayed clear of educa- which has 58 classroom teachers. adding an extra layer of candidate tion. Instead, he earned a degree in Manley Principal Katherine screening, she adds. engineering and accounting. Flanagan says teachers from alterna- Years later, however, Williams tive programs, who are typically in ‘I TELL THEM DON’T GIVE UP’ took an opportunity to tutor at a jun- their late 30s to early 40s and have Williams, who is 44, explains how ior college—and discovered that he substantial work experience, bring he uses his life experience to guide really enjoyed the very task he had several pluses to the table. Like his students and show them how to vowed to avoid. “I got the bug,” Williams, many have math or sci- work harder. His students, noting Williams says with a laugh. “I got ence backgrounds and can fill teach- Williams’ extensive knowledge of such a good feeling from tutoring.” ing slots in hard-to-staff subjects. “I math and the multiple degrees he That experience spurred him to get the fewest resumes for math and holds, at first questioned whether he enroll two years ago in National Louis science,” Flanagan says. was telling the truth about being a University’s program for alternative Years of work experience outside former CPS student. But Williams, who attended Lind- blom High and earned his bachelor’s degree from DeVry University, told them that he, like many of them, struggled in high school until he learned to work harder and identified his style of learning. Williams uses that experience to help students dis- cover their learning styles. “I was a visual learner. I need that to make learning come alive for me,” says Williams. “Some of my kids struggle with the same kinds of things. But I tell them they can come Teacher Earl to understand math, just like I did. I Williams, who tell them as long they don’t give up, completed an they have a chance.” alternative Science teacher Felix Egharevba, certification who also earned his certification program at through the National Louis program, National says working as a physician helps Louis him teach his students how what University, they learn in the classroom works in works with real life. Manley High “I have practical experience and School know the theoretical aspects, so I pull student it all together when I teach,” says Anthony Egharevba, who stills puts in two days Blackhouse. a week as a family practitioner at West JOHN BOOZ
12 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 Suburban Hospital in Oak Park. STREAMLINED HIRING Flanagan’s introduction to alterna- tive certification programs came At a CPS through Barbara Radner, director of teacher fair, the Center for Urban Education at Principal DePaul University, who sent her a spe- Katherine cial education teacher through a pro- Flanagan gram called Facilitating Accelerated interviews Certification for Educators (FACE). candidates to FACE (now called First Class) is a joint teach an influx program of the University of Illinois- of freshmen Chicago, Roosevelt University and the expected to Associated Colleges of Illinois. Its goal enroll from is to produce certified teachers in spe- the Austin cial education, another shortage area. High area. Flanagan later hired others from Austin is being the now-defunct Teachers for Chica- shut down. go, which operated as a partnership JOE GALLO among CPS, the Chicago Teachers Union, the Golden Apple Foundation says. “I know I work 40-plus hours. classroom management skills, Man- and local teachers colleges. When There is no way to do everything in ley began a program last year in Teachers for Chicago shut down, she the six-hour day.” which veteran staff show newcomers continued to work with Golden Apple. what to expect by role-playing as “I went from one program to LEARNING TO MANAGE STUDENTS problem students. another. It was a good way to do it,” While career-changers have the The veterans chew gum in class, Flanagan says. “It is such a struggle to benefit of maturity and work experi- talk back to the new teachers and interview a lot of people. Plus, I ence, that is no guarantee they will turn their backs on them while they knew these interns got great support be able to handle unruly students. As talk. To defuse situations, teachers and I thought I could take them, sup- with virtually every new teacher, may learn to ask a disruptive student plement what they were getting and managing a classroom is often a big to step out in the hall for a talk or use create great teachers.” hurdle. other methods to defuse situations. Officials from the programs also Egharevba says although he Egharevba has learned how to took the extra step of calling to ask learned a lot at National Louis about manage his students and decided to about vacancies. some essentials—such as assess- stay beyond his program requirement. “Fred Chesek would call and say ment, evaluations, curriculum devel- “I think if [teachers] have a good ‘I’ve got two math and science teach- opment and modifying lessons for experience in a school, find a school ers, do you want them?’ and I’d tell students with special needs—he was that is nurturing and get the profes- him ‘yes,’” she says, referring to the at his wit’s end about how to get his sional development they need, they former coordinator from Teachers classes under control. will stay,” says Flanagan. Word about for Chicago. “I have an accent and the kids the school’s supportive environment Flanagan is up-front with teach- took advantage of that,” says reached one teacher from the FACE ers about the challenges of teaching Egharevba, who is from Nigeria. “I program and spurred her to apply for at Manley, whose students face prob- just stood up in a staff meeting one a job at Manley. lems of poverty, crime and gangs on day and said, ‘If anyone has had my Indeed, Flanagan says Egharevba a daily basis. She tells teachers they kids, I need help.’ For the first week, has stayed despite being courted by must push and prod students to per- everyone came into my classroom other schools because of his back- form their best, and explains to and helped me. It took about two ground and experience as a science career-changers that teaching is very weeks for me to gain control. My teacher and a doctor. different from working in the busi- advice for new teachers: Don’t act “I asked him, ‘How did they find ness world. like you know everything, don’t be out about you? I’m not going to let “I tell them there is no piped-in afraid to say you need help.” you out of this building,’ “ she says music here, and no air conditioning,” Flanagan says she tells all new with a laugh. Flanagan says. teachers, “ ‘Don’t smile until Christ- Williams, too, says he is not inter- Williams agrees. “This is the mas.’ I also tell them you can’t be ested in leaving. “I like what I’m longest and hardest job I’ve ever nice. We are not missionaries. You doing and I don’t see changing any- worked. I put in more hours here have to be tough.” time soon,” he says. “I’ll stay for as than I did at the corporate level,” he To help new teachers develop long as they will have me around.”
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 13 COVER STORY ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION No consensus on pros, cons Research on alternative certification is limited; critics sayprograms provide too little classroom training
By Elizabeth Duffrin training is a better experience, he adds, Programs run by the Massachusetts because novices “have full responsibility Department of Education and the New hicago and other school districts for a classroom and a master teacher York City Teaching Fellows now provide are increasingly relying on fast- [observing].” some student-teaching experience, track alternative certification pro- according to Linda Darling-Hammond, ACHIEVEMENT, RETENTION IN QUESTION Cgrams as a source for new teachers. professor of education at Stanford Uni- Research on whether teachers from One point on which experts agree is versity. “Serious programs eventually fig- alternative programs help or hurt student that research hasn’t resolved the debate, ure out that it’s important to give people achievement is inconclusive. But some because most of it isn’t very good. For more support in learning to teach.” educators charge that such programs example, some studies measure the aca- But researchers also note a counter- often put under-prepared novices in the demic performance of students whose vailing trend toward more streamlining. most challenging schools. teachers were trained in alternative pro- Earlier this year, Georgia dropped the “They end up teaching the most grams without considering the impact of requirement that teacher candidates diverse children, who have the most dra- students’ backgrounds, even though train in a classroom. Texas did the same matic learning needs,” contends Barnett most alternative-certification teachers for grades 8 to 12. As a result, alternate- Berry, president of the Southeast Center are in high-poverty schools. route teachers in those two states can for Teaching Quality in Chapel Hill, North “Good studies are really expensive, now begin their careers with passing Carolina. “They are not the teachers who and it’s difficult to get the amount of mon- grades on standardized tests and a bach- are landing in front of the easy-to-teach ey you need to design and carry out good elor’s degree in their subject area. children.” studies,” remarks Michael Allen, program Still, the number of teachers from director of the Teaching Quality Policy TEST PREPARATION ONLY? alternative programs continues to climb. Center of the Education Commission of Florida and Idaho, have signed on Nationally, the number of alternative the States in Denver. Allen researches with a federal program that would teaching certificates jumped from 15,000 alternative certification programs. replace advanced preparation with a bat- in 2000 to 30,000 in 2003. Research has also not answered the tery of tests and requires prospective In Illinois, teachers from alternative question of retention. Some studies say teachers to have only a bachelor’s degree programs are a small but growing part of teachers from alternative programs are in a related subject area. The initiative is the teaching force. In 2002-03, the state more likely to quit than teachers from tra- run by the American Board for Certifica- issued 491 licenses to teachers trained in ditional programs. Other studies con- tion of Teacher Excellence. alternative programs, up from 24 in clude that they leave at comparable rates. “It’s not unlike any rigorous tests that 1998-99. But some studies suggest that pro- an accountant would take to become a grams that help teacher aides earn a CPA or an attorney would take for the bar ONLY ONE SUMMER IN CLASSROOM teaching credential produce teachers exams,” argues the American Board’s Alternative programs typically offer who are less likely to leave, according to Randy Thompson, vice president of mar- only a summer’s worth of training before Daniel Humphrey, associate director of keting and government relations. He sending teachers into the classroom. the Center for Education Policy at SRI acknowledges that the group has no Once on the job, teachers are mentored International, a nonprofit research insti- research to show that their tests predict by an experienced colleague while con- tute based in Menlo Park, Calif. Aides are teacher success. tinuing work toward their education often from the same community as the Allen of the Education Commission of degree during evenings or weekends. children they work with and have a the States argues that policies governing Skeptics say that a summer’s worth of stronger commitment to the job, he teacher certification should be grounded in-classroom training is not enough. explains. in more rigorous research. “Our culture is Advocates, however, dismiss the value of Another challenge to researchers is to cavalier when it comes to results,” he traditional preparation through colleges account for the wide variation in pro- says. “We tend to rely on perceptions of education, which usually require a grams. Some alternative programs are rather than hard data.” semester of student teaching. more intensive than most traditional Meanwhile, says Emily Feistritzer of Student teachers usually end up ones. In Chicago, the non-profit Acade- the National Center for Alternative Certi- “teaching 5, 10, 15-minute lessons under my for Urban School Leadership offers fication in Washington, D.C., “[We’re] way the supervision of another teacher,” says career-changers a $30,000 stipend to past, ‘Is it a good idea or not?’ It’s the way F.D. Toth of the Georgia Professional spend 10 months in classroom training states are producing a large number of Standards Commission. Alternative under a master teacher. teachers.”
