Vol. XVII Number 9 CHICAGO JUNE 2006 INDEPENDENT REPORTING ON URBAN SCHOOLS WILLWILL THEY THEY WORK?WORK?
CPS HAS BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO HELP STRUGGLING KIDS WHO AREN’T READY FOR HIGH SCHOOL. CAN ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES PUT KIDS ON A STEADY PATH TO GRADUATION?
Also: Suburban administrator tackles cityhigh schools. PAGE 14
A Publication of the Community Renewal Society www.catalyst-chicago.org FROM THE EDITOR
Texas figured out (for now) how to fix funding; when will we?
hat does Texas have that Illinois does Have other states considered similar deals, and if so, how much not? Several freshly signed tax and did they determine their lottery school finance reform laws that will was worth? inject billions of dollars into the state's If the pitch to sell the lottery to W private operators assumes higher public education system. The long-overdue revenues, is there a way for the solution relies on a tax-swap—more taxes on state to “unlock that value by keeping the asset and doing a business and less on property—and an increase better job managing it?” Veronica Anderson in cigarette taxes. “Your multifaceted, far-reaching plan would have profound long term Some of the money is earmarked who had threatened to run against consequences for state finances and to pay for raising teachers' salaries Blagojevich unless the state coughed schools,” Madigan writes. “It deserves and policy initiatives such as higher up more money for schools. Having serious consideration.” graduation requirements that Illi- already painted himself into a corner About year ago, I suggested that a noisans put in place long ago. by renewing a read-my-lips pledge statewide bingo game would do as Politicians in Austin are patting not to raise taxes in his bid for re-elec- good a job funding schools as any of themselves on the back, elated that tion, Blagojevich hatched a shocking the gaming proposals the governor their lengthy battle to find an equi- school funding plan. kept coming up with. This time, he’s table way to fund schools, sparked by He would sell the lottery and use offering a twist: Cash out of gaming a court-imposed deadline and ulti- the billions of expected proceeds to altogether, and spend it all on matum, is done. For now. The solu- pay for a cornucopia of new and nec- schools. tion they found is not a perfect one, essary programs, from further In dramatic fashion, Blagojevich of course. expansion of preschool and full-day will create the kind of crisis in Illinois While the business tax is broad kindergarten to teacher mentoring that the courts created in Texas. Sell a based, it will not generate enough and creating new schools. There revenue source that generates $600 revenue to cover the cost of new pro- would even be enough for construc- million a year for schools, start a grams, according to the Center for tion projects. But from the moment bunch of new programs that cost a lot Public Policy Priorities, a nonparti- the plan was announced, questions more money and use the windfall to san research group focused on the have been raised, and recently, Illi- pay for them. In a few years, Illinois needs of low- and moderate-income nois House Speaker Michael Madi- schools would be facing a bleaker Texans. Nor will it grow as fast every gan, who’s also a co-chair of Blagoje- financial picture than they do now. year as the forgone property tax rev- vich’s campaign, posed some tough Mayor Richard Daley is biting the enue would have. In just a few years, ones in a letter to the governor. bullet once again locally, allowing the the state may face a school funding School Board to raise property taxes How will school districts and the deficit in the billions, says researcher state cope with financial craters to the limit for the next fiscal year. Dick Lavine in a report. left after the initial $4 billion Will Springfield ever learn? Meanwhile, back in Springfield, windfall has been spent and Gov. Rod Blagojevich was feeling the annuities from the remaining $6 pressure to do something about billion investment have expired? funding education, too, but for very How did the state arrive at its $10 different reasons. Breathing down his billion estimate for proceeds neck was state Sen. James Meeks, from the lottery’s lease or sale?