14 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 Up Close HIGH SCHOOL REFORM Four schools on new course New schools eschew traditional high school model for a more radical approach
By Maureen Kelleher Research indicates that shrinking schools to give students more personal school size, and more importantly, the attention, but it failed to address school emember the good old days of high number of students each teacher sees size or course loads. school? Cliffs Notes, study hall, daily, cultivates a climate where students Meanwhile, high school startups, doodling while the geometry and teachers know and respect one mostly charters, were experiencing some Rteacher droned on about congru- another and leads to better discipline, success. Perspectives and North Lawn- ent triangles. How about wading through teaching and learning. dale College Prep, both of which opened a sea of hundreds, or even thousands, of Donald Pittman, chief officer of CPS in the late 1990s, have done a better job students seven periods each day to get to high school programs, estimates the than neighborhood high schools in pre- class on time? average neighborhood high school venting students from dropping out, Well, forget it, reformers say. High enrolls 1,200 students, more than double keeping them on track for graduation schools, as we know them, don’t work. the district-defined optimum of 500 stu- and getting them into college. They aren’t teaching students the skills or dents for small high schools. Also, the Since then, the district has embraced knowledge that employers and colleges average high school teacher teaches 150 more radically innovative strategies for will require. Nor are high schools guiding students a day; however, teachers at high school. Newcomers such as Big Pic- teens to make wise choices about their some of the newest high schools work ture Company, Advantage Academy and futures. Too many students are failing daily with as few as 15. Spry’s Community Links are exploring courses, falling behind and, eventually, Size alone will not remake high new ways to turn the traditional high leaving high school without a diploma. school. Reformers suggest revamping school model on its head. A recent study by Johns Hopkins Uni- curricula to put students in the driver’s Questions remain, however, about versity found that between 2000 and 2003, seat, making them solve problems, give whether small and innovative models more than half of the students at most presentations and apply what they know can be taken to scale. Hopkins Chicago neighborhood high schools in the real world, not just on standardized researchers doubt districts have enough dropped out or did not pass enough class- tests. To tackle the intractable problem of money or personnel resources to open es to graduate in four years. Only four CPS senioritis and better bridge the gap lots of small high schools. Also, pioneers high schools hit or exceeded the state between high school and college, a small such as Big Picture Company have not average of 80 percent of freshmen moving but growing group of schools have been around long enough to establish up to senior year on time. moved beyond courses offering both much of a track record. Radical new ways of doing high school high school and college credit, to acceler- Reforming high schools, particularly are beginning to take root in Chicago Pub- ated programs leading to joint comple- when aiming to close the achievement lic Schools. In some of the latest start-ups, tion of a high school diploma and an gap, is a worthy goal, but traditional academic classes don’t start until the after- associate’s degree. models will be difficult to shake, warns noon or are largely scrapped and replaced Larry Cuban, a professor emeritus of by independent projects and internships. FIXING BROKEN PARTS FAILS education at Stanford University who has Despite the new schools’ unique char- So far, CPS’ attempts to improve its researched the history of high school acteristics, a common recipe for a new high schools by fixing broken parts have reform efforts. Traditional high schools, mold of high school is emerging. Create not worked. In 1997, the district unveiled with their comprehensive academic and small schools with personal environ- a plan to renovate high schools system- extracurricular offerings, are tied to cul- ments. Design curricula based on real- wide by raising standards and holding tural images of adolescence. “That’s what world experience. Demand high stan- them strictly accountable for student keeps comprehensive high schools dards to graduate. And more recently, achievement. Over the next several years, going,” he says. “Imagine getting rid of compress the time frame for earning a test scores improved, but researchers sports and the prom.” high school diploma, or, if students com- attributed the increase to elementary plete a fourth year, mix in college credits schools better preparing students for To contact Maureen Kelleher, call (312) 673-3882 or and perhaps an associate’s degree. high school. The plan also required high e-mail [email protected].
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 15 UP CLOSE: HIGH SCHOOL REFORM No bells, no classes, no letter grades
By Maureen Kelleher
ixteen-year-old Roman Molina learned a lot last year that most high school freshmen don’t. He learned Big Picture Sto wear a suit and tie and schmooze sophomore at business meetings. He learned to give Raquel Sarai an hour-long presentation and take hard Martinez (center) questions. is the star of a “I learned to take responsibility for play about myself,” he says. “I acted mature.” undocumented Molina learned these things through a immigrants combination of self-directed, coached produced by study and working two full days each week Latinos with a mentor at The Resurrection Project, Progresando, a community development organization which invited her in Pilsen. The unusual program is actually to join the board his unconventional high school’s curricu- after she lum. Big Picture High School in Back of the completed an Yards intentionally breaks down the tradi- internship. tional separation between school and the MAUREEN KELLEHER outside world, blending classroom learn- Big Picture gets high marks from edu- of the Yards, the other in the Williams ing with out-of-school internships. It is cation experts for motivating students by Multiplex on the Near South Side—have one of three schools in the city modeled making learning relevant and for its been open for a year. Students at both after Big Picture. emphasis on building personal relation- schools have personalized learning plans The school’s motto, “personalized ships with students. that guide their in-school projects and learning, one student at a time,” reflects However, some question whether stu- outside internships. the philosophy of the model’s founders, dents pick up the high-level skills they At Back of the Yards, Mondays, Wednes- two noted New Hampshire educators need for college entirely through intern- days and Fridays are devoted to in-school who teamed up with the Annenberg Insti- ships and projects. “It may be you really activities. Students begin and end their tute to design the prototype Big Picture do need an algebra class to learn alge- days in conference with their advisors high school in Providence, R.I. The first bra,” says Michael Cohen, president of (who are certified teachers), first to agree graduates of that school, known as The Achieve, a think tank in Washington, on what work to do on their independent Met for Metropolitan Regional Career and D.C., that advocates raising state stan- projects, then to report back on how much Technical Center, all were accepted to dards and accountability and preparing was accomplished. In between, students college, though some chose not to go. all students for college. work on their projects, and participate in Also, a recent evaluation says Big Pic- physical exercise, independent reading ture and other new schools funded by the and group lessons like reading Elie Wiesel’s BIG PICTURE HIGH SCHOOLS Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, need Holocaust memoir, “Night,” and dis- to pay more attention to classroom cussing it. Tuesdays and Thursdays are BACK OF THE YARDS instruction and connect student assess- reserved for internships, where students 4946 S. Paulina Ave. ments to standardized test scores. are assigned to work with a mentor who, in ENROLLMENT: 30 freshmen, 30 sophomores Despite these concerns, Big Picture is turn, keeps in regular contact with the stu- OPENED: September 2003 expanding rapidly and nationally. As the dents’ advisor. WILLIAMS MULTIPLEX Met’s first graduates walked across the Teaching math through projects and 2710 S. Dearborn St. stage in 2000, the Gates Foundation internships is challenging, Principal ENROLLMENT: 30 freshmen, 30 sophomores donated $3.5 million to Big Picture to Alfredo Nambo admits. “We need to OPENED: September 2003 replicate the schools elsewhere. Current- work harder on that.” A consultant from CITY AS CLASSROOM CHARTER ly, Big Picture operates 23 schools across Big Picture headquarters is helping advi- 2750 S. Blue Island Ave. the country; two of them are in Chicago. sors here incorporate math into projects and lessons. ENROLLMENT: 45 freshmen TEACHING HIGH-LEVEL MATH A PROBLEM OPENED: September 2004 Molina’s experience illustrates both Two of the new schools—one in Back Continued on page 25
16 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 A hybrid of tradition and vanguard
ommunity Links in Little Village is a blend of established reform— such as small class size and block Cscheduling—and more experi- mental strategies to improve high Sophomore schools. Ivan Crespo While its fundamental course- composes a work adheres to CPS’ traditional for- tune during mat, Community Links delays the summer start of its school day for sleep- school at deprived adolescents, and Principal Community Carlos Azcoitia promises students Links High they will graduate in three years and School, where be accepted into college. students take Last year, 30 freshmen started their classes year day at 11 a.m. with an hour of gym round to be and Junior ROTC leadership training. eligible to They spent the next two and a half graduate a hours earning service learning credit year early. and pocket change working as class- JASON REBLANDO room aides at Spry Elementary, where Community Links is housed. From COMMUNITY LINKS HIGH ing at another decade of school to 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., they attended aca- 2400 S. Marshall Blvd. realize his goal of becoming a doctor. demic classes in core subjects, organ- ENROLLMENT: 35 freshmen, 30 sophomores Students say Community Links’ ized on a block schedule so that Eng- OPENED: September 2003 small size was a big draw. “There’re lish and algebra alternated daily with no outsiders here,” says freshman science and social studies. Crystal Avila. “We’re all in it together.” For students to graduate a year Azcoitia says. Those who do will The late start time didn’t hurt. early, they must attend three years have to spend an extra year to make “It’s a big advantage,” says Avila, not- of summer school to earn the nec- up the work. ing that she has extra time to rest essary credits in art, foreign lan- That’s fine with the students. “We and meet with teachers before class guages and other required electives. can go to college right away,” says to get extra help. “They don’t have time to fail,” sophomore Edgar Ortiz, who is look- Maureen Kelleher Early college gives a leg up for job market
econdary schools have cal math and computer appli- marketable skill attracted stu- long offered courses that ADVANTAGE ACADEMY* cations at DeVry’s North Cen- dents like Veronica Paniagua, Scount for both high school 3300 N. Campbell ter campus. Beginning this who left Curie High School for and college credit. A cutting- ENROLLMENT: 125 juniors fall, teachers from nearby a chance to get credentials edge extension of this practice OPENED: July 2003 Lane Tech will travel a few that could help her earn mon- is early college high school, *Classified as a branch program of Lane blocks to DeVry to teach high ey for college. “Now I’ll be able where students simultaneous- Technical High School school classes in the morn- to afford school without a ly earn a high school diploma ings; college courses will con- loan or help from my par- and an associate’s degree. tinue in the afternoons. The ents,” she says. This summer, Chicago Pub- from across the city, who, in plan is for Advantage Acade- Praise for early college pro- lic Schools matriculated its first two years, will earn a diploma my students to finish high grams, which aim to better early college program in part- and an associate’s degree in school requirements by next bridge the gap between high nership with DeVry University. network administration. summer, and then devote sen- school and college, is tem- Advantage Academy admitted In August, students com- ior year to college-level work. pered by questions about rig- 125 high-achieving juniors pleted coursework in techni- The opportunity to learn a Continued on page 25
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 17 Research School districts often use top-down approach to improve instruction Study finds mid-level district staffers ignore the expertise of principals and teachers
By Jeff Kelly Lowenstein During the investigation, with Catalyst, however, say they feel researchers asked mid-level district supported by mid-level district staff. id-level school district staffers staff to describe their work with Several cited the inefficiency and play a vital role in communi- schools, and then analyzed their inaccessibility of central office work- cating district initiatives to responses for evidence of an author- ers as a larger problem than authori- Mschools. They design materi- itative or collaborative approach. tarian attitudes. als, train school faculties, and moni- For instance, “authoritative” man- CPS Operations and Academic tor their progress. But according to a agers might emphasize their role in Standards departments were two recent study, most central office monitoring schools to ensure the that several principals identified as workers use a top-down approach timely submission of data. “Collabo- difficult to reach. Catalyst contacted that overlooks the experience of rative” managers talked more about those departments for comment, school-level educators. helping schools interpret the data to but neither returned calls. A survey of district staffers in improve classroom instruction. Some principals felt that central Chicago, Milwaukee and Seattle But Burch warns against conclud- office inefficiency stemmed, in part, found two-thirds believe that they ing from the study that a collabora- from the high staff turnover during could help schools improve instruc- tive orientation is always good for the Duncan administration. tion without substantial input from schools and an authoritative orienta- Sandy Traback, principal of principals and teachers. tion is bad. Chavez Elementary, finds herself “There is a lot of expertise in the “In complex organizations such repeatedly explaining to new staff schools. To ignore what principals as districts, some combination of the how to schedule deliveries of class- and teachers know is foolhardy,” says two is often necessary and wel- room materials to her school, which Diana Lauber, managing director at comed by busy school leaders,” she operates on a year-round schedule Cross City Campaign for Urban says. “Unfortunately, in the districts that is different from most. That chore School Reform, the nonprofit group we studied, this balance did not detracts from the time she can spend that directed the study. Principals are exist. An authoritative orientation on improving instruction, she says. more likely to implement district was the norm.” Many principals who spoke with reforms if they feel part of the Through a CPS spokewoman, Catalyst concurred with the study process, she adds. Chief Executive Officer Arne Duncan that mid-level staff often produces Researchers also found that mid- and Chief Education Officer Barbara excessive paperwork for schools. level staff inundated principals with Eason-Watkins declined to com- In 2002, Eason-Watkins paperwork that distracted them from ment on the study until they have announced an initiative to curb focusing on classroom instruction. read it. paperwork for principals. An admin- Cross City’s research team inter- istrator in her office would approve viewed 82 cabinet- and mid-level dis- INEFFICIENCY A PROBLEM correspondence with schools to elim- trict staff and 185 school leaders dur- Catalyst spoke with nine CPS inate duplicate requests from differ- ing the 2001-02 and 2002-03 school principals to get their reactions to ent departments. More recently, she years. The research was lead by Patri- the report. Arline Hersh, principal of created web sites to post announce- cia Burch, an assistant professor of George Armstrong Elementary in ments and cut down on the number education policy at the University of Rogers Park, was not surprised to on faxes and letters principals receive. Wisconsin-Madison, and in consul- hear that principals in the study pre- Principals give the effort mixed tation with James Spillane, an associ- ferred a collaborative approach. “It’s reviews. Loretta Brown-Lawrence, ate professor of learning sciences, like asking, ‘What do dogs like bet- principal of Leland Elementary in human development and social poli- ter—being patted or hit by a stick?’” Austin, says the web sites for the cy at Northwestern University. Most of the principals who spoke chief cducation officer and the Board
18 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 RESEARCH SUMMARY WHO CONDUCTED IT: Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, in collaboration with Patricia Burch, assistant professor, University of of Education have improved com- Wisconsin-Madison and James Spillane, associate But not all school leaders found munication while reducing redun- professor, Northwestern University. the walkthroughs as valuable. South dant paperwork. WHO THEY STUDIED: 82 cabinet- and mid- Loop Elementary School has had one But other principals were less level district staff and 185 school personnel in walkthrough for each of the two years positive. Chicago, Milwaukee and Seattle. that Pat Baccellieri has been princi- Carlos Azcoitia, principal of both WHAT THEY FOUND: Most mid-level district pal. “The first walkthrough was real Spry Elementary and Community staff believe they can help improve teaching collaborative,” he says. “The second Links High School in Little Village, without much input from principals and teach- one was more prescriptive.” says the administration needs to ers. But school staff was more likely to seek help make all the information it sends to SHIFT FOCUS TO SUPPORT, from central office workers who listened to AWAY FROM MONITORING schools “shorter, to the point and them and respected their expertise. simple.” Azcoitia held high adminis- RECOMMENDATIONS: Redefine the roles of Cross City suggests that districts trative posts under CEOs Paul Vallas mid-level central office staff so that they spend are more likely to improve teaching and Duncan, serving most recently more time collaborating with school staff and when they collaborate with school as deputy education officer before less on monitoring them for compliance. staff rather than direct them. returning to Spry in 2003. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Go to the Cross According to the study, principals Azcoitia says the Duncan admin- City Campaign web site at www.crosscity.org. To and teachers reported that they were istration has helped improve instruc- order the full report, call (312) 322-4880. The more likely to seek help from central tion in the schools with its district- report costs $15 plus shipping. office staff who listened to them and wide reading initiative. But he main- respected their expertise. tained that the system remains Cross City recommends that focused on compliance. “We are not they improved communication and teachers and principals be part of driven by school needs and what collaboration between schools and the planning process for any new really makes a difference in the central administrators. But Lauber school reform policy. The report also school.” says, “We would be optimistic.” calls for redefining the role of mid- Other principals agree, according Principals who spoke with Cata- level district staff to focus more on to Lauren Allen, senior program lyst were close to unanimous in supporting schools and less on mon- director for Cross City. Five in Chica- praising the accessibility of their itoring them. go whom she interviewed for the AIOs. That sentiment held true even To understand the complexities study said Duncan did a better job for principals who had difficult inter- involved in changing instruction, dis- than Vallas in providing resources to actions with some or all of the dis- trict staff needs to spend more time improve instruction and holding trict departments. Indeed, in many in schools, according to Cross City. schools accountable for doing so. cases, principals appeared to make a But Azcoitia of Spry adds that vis- But they still found central office out distinction between their AIO and its alone are insufficient to under- of touch with the needs of individual other central office staff. stand teachers’ and principals’ work schools. Principals were saying, “If Kenneth Hunter, principal of lives. “You have to show up, roll up you are going to be about building Prosser Career Academy, credited your sleeves and work in the office or [instructional] capacity, listen to us, the guidance he received from AIO substitute for a class,” Azcoitia says. hear what we have to say, know what Richard Gazda for the gains his stu- Principals need to understand the our needs are,” she recounts. dents made on the Prairie State challenges that district staff face, too, Achievement Examination (PSAE) says Hunter of Prosser Academy. His AIOS GET HIGH MARKS scores last year. “I can attribute it to own stint in the Office of Account- In September 2002, Duncan and real leadership and support from ability not only helped him forge Eason-Wakins launched a new effort Rich in particular, then from central relationships with district staffers, it to help schools carry out district ini- office,” says Hunter, whose students allowed him to understand the diffi- tiatives to improve instruction. They gained between 7.2 and 14.8 per- culties they encounter in gaining the divided the district into 26 areas, centage points in the five subject trust of principals and teachers. each with its own area instructional areas tested. “The hardest job in the world is to officer (AIO). AIOs serve as mentors Deborah Clark, principal of Skin- come from central office [into a for principals, and among other ner Classical Elementary, a magnet school],” Hunter says. “No matter responsibilities, lead classroom school, says she valued the feedback what you do, it’s always an intrusion.” “walkthroughs” at schools to provide she received during the AIO walk- He adds that approaching school staff feedback on instruction. (See Cata- throughs. “It was absolutely wonder- with respect was integral to building lyst September 2003.) ful to look at the school through the supportive relationships. Because the positions were new eyes of an educated outsider who when the study was conducted, knows what they’re looking for,” Jeff Kelly Lowenstein is a Chicago writer. E-mail Cross City was unable to say whether Clark says. him at [email protected]