2 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES Tall order for academies
PS has tried several strategies to help overage 8th-graders who weren’t ready Cto tackle high school work. Its latest experiment is based on a national model developed at Johns Hopkins University. The real test of its success: Will students graduate? COVER STORY: PAGE 6
ONE-ON-ONE ADVICE TO GET KIDS ON TRACK Talking with adults about report cards can help kids see the importance of good grades. PAGE 9
A DIFFERENT KIND OF DISCIPLINE Student advocates aim to head off problem behavior that can interfere JOHN BOOZ with learning. PAGE 11 Shaun Johnson (left) and Demetria Nicholson work on a problem at an academic bowl for achievement academy students, held at REVOLVING DOOR FOR ROOKIE TEACHERS Westinghouse High School. Higher-than-average turnover and more first-year teachers are often the norm at achievement academies. PAGE 12
ON THE COVER: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOE GALLO
DEPARTMENTS Notebook 4 NEIGHBORHOODS Page 14 Viewpoints 23 South Chicago: Finding new life Comings & Goings 24 after steel
UPDATES Page 20 ON OUR WEB SITE Suburban supt. takes on CPS Go to the Catalyst web site, Schools divided on project price www.catalyst-chicago.org, CHRISTINE OLIVA tag; some buy in, others back out for news and resources on Chicago school reform, including: When USX Steel shut down, South Chicago began to decline. Now Parents rate schools, selves on involvement Spanish translations local leaders want more jobs, affordable housing and better schools. Reform history news highlights See Neighborhoods, page 14. CTU sets 100 contract demands
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 3 Q&A Notebook with ... Harvey Grossman, ACLU legal director
TIMELINE The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois is one of several groups that have filed “friend of the court” briefs in the May 4: Vote selling? May 24: Lottery sale May 25: Salary freeze federal case that will determine whether Parents from South Loop The lottery never provided To save $4.5 million, about Chicago Public Schools is released from Elementary filed a com- the financial fix for schools 1,360 administrators who its long-standing desegregation consent plaint with the district’s legal that was touted when it make more than $40,000 per decree. Harvey Grossman says the dis- department, charging that was first introduced, but year will have their salaries trict still owes a debt to children in seg- men from a local homeless Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants frozen next year. The freeze regated communities and needs over- shelter were paid to vote for to rely on it again. He pro- won’t affect principals or sight to ensure that resources are distrib- two local school council poses selling or leasing the assistant principals. More uted equitably. Grossman spoke with candidates. The men were lottery to bring in $10 bil- central office reorganization writer Cassie del Pilar. reportedly spotted with fly- lion. But only $4 billion and cuts are expected. The Arne Duncan says the district is commit- ers for Jacques Eady and would go directly into district received an extra Enrique Perez, who won schools, while $6 billion $100 million from the state, ted to integration. Can the public trust seats as community reps. would be invested to bring but is still facing a likely the district? The Chicago Tribune reports in some $650 million per property tax hike and is set to The issue of equity ought to be transparent. that one man asked the year until 2024. Critics borrow $75 million in reserve We ought to be able to readily identify equities principal, “Where do we get accused the governor of funds. In January, CEO Arne and inequitable situations, but it’s very, very dif- our $5 for voting?” Eady side-stepping the issue of Duncan announced that the ficult to do that from the data [the district] has says he did not pay anyone over-reliance on property district faces a $328 million to vote for him or Perez. taxes to pay for schools. deficit in 2007. out there. The board ought not to be seeking to escape the consent decree, or thinking that it is a waste of resources to be in court, or pay- ing lawyers to get out of the decree. There’s no ELSEWHERE reason for the district not to want to continue an injunction against it, saying the test is an to do its best to seek equity and ensure diverse Texas: Tax swap unfair burden on poor and minority stu- learning environments. Legislators agreed on a revamp of state dents stuck in low-performing schools. funding for public schools that includes a Some 47,000 students, about one in 10 of all How well has CPS done thus far in com- “tax swap” of higher sales taxes for lower seniors across the state, failed the test. Stu- pensating racially isolated schools? property taxes, according to the May 16 dents must answer slightly more than half CPS has a very rocky record under the con- Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Faced with a the test questions correctly to pass, and may sent decree. It has initiated and terminated deadline set by the state’s Supreme Court, take the test more than once. numerous programs that never really got off Gov. Rick Perry called lawmakers back to the capital to craft the bill, which increases the ground or had an opportunity to produce taxes on tobacco, businesses and the pri- Iowa: Performance pay results. There has been a history of non- vate sales of used cars, while decreasing Higher test scores may mean higher pay for