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 19 Viewpoints
LETTERS TO CATALYST Teachers union delegate cites ‘misgivings’ about CTU principal survey
s a member of the Chicago Teachers Union and a staunch willing to listen, grievances can be union supporter, I have serious misgivings concerning the filed and they will eventually come to the attention of the union leader- CTU Principal Performance Survey, since it represents such a ship and the principal’s boss, the poor vehicle for transmitting the views of teachers and area instructional officer. Teachers A can also voice their opinions paraprofessionals toward their educational leaders. through the teacher-dominated Knowing firsthand the condi- Indeed, just like the teachers, Professional Problems Committee tions at my school, it was obvious principals are under the gun. Faced and the Professional Personal that some of the responses were with pressure from all sides regard- Leadership Committee, which are without foundation and totally ing test scores and standards; committed to improving schools. ridiculous. Also, considering the charged with running their schools, Most important to advocates of fact that 66 percent of teachers and supporting teachers and parapro- school reform are the local school paraprofessionals system-wide did fessionals, monitoring the budget; councils. LSCs represent the ideal not even bother to fill it out, it and engaged in all sorts of mun- forum for evaluating a principal’s speaks volumes about how unreli- dane and important managerial performance. Currently, there are able this survey was, even though tasks, a union survey, including a two teachers who have permanent supporters of it maintain that a grade ranging from an A to an F, is seats on the LSC. Through them, response rate of 34 percent is valid. unquestionably seen as a threat by the joys and frustrations of teachers Many of my colleagues in the principals. Since the union, by its and paraprofessionals can be union probably did not respond very nature, is an adversary to man- heard. There is also nothing pre- because they were either too busy agement, anything that is emitted venting school personnel from con- doing their jobs or were relatively from it is going to be suspect. tacting members of the LSC on satisfied with the conditions in This is not to say that principals their own or coming to the LSC their schools. On the other hand, should not be held accountable or meetings to voice their opinions. those dissatisfied will tend to be the evaluated. The question is whether Finally, just before renewing a prin- most vocal, and such surveys repre- the union should be perceived as cipal’s contract there is nothing to sent an opportune time for them to playing a role. In a system com- stop an LSC from conducting its take anonymous potshots at the posed of over 600 schools, the own tailor-made survey. principal. union, like the board, is a distant Indeed, mechanisms are already One of the major problems is bureaucracy, and because there are in place to keep principals account- that principals are forced to make other avenues that are open for able and it is important for all the many unpopular decisions in order teachers and paraprofessionals, it is parties at the local level to utilize the to implement many of the man- probably better for the union to powers that they have at their finger- dates issued by the Chicago Board forego these controversial surveys tips to address the issues at hand. of Education, the Illinois State and stay out of the principal evalu- Evaluation of principals should be a Board of Education and the federal ating business. At the local level, local responsibility, which means government as a result of the No school personnel can make their that the union’s role in such matters Child Left Behind Act. As a result, opinions known through their is not only superfluous, but a waste there is probably an inclination to union delegate, and a strong dele- of valuable time and resources. shoot the messenger. Ironically, gate can be very effective in com- Larry Vigon there is also the possibility that the municating concerns and alleviat- Union delegate, LSC teacher least-demanding principals might ing problems as long as the princi- representative have received the best ratings. pal is willing to listen. For those not Von Steuben High School
20 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 Who counts as a minority? AVID another he June 2004 issue offered an interesting much more available to schools with a large district ‘quick fix’ article on AP classes offered in CPS high minority population in terms of grants and Tschools. It is obvious that AP and IB are federal dollars. After reading the June 2004 Cat- taking hold within CPS and I am glad to see Maureen T. Fitzgerald alyst story on the AVID program, a that. However, your slant on the lack of LSC, Byrne Elementary few questions came to mind. Did opportunities for minorities is misleading. anyone tell you the history of AVID? When I took a look at our school improve- EDITOR’S NOTE: The point of our story was to AVID came into existence in Cali- ment plan, I noticed the racial breakdown of explore whether black and Latino students fornia at least 24 years ago when CPS: white, 9 percent; black, 50 percent; had equal access to and representation in minority students had fewer Hispanic, 37 percent; and other, 4 percent. Advanced Placement and other rigorous opportunities to pursue talented Clearly, whites are the minority. Why courses offered by CPS. Among our findings, and gifted programs. Today, CPS does this article give the impression that for instance, was that blacks were underrep- College Bridge offers students an minorities are being left out of the AP pro- resented among AP test takers, whites were opportunity to enroll in dual-credit grams? The only way you could’ve come to overrepresented and Latinos were propor- courses at area colleges and univer- this conclusion is by looking at schools that tionately represented. As it is used in our sto- sities. The Illinois Virtual High have a large white enrollment and/or by ry, the term “minority” refers to blacks, Lati- School provides students—not looking at magnet schools. nos and other groups that are not the major- necessarily the elite students— Perhaps you should take a look at the ity of national population. Minorities tend with the opportunity to become racial breakdown of CPS. I never see posi- to be concentrated in urban areas and distance learners by taking classes tive articles in Catalyst about schools that urban school districts, as you correctly note online. Those classes include AP have a majority white enrollment. There is is the case for CPS. courses. CPS Practical Nursing admits qualified students who only need to post a cumulative grade Retention, social promotion both hurt point average of 2.0. Two CPS pro- grams—Chicago Police/ Firefighter I really enjoyed your May process [during which] stu- weeks of work, at 6 hours Training Academy and Gallery 37 2004 article about retention. dents learn at their own pace. per day. Their corporate Advanced Fine Arts—open door- I am an educator and Our education systems counterparts are not as for- ways to a broad group of students. although I do not agree with are old and antiquated. Our tunate. Others make that Importing programs that were total retention, I do not sup- students do not need 10 amount for 50 weeks at 8 founded for a dramatically differ- port passing students who weeks off in the summer; hours per day. End tenure ent population 20 years ago is the cannot master the material. they are not farming any- and watch scores rise. In quick-fix approach that has been If we pass them on without more. Teachers do not need other fields, employees used for the past nine years. Most knowing the lessons, then all of that time off either. In have to produce to keep quick-fix programs last two to three their diploma is meaning- Chicago, the average salary their jobs, but not teachers. years and then CPS stops funding less. If we retain them, we for a teacher is over $55,000, Marvin Payne them. The students are guinea pigs. hurt them socially. High with a starting salary of Education analyst Long-term goals? They do not exist. school should be a five-year about $36,000. That’s for 40 Chicago Students First Now, to diminish the failures of the past nine years, 100 schools will However, it would be interesting to do further be closed and refitted for a new Some Asian students investigation of Asian-American CPS stu- round of show-and-tell. And while dents with a breakdown by family income. the politicians and wannabe educa- need ‘extra push’ Asian Americans suffer from the model tors play, generations of students minority stereotype when, in fact, there is a are denied a quality education. Stu- As an Asian American, a board member of great disparity in income and education. dents are graduating from CPS high Passages Charter School and a Chicago Pub- There is a substantial group of low-income schools with skill levels at 6th-grade lic School student several decades ago, I read Asian-American students who also need the or 7th-grade, not the 12th- grade with great interest the [June 2004] article on extra push for challenging courses. Please level that their high school diploma the achievement gap. However, no mention do not overlook these fellow minorities in certifies they have achieved. Has was made of Asian Americans. The graph on the conversation about access to high-qual- anyone challenged that? page 8 shows that the percentage of Asian- ity public school education. Adam Jasmick Jr. American AP test takers is higher than the Jean Choi Counselor percentage of Asian-American CPS students. Wagreich & Choi LLC Brooks College Prep
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 21 Updates CPS corners tutoring market but runs risk of losing it all
Catapult Learning), EdSolutions and The Following a turbulent first year, private tutoring companies take a Princeton Review. By spring, however, CPS was serving back seat in competition for $45 million in federal funds almost 50,000, having signed them up itself after getting parents’ permission. This brought the total to about 64,500. By Alexander Russo short of annual test score goals in 2003, This year, CPS is on track to serve according to Karen Craven, spokesper- some 72,000 children, or more than 80 utting it charitably, last year’s effort son for the Illinois State Board of Educa- percent of the estimated 90,000 students to provide the tutoring required by tion (ISBE). If CPS fell short again in it expects to receive the service under the federal No Child Left Behind 2004—which it won’t know until winter— NCLB. The entire program will be paid for PAct (NCLB) was a rocky learning it becomes a district “in need of improve- with $45 million in federal Title I dollars. experience. ment” and, as such, may use only outside Along with the school choice option, The signup letter the School Board providers for NCLB tutoring, according to the tutoring requirement is one of the sent parents read like a legal document federal regulations. most controversial elements of NCLB. A and didn’t go out until just before school State and federal officials already are remnant of the private-school voucher started. Some of the private tutoring discussing what would happen then, option that the Bush administration pro- companies couldn’t find enough teachers according to Craven. One possible posed as an escape hatch for students in or classroom space. In many cases, tutor- option, according to an insider who struggling schools, the tutoring require- ing didn’t start until January, February or asked not to be identified, would have ment (officially called supplemental edu- even later. In many schools, children nev- CPS transfer control of its program to cational services or SES) gives parents at er got the tutoring that their parents had another legal entity. eligible schools the right to select their picked. Regardless, CPS is forging ahead. “We children’s tutors from state-approved In the wake of these difficulties, the haven’t been told that we can’t be a providers that may include private, for- Chicago Public Schools put new admin- provider,” says Erica Burroughs, CPS profit and even faith-based providers. istrators in charge, improved the sign-up tutoring program manager. “It would be Last year, there were 11 state-approved process and tried to bring some order to irresponsible for us not to go forward.” tutoring options for CPS students, includ- the competition for students. In contrast, New York City has decided ing CPS. This year, there are 28. It also transformed its role from that of not to run the risk of having its program Detractors labeled the requirement a tutor of last resort—one aimed mainly at discontinued. Rather, it is now aggressively the “Sylvan amendment.” However, the bilingual and special education students— placing its students with outside vendors. program is proving to be more of a boon to the largest tutoring provider in the city, Elsewhere in Illinois, another nine dis- for CPS than for any of the private tutor- an unanticipated and, to some, unwanted tricts have sought and received permission ing companies. development. The move raises questions to mount their own tutoring programs. Following weak signup results last fall, about the amount of choice parents are district officials developed and unveiled getting and the quality of tutoring. ‘CAN’T WAIT FOR PARENTS’ their own $20 million Academic After Meanwhile, the accountability provi- A year ago, CPS was slated to serve School Program in December and Janu- sions of NCLB have put the future of the about 450 of the 15,000 children who had ary. Eventually, it would serve almost CPS program in doubt even as it expands. signed up for the free tutoring, since par- 50,000 students in 231 schools. In July, the Department of Education ents overwhelmingly had chosen private “We can’t wait for parents to sign up notified CPS that the district had fallen providers such as Sylvan Learning (now any longer,” explained CEO Arne Duncan.
22 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 In May and June, CPS started ramp- (if they have their own transportation) Elementary School, was pleased with ing up for an even bigger program this and to online options (if they have their the tutoring the school gave her 3rd- year. It urged principals to recruit as own computers and Internet access). grade daughter Jessica last year. “It was many children as possible before the The programs differ in a number of good,” she says. “She knew the teachers school year ended. About 15,000 signed ways, including schedules, curricula, and the school.” up then, and another 1,000 signed up teacher preparation, instructional meth- And many CPS schools have extensive during the summer. ods and where the tutoring takes place. experience providing tutoring. “We’ve Initially, 361 schools were to get the Some programs are provided off site. learned how to make things work for our tutoring option. The total has since been Some use teacher aides who work under parents and students,” says Sylvia Ortiz, revised to 343 and may be revised again the supervision of certified teachers. CPS principal of Cardenas. “They want our as official test scores are released. has produced a brochure that describes tutoring.” In late July, CPS also unveiled a some of the programs for this year. revamped selection system that lets prin- Last year, average class sizes ranged CPS UNDER SCRUTINY cipals decide which private companies from about 12 with some private The extensive CPS program has won will be allowed to provide services to their providers to 20 in the CPS program. “At the district both praise and scrutiny at children on site. that size, why do they even call it tutor- the U. S. Department of Education. “We’re trying to give parents more ing?” asks Madeline Talbott, head organ- “We’re impressed with how aggressive choices earlier on and to make them izer for ACORN Illinois, a community Chicago has been about getting the word more concrete,” Duncan explained. “And advocacy group. CPS is aiming for a max- out to parents and not waiting for schools we’re trying to make sure those options imum of 15 this year. to become eligible,” says Mike Petrilli, are real.” While all programs generally use teach- deputy director of the Office of Innova- ers who have taught or are teaching in CPS, tion and Improvement, noting that sever- LIMITING CHOICE some critics, such as Derrick Harris of the al other urban districts, including New However, some advocates question North Lawndale Local School Council Fed- York City and Los Angeles, have become whether parents are getting the choice eration, question the practice of using major providers, too. that the law intended. Those who have teachers at the schools found wanting “We’re watching [these districts] close- signed up thus far have received virtually under the strict NCLB standards to provide ly to make sure that there’s a fair playing no information for making an intelligent “outside” tutoring required by NCLB. field,” he adds. choice. The district-generated signup However, CPS officials report that stu- Even private companies acknowledge form used last spring didn’t list specific dents, parents and tutor coordinators that CPS is well positioned to deliver private providers like Sylvan or EdSolu- ranked the CPS program favorably in sur- services efficiently. “It’s centrally support- tions as options, but rather offered only a veys about last year’s service. CPS is ed, it’s well known, and it’s got an estab- generic “private tutor program” to be working on an evaluation that will break lished infrastructure,” says Gary named later. Further, CPS got the coveted down the impact by provider. Solomon, vice president of educational first-place listing. Recently, Duncan said he thought the partnerships for The Princeton Review, The current signup form being used at tutoring helped raise test scores this year. one of the 28 approved providers. some schools doesn’t list any on-site Indeed, some parents prefer that their The district also stands to benefit tutoring providers other than CPS, and a children get tutoring from familiar teach- financially: The fewer parents who sign brochure produced by CPS lists fewer ers at a familiar school. up for outside tutoring, the more federal than half of the approved providers. Alma Duarte, a parent at Cardenas money stays inside the school system. At All but 2,600 of the 16,000 who have the school level, the more parents who signed up chose CPS, according to CPS. sign up for CPS-provided tutoring, the “It’s not sufficient to offer [only] some more after-school jobs principals can kind of tutoring to those kids,” says Don- TIPS FOR PARENTS control and the less intrusion from pri- ald Moore, executive director of Designs To find out if your child’s school is required to offer vate tutoring companies. In effect, par- for Change. “They have a right to private tutoring, contact the school or call the CPS Office of After ents choosing CPS tutoring are generat- tutoring, which is what the law promised School and Community Programs at (773) 553 3590. ing additional federal funding for their them, and they should receive it.” COST TO FAMILIES: Free schools, just as they do by signing up for So far, though, neither state nor feder- SIGNUP DEADLINE: Oct. 8 free- and reduced-price lunch. al education officials have objected to the CHOICES: At a school or tutoring center, or at home via CPS officials report that other after- CPS limitations. computer school programs, such as After School It remains unclear whether parents PROVIDERS: 28 but not all at every school Matters, are continuing at roughly the will be able to reconsider their choices in SCHEDULES: 2-4 hours per week for 20 weeks; after same funding levels as before, and that the fall. Some providers say they have school or on weekends the new tutoring program is not replac- been told parents are “locked in.” CPS SPACES AVAILABLE: About 74,000 ing any old programs, which would vio- officials say that parents can change until SCHOOLS ELIGIBLE: 343 (tentative) late federal law. Oct. 8, though they will be limited to the To download a brochure on Supplemental Education on-site providers that their schools’ prin- Services and approved providers, go to: www.cpsafter- Alexander Russo is a Catalyst contributing editor. cipals have approved, to off-site options school.org E-mail him at [email protected].
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 23 UPDATES New leadership shifts union focus
Though most of the schools made After a protracted battle to be seated, CTU President Marilyn Stewart progress, three were consolidated this spring due to low enrollment. begins her term firing a noted teacher quality expert Marc Wigler, a former teacher who has experience facilitating Suc- cess For All, the reading reform pro- By John Myers Stewart, who says she’s fully com- gram in place at four partnership mitted to the program, met with the elementary schools, was tapped to ith the new leadership final- Trust in late August to discuss the replace the two outgoing coordina- ly in control of the Chicago grant. However, the grant remains tors. However, the other partnership Teachers Union, a wave of frozen pending talks with board offi- schools are using different reform W political firings leaves in cials, and neither party will com- models, and outgoing coordinator doubt where the union stands on ment on Bearden’s firing. Martin McGreal says the two high teacher leadership in school reform. The dismissal clearly surprised schools will need more intensive Among the 18 union employees some in the philanthropic commu- support this year. who resigned or were fired during nity. “Allen’s capability to work under Wigler says he is not yet sure how newly installed President Marilyn varying union leadership … was he will manage partnership schools. Stewart’s first days in office were Allen admirable,” says The Chicago Public However, he insists that the union Bearden, director of the Quest Center, Education Fund President Janet will support the effort and may hire and the coordinators of the union’s Knupp, noting that Bearden had an additional facilitator. so-called partnership schools—both worked under three administrations Meanwhile, Stewart hired four signature ventures of Stewart’s prede- of union leadership. new field representatives to handle cessor, Deborah Lynch. Teachers who earned National contract enforcement, and down- “You surround yourself with like Board Certification under Bearden’s sized union staff by seven positions. ideas, goals and visions,” says Stew- tutelage are particularly strong sup- She also hired several administra- art, who promised teachers she porters. Victor Harbison, a nationally tors who worked for former CTU would shift the union’s priorities certified teacher at Chicago Vocation- President Thomas Reece, another from school reform to frontline al Career Academy, wants to petition move that drew ire from detractors. member services. She tapped Car- the union to reinstate Bearden. Lynch toppled Reece in 2001, lene Lutz, a union veteran who until “When [Lynch] lost, I thought, ‘So charging his administration mishan- recently tended to bedrock profes- what, what’s the difference?’” Harbi- dled union funds and caved to vari- sional development programs such son says. In less than a week, the ous School Board demands. Stewart, as teacher recertification and lane Stewart administration “showed me who heads the remnants of Reece’s placement, to temporarily supervise the difference.” party, distanced herself from his Quest Center. Bearden, however, says it’s over administration on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, Bearden supporters and he will not contest his firing. He Back on board at the union are say his vision will be missed and rela- recently accepted a position at the Pam Massarsky, previously recording tionships with funders and School University of Illinois at Chicago to secretary under Reece and now a leg- Board insiders will have to be re- work on teacher quality issues. islative consultant; Gail Koffman, established. Already, his firing has former director of field representa- jeopardized the release of a major QUEST CENTER ‘BLOATED’ tives, now a grievance consultant; grant for a joint union-School Board Stewart charges the Quest Center and Larry Poltrock, who returns as program to prepare teachers for was “bloated” and defends firings as general counsel after directing Stew- National Board Certification. a move to streamline administra- art’s legal affairs in the contested This summer, as the union bat- tion, not wipe out teacher leader- election. tled over election results, the Chica- ship initiatives. Stewart defends those picks as the go Community Trust temporarily Yet, her decision to reduce the right mix of experience and expert- froze the $740,000 grant, a practice number of partnership schools coor- ise—qualities, she says, that are need- the foundation employs when new dinators casts additional doubt on ed as the union tries to reorganize leaders take control. Those funds will her support of such programs. quickly after this summer’s drawn- be released if Stewart and the School Last year, Lynch negotiated a two- out scrap over alleged voter fraud. Board agree to commit enough year deal with the board for the resources to the program, says Trust union to oversee reforms at 10 failing To contact John Myers, call (312) 673-3874 or spokeswoman Jennifer Jobrack. schools in lieu of them closing. e-mail [email protected].
24 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 Board closes 8 child-parent centers, DEVRY continued from page 17 or. Michael Cohen, president of Achieve, calls early college models “promising” but asks whether stu- converts some to Head Start dents will be able to tackle college- level work when they have not yet his fall, CPS converts eight child-par- cates estimate that these centers served mastered high school material. ent centers, viewed as the gold stan- about 430 preschoolers, at a price tag of The issue has already been raised Tdard among early childhood pro- $11,000 per child. at Advantage Academy, where col- grams, into state-funded pre-kinder- Fifteen other child-parent centers pro- lege instructors had to ratchet up a gartens or Head Starts. grams will remain open. Bowman notes technical math course that students CPS officials say the move will free up that as neighborhoods undergo demo- complained was reviewing basic $4.7 million in federal Title 1 funds for the graphic shifts and gentrification, declin- algebra skills they already knew. district’s reading improvement initiative. ing enrollments would lead to rising Critics charge the district is penny pinch- costs. However, she says there are no GAINING MOMENTUM ing a high-quality, nationally-recognized plans for further closings. Early college programs are sprout- preschool program. Principal Robert Pales of Henson Ele- ing up around the country, but no one The School Board shut down a third of mentary, which operated the Olive Child is keeping track of how many exist. its 23 child-parent centers, citing declining Parent Center, says services will not be University of Chicago and Univer- enrollment. However, Barbara Bowman, cut and Henson faculty will assume the sity of Illinois at Chicago are consid- chief officer of early childhood education, responsibilities previously handled by the ering early college programs, and says she is unable to provide enrollment four Olive staffers who were let go. Olive-Harvey Middle College and Tri- figures. The child-parent center model Yet some activists question whether umphant Charter School offer a pro- requires extra staff to work with parents youngsters will receive the same quality of gram to earn associate’s degrees and the community; those positions were instruction. Child-parent centers, which through City Colleges of Chicago. eliminated, along with head teachers and provide two years of preschool and one So far, only 34 freshmen and soph- some clerks. In total, 24 positions were cut, year of kindergarten, focus on early litera- omores are enrolled. It targets kids in addition to the clerks. cy skills and require parents to volunteer who are low-income, minority stu- Previously, some child-parent centers the equivalent of four hours a week. dents and have trouble in school. provided staff to help students transition Teacher quality is an issue as well. While Helen Hawkins, founder of both to elementary school, but those supports child-parent centers and state pre-kinder- schools, says that four freshmen have were cut three years ago. gartens require teachers to hold both a already passed a college English The shuttered programs are: bachelor’s degree and a Type 04 early child- course. The next goal is passing col- Wadsworth, Cockrell, Doolittle West, hood education certificate, Head Start only lege-level math. “When that happens Stockton, Johnson, Olive, Dumas and requires two years of college. you’ll hear me shouting.” Mason. Early childhood education advo- Mary Gallery Maureen Kelleher
with a pediatrician who needed a requirement that high schools employ BIG PICTURE continued from page 16 brochure on the health benefits of breast- teachers who are certified in four core how weak entering freshmen’s math skills feeding to give to new moms. The student academic subjects. can be and how projects and internships also learned a bit of chemistry by study- In August, a third Big Picture-inspired can improve them. Over the course of his ing the composition of breast milk and school, City as Classroom Charter School 10-week internship with the Resurrection how it differs from infant formula. “It’s a in Pilsen, opened its doors. Founder Lisa Project, Molina went from being unable real project that somebody is going to Arrastia notes the school will borrow to read a measuring scale on a floor plan use,” advisor Mayra Almaraz notes. heavily from that model—”We’re doing to teaching a fellow student to use Excel the long-term internships and the proj- spreadsheets. LOSING A TEACHER IS HALF OF FACULTY ects”—but will also take cues from pro- “I understand numbers more,” he The other year-old Big Picture high gressive, independent schools like Fran- says. He credits his mentor, Cesar Nuñes, school at Williams suffered a set back cis W. Parker, where she formerly worked. for relentless pushing and making him mid-year when one of its two advisors CPS officials concede Big Picture is a develop budgets for a summer basket- left. “We will not open a school with two radical departure for the district, and far- ball league. Nuñes also had Molina bor- advisors any more,” says Charly Adler, ther out on the continuum of high school row a math textbook and work through who worked with both schools last year reform. “Many people feel the only way to problems. as an academic coach for Big Picture judge the model is to give it four years,” Another student picked up research schools. Instead, each will hire four advi- observes Jeanne Nowaczewski, CPS chief and writing skills during an internship sors, which will also address a CPS officer of small schools.
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 25 GRANTS To submit items, e-mail
U.S. Department of Education school reform. $85,000 to the Illinois Facilities Fund to $8.9 million to CPS from the Magnet $700,000 over two years to Action for support a study on the economic impact School Assistance program to create and Children to develop models for a com- of early childhood education. expand magnet programs at five schools. prehensive system of early childhood $64,000 to the National Association for $1.2 million to CPS for the Connecting care and education for low-income and the Education of Young Children to devel- with American History Project, which working families. op a system for accrediting early childhood provides professional development for $600,000 over two years to the Center associate degree programs, including the 10th-grade history teachers to improve on Education Policy to continue its program at City Colleges of Chicago. teaching skills and content knowledge. national study of the No Child Left $50,000 to the Wisconsin-based publi- CPS partners are the Newberry Library, Behind Act. cation Rethinking Schools for a series of the Chicago Historical Society, the $514,666 over two years to the Council articles on teacher quality in high-need Chicago Metro History Education Cen- of Chief State School Officers to help schools. ter, the Constitutional Rights Founda- states plan and implement strategies to $35,000 to Young Chicago Authors to tion Chicago, and the DuSable Museum improve teacher quality and create a support a partnership with the Neigh- of African American History more equitable distribution of teachers. borhood Writing Alliance. $304,252 to the CPS Office of Special- $400,000 over two years to the Com- $20,000 to the Facing History and Our- ized Services to support the PHASES munity Renewal Society to document selves Foundation to develop outreach counseling program for at-risk primary school improvement efforts and incor- materials for discussing race and dis- students, and expand it to 10 schools. porate new features in Catalyst. crimination in conjunction with the doc- $250,000 over two years to the Ounce umentary “The Murder of Emmett Till,” Illinois Department of Commerce of Prevention Fund to expand the avail- which will be made available for teachers and Economic Opportunity ability of high-quality early childhood to use in the classroom. $30.6 million to the CPS Department of education. $10,000 to the Erikson Institute to sup- Capital Planning as reimbursement for the $200,000 over two years to the City Col- port a project to improve curriculum- improvements and addition made to leges of Chicago for the Child Develop- based assessment. Goudy Elementary and for construction of ment Studies Initiative to improve degree $10,000 to the Mikva Challenge Grant the new Simmye Anderson Middle School. programs in early childhood education. Foundation for the expansion of the $3,942 to Gale Community Academy for $200,000 over two years to the Illinois Active Citizens project. equipment and educational supplies. Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies to support implementa- Woods Fund of Chicago Illinois State Board of Education tion of the Early Childhood Career Lattice. $60,000 over three years to the Ounce $100,000 to the CPS Office of Language $200,000 over two years to National of Prevention Fund to support Kids and Cultural Education to inform Louis University to educate policy-mak- PEPP’s leadership work on the Early administrators and teachers about the ers and stakeholders about the impor- Learning Council new English-language proficiency stan- tance of having highly-qualified pre- $40,000 to PURE (Parents United for dards and the ACCESS exam. school program directors. Responsible Education) for operating sup- $200,000 over two years to Voices for port for the Quality Schools for All project. Chicago Community Trust Illinois Children to build support for early $30,000 to the Chicago Community $378,314 to the University of Illinois to childhood education. Foundation (CCF), an outgrowth of the evaluate the Advanced Reading Devel- $150,000 to Neighborhood Capital Bud- Chicago Community Trust, to develop opment Demonstration Project in select get Group to work toward increasing com- public policy recommendations aimed at Chicago public schools. munity involvement with CPS in facility ensuring the inclusion of high-quality, $150,000 to North Lawndale College planning and design, and to coordinate comprehensive arts education in schools. Preparatory Charter High School for education reform and urban revitalization. $25,000 to the Alternative Schools Net- professional development and instruc- $139,560 to Learning Point Associates for work for Reconnecting Youth, which will tional improvement. a survey (in conjunction with the Progres- focus attention on the problems of $115,000 to Asian Human Services for the sive Policy Institute) of teachers in Illinois, youth who have dropped out of CPS. reading/language arts curriculum project Wisconsin, and Ohio that will help policy- $25,000 to Mikva Challenge for activities at Passages Charter Elementary School. makers recruit and retain high-quality related to engaging youth in public poli- $100,000 to Perspectives Charter High teachers in poorly-performing schools. cy advocacy with their schools, commu- School for operating support. $110,000 to PURE (Parents United for nities and government. $85,000 to Leap Learning Systems for Responsible Education) to assist local $20,000 to West Town Leadership United expansion of early childhood teacher school councils, parents and community for a school-based community organizing training. members with advocacy for school reform. effort addressing issues of safety, immigra- $100,000 to the CPS Routes to Teaching tion, affordable housing and education. Joyce Foundation program to support the Summer Fellows $780,000 over two years to the Universi- Program, which provides education Polk Bros. Foundation ty of Chicago Consortium on Chicago majors with teaching internships under $85,000 to Youth Guidance for the School Research to support research on experienced teacher mentors. Comer School Development Program,
26 Catalyst Chicago September 2004 Catalyst Chicago is an independent publication created to document, analyze and support school improvement efforts in Chicago’s public schools.
PUBLISHED BY COPY EDITOR Community Renewal Society Charles Whitaker which fosters connections between par- Girl’s Best Friend Foundation PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHERS ents, communities and schools. $16,500 to the Advocate Charitable Linda Lenz John Booz Jason Reblando $60,000 to Strategic Learning Initiatives Foundation to support the Latina Girls EDITOR for the Scaling Up Best Practice school Club at Lakeview High School. Veronica Anderson EDITORIAL BOARD Joan Forte, chair improvement initiative in a group of $16,500 (renewable each year for three CONSULTING EDITOR Dion Miller Perez, vice-chair Lorraine Forte Pilsen schools. years) to the Coalition for Education on Caitlin Devitt $40,000 to the Golden Apple Founda- Sexual Orientation to support the safety SENIOR EDITOR John Easton tion for the Alphabet Bus initiative, and well-being of gay, bisexual and trans- Elizabeth Duffrin Joel Freehling which brings literacy programs to gender students in Illinois schools. Victor Harbison ASSOCIATE EDITORS Carol Johnson schools in Pilsen, Little Village and Heart $16,500 to the Mikva Challenge for the Maureen Kelleher Hawa Jones of Chicago. Young Women’s Leadership Project to Debra Williams Anne Lewis $30,000 to the Chicago Metro History connect girls with public officials and MARKETING DIRECTOR Vivian Loseth Education Center for the Urban Schools community leaders. Ericka Moore-Freeman Gloria McKinley Michael Milkie Initiative. $16,500 to UMOJA Development Corp. CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Melinda Morrissey $15,000 to the Cross-City Campaign for for Women of Destiny and Just US Girls I Irasema Salinas-González Diana Nelson Urban School Reform for work in Chicago. & II, leadership programs at Manley DESIGN ASSOCIATE Susan Ozawa-Okawara $10,000 to Project Exploration for Youth Career Academy. Christine Oliva Luis Salces Development Initiatives, which brings sci- $16,500 (renewable each year for three Hazel B. Steward RESEARCHER Silvia Villa ence programs to low-achieving middle years) to Young Chicago Authors to John Myers Tony Wilkins and high school students in CPS. expand GirlSpeak and integrate gender INTERNS $7,500 to the Hyde Park Neighborhood and feminist consciousness into the writ- Ex Officio Giselle Fuentes Rev. Luther Holland Jr., Club for FunPlace activities programming. ing and performance program. Mary Gallery president, CRS Board $16,500 to the Young Women’s Empower- CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Calvin S. Morris, The University of Illinois at ment Project, which connects girls and Jody Temkin executive director, CRS Chicago young women affected by the sex trade Alexander Russo $230,000 to the CPS Office of Human and street economy with support services. Published nine times a year (monthly except January, July and August) by Resources to hire four CPS coordinators $3,850 to Chicago State University for the Community Renewal Society. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. The for an initiative to enhance professional the PREP program to fuel girls’ interest in opinions expressed in Catalyst are not necessarily those of CRS. Catalyst is development and student teaching in math and science with experiments, trips a trademark of the Community Renewal Society. Areas 7, 8, 9 and 21. to museums, and other group activities. ADDRESS: 332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 500, Chicago, Ill. 60604 Chicago Public Education Fund Gust Foundation WEB SITE: www.catalyst-chicago.org PHONE: (312) 427-4830, Circulation (312) 673-3866 $48,000 to CPS for a graduate school $252,968 over two years to Audubon FAX: (312) 427-6130 summer intern program. School to set up, staff, and provide sup- E-MAIL: [email protected] plies for a demonstration classroom for Children First Fund students with autism spectrum disorder. OUR SUPPORTERS: Catalyst is made possible by grants from The Chicago Community Trust, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, IBM Corporation, $881,612 over three years to the CPS The Joyce Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Office of High School Programs to devel- Kellman Family Foundation McDougal Family Foundation, Oppenheimer Family Foundation, Peoples op a comprehensive system for tracking $584,000 over three years to Kellman Energy, the Albert Pick, Jr. Fund, Polk Bros. Foundation, Prince Charitable the post-secondary experiences of CPS School to purchase computer equipment, Trusts and The Spencer Foundation, and by subscriptions and contribu- students in partnership with the Consor- software, and professional development tions from individual supporters. tium for Chicago School Research. (The for a school-wide student/staff laptop SUBSCRIPTIONS AND SERVICES funding originated with the Bill & Melin- program. da Gates Foundation.) Call (312) 673-3866 or sign up at www.catalyst-chicago.org . Illinois Association for Health, E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS Free. Receive a table of contents when issues are GATX Corporation Physical Education, Recreation posted to the web, plus breaking news and special alerts from time to time. $72,300 to the Waterford Institute to and Dance EYE ON EDUCATION Free by e-mail or fax. Receive a biweekly notice of upcoming events, new school resources and job opportunities. expand Early Reading Program literacy $1,650 to Wentworth School for equip- software at two Chicago schools. ment and supplies. EN ESPANOL E-mail subscriptions: Receive links to translated articles when they are posted to the web. Eye on Education in Spanish: Free by e- $15,000 to the Scholarship & Guidance mail or fax, receive a monthly notice of events, resources and job opportuni- Association for a partnership to provide Lowe’s Charitable and ties as well as summaries of articles translated into Spanish. educational home visits, mental health Educational Foundation ON THE WEB Back issues, a timeline history of school reform, citywide edu- services and group support for teen $200,000 to four schools to renovate and cation statistics, school improvement resources, phone directories and more. mothers. stock school libraries. “CITY VOICES” Consulting Editor Lorraine Forte hosts this public affairs $12,500 to Whirlwind for a program to program at 6:30 a.m. the second Sunday of the month on WNUA-FM, 95.5. train teachers to implement arts-based Civic Life Fund LETTERS TO THE EDITOR curricula. $15,000 to the Grand Boulevard Federa- Include the writer’s full name, title and contact information for verifica- $11,500 to Civitas Initiative to distribute tion to support efforts to improve neigh- tion. Letters should be limited to 200 words and may be edited for space tool kits about early childhood education. borhood schools. and clarity. Send them to the attention of the Editor.
Catalyst Chicago September 2004 27 COMINGS & GOINGS To submit items for Comings & Goings, e-mail
AT CLARK STREET CLARE MUÑANA has been INCS is currently looking for a replacement. principals have been promoted to contract elected vice-president of the School Board. She has principal: ADEL ALI, Pilsen; NATIVIDAD LOREDO, been a member of the Board since 1999. President STEP-UP TO 3RD GRADE For the first time, Juarez; GWENDOLYN MCCLINTON, Price; MARTHA MICHAEL SCOTT, who has held the position since CPS 2nd-graders who needed extra reading help MONROY, Cooper; SALLIE P.PINKSTON, Johnson; 2001, was re-elected. … AL BERTANI, chief officer of attended summer school this year at 17 schools PAMELA RICE, Stevenson; MARIA SANTIAGO- professional development, is leaving Chicago where principals volunteered to host the program. PFIEFER, Boone; LATRICE L. SATTERWHITE, Tilton; Public Schools to join the faculty at the University Step-Up to 3rd Grade provided five weeks of MARY JEAN SMITH, Hendricks; JEANNINE M. WOLF, of Illinois at Chicago. No replacement has been reading classes for 800 students. Students’ Lawndale…JOANNA THEODORE, assistant principal named…ROSALINA CASTILLO, director of the office participation was voluntary, but 2nd-graders with at Lenart, will replace contract principal LINDA of business diversity, is also leaving CPS to work as a lower scores on standardized tests of early literacy MCCARTHY KLAWITTER in October…The following construction manager at the Illinois State Toll skills were targeted. principals have had their contracts renewed: Highway Authority. A replacement has not been LILIANA EVERS, Funston; STEPHEN FLISK, Walsh; selected. PRINCIPAL CONTRACTS HULON JOHNSON, PATRICIA D. KENNEDY, Fuller; JULIE MCGLADE, principal of Bradwell, has retired. Assistant Garvy; MILICENT RUSSELL, Lavizzo; JUDITH J. MOVING IN/ON The Chicago School Principal RHONDA DABNER is interim. …PHYLLIS ADAMS, Nancy Jefferson. Leadership Cooperative shut down as of Aug. 31. HODGES, principal of Fenger, and ROBERT LEWIS, The cooperative was formed in 1999 by 26 principal of Bouchet, will be reassigned (pending FULBRIGHT TEACHER MARJORIE COOMBS, a grassroots and school-reform groups. ANDREW G. the results of a hearing) after their schools showed teacher at Curie, was selected by the Fulbright WADE, the group’s executive director, has joined consistent poor performance on standardized Teacher Exchange Program to teach in Senegal the Ounce of Prevention Fund as early learning tests. WILLIAM JOHNSON, former principal of for the 2004-2005 school year. A teacher from advocacy campaign manager. … The director of Carver, is interim at Fenger, while JOHN THOMAS, Senegal, MAIMOUNA NDOUR FALL, will teach the Consortium on Chicago School Research at former principal of Mose Vines, takes over as Coombs’ French classes at Curie. the University of Chicago, ANTHONY BRYK, interim at Carver. At Bouchet, SHIRLEY SMITH, accepted the position of Spencer Joint Chair in former principal of Carpenter, becomes interim. NEW BOOK WILLIAM AYERS, a professor of Organizational Studies for the School of AIDA MUNOZ, former assistant principal at education at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Education and the Graduate School of Business Carpenter, takes over as acting principal... Principal the founder of the Small Schools Workshop, has at Stanford University. Bryk also served as DYANNE DANDRIDGE-ALEXANDER of Cregier written a new book, Teaching toward Freedom: professor of urban education and research and Multiplex, which includes Best Practice, Nia, and Moral Commitment and Ethical Action in the development director of the university’s Center Foundations schools, was dismissed by the School Classroom. The book expresses Ayers philosophy of for School Improvement. … The executive director Board. CLIFTON GOODEN is the interim at Best teaching and his hope that teachers will create an of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS), Practice. Principals for Nia and Foundations have environment of freedom and equality in their KATHLEEN HARRIS, is leaving the organization. not been selected…The following interim classrooms. It will be available Oct. 1.
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