enforcement of the decree by the Justice school district property taxes. The bill also teachers in Iowa, according to the May 4 Des Department, during the Reagan Administra- includes a $2,000 pay increase for teachers. Moines Register. The state Senate is debating tion and the first Bush Administration. There the proposed merit pay program, which has been no interest whatsoever in enforce- California: Exit exams would pay teachers higher salaries if their ment by the federal government during the students show academic gains. The program course of the decree. Effective, meaningful Thousands of seniors who failed the state’s is part of a larger bill that would also increase enforcement simply didn’t take place. controversial high school exit exam may end teacher salaries by $2,500, costing the state up graduating after a judge tossed out the an additional $35 million next year and up to There’s been a lot of talk about whether test, according to the May 13 Los Angeles $105 million by 2009. The merit pay program it’s practical or realistic to integrate a sys- Times. Opponents of the exam had asked for would pilot in 10 districts. tem with such a small proportion of white students. How do you feel about that? IN SHORT There is more that could be done in terms of choosing locations for magnet schools. If “Until CPS stops using police and the criminal justice system for you do it in the heart of the North Side, you obviously are most likely to draw white chil- discipline, the problems are just going to get worse.” dren. If you do it on the borders of communi- ties, you are more likely to get a mix. David Collins, 17, SchurzHigh. Collins was part of a small group that protested at central office on May 25, demanding a full accounting of student arrests in schools. If the decree is lifted, what do you think
4 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 ASK CATALYST I am Moroccan and consider myself African. My wife is Swedish. Our daughter appears white.What does CPS consider a minority for magnet-school admissions? An anonymous parent
Parents decide what race they want to consider their child in magnet school admis- sions, according to Jack Harnedy, chief officer of academic enhancement. The district does not require any documentation, he adds. “We take them at their word.” CPS follows the racial and ethnic classifications set by the U.S. Department of Edu- cation: white, black (or African-American), Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic. Some North Africans, including some Moroccans, are white. In your case, you JASON REBLANDO could truthfully claim that your daughter is a minority only if your ancestry is from will happen to magnet or to racially iso- sub-Saharan Africa. lated schools? E-mail your question to
How do you think the budget affects this? Even with limited resources, reallocating resources with a view toward what’s necessary to [support] children in racially isolated schools has to be kept in mind. KURT MITCHELL
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 5 COVER STORY ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES Tall order for academies By Elizabeth Duffrin Achievement academies are the district’s latest experiment to
en years ago, when CPS decid- transition older, struggling 8th-graders into high school work.Three ed to end social promotion, it quickly faced a years in, the track record is mixed. dilemma: a back- log of 15-year-olds who were farT behind academically and School Programs reported. pass still move onto 9th-grade too old for elementary school. Administrators went back coursework in their second HOW ANALYSIS WAS DONE The board quickly tried to to the drawing board. In 2003, semester and, if they pass, will At Catalyst Chicago’s request, the Con- resolve the problem by creat- CPS scrapped its free-standing still earn their 8th-grade sortium on Chicago School Research at ing nine small regional centers centers and established diploma. Kids continue in the the University of Chicago analyzed CPS (called academic prep centers) achievement academies, now program through 10th grade student data to compare the perform- to work intensively with over- in nine high schools. The and then move on to 11th ance of students who were enrolled in age elementary school stu- academies’ two-year program, grade in a regular high school. the former academic preparatory cen- dents, with the goal of raising based on a national model Unlike the old academic ters to those at the new achievement their math and reading skills. developed at Johns Hopkins prep centers, the academies academies. Researcher Stuart Luppes- The hope was that by the end University, is designed to help are as much about acceleration cu calculated dropout rates and credit of the concentrated tutorial, smooth the transition into as remediation. Instead of accumulation for students who students’ academic deficien- high school coursework. working to get overage elemen- entered the prep centers in 2001 and cies would be addressed and Students are expected to tary school students to hit cer- 2002 and the achievement academies they would achieve the test earn their 8th-grade diplomas tain test scores in order to be in 2003 and 2004. scores needed to move on to in the first semester. They promoted, the objective is to high school. enroll in three double period equip students with the skills to The program failed. Kids courses: math, reading, and a do high school work. To do so, School Programs.) made almost no standardized seminar that teaches study the district spends $8,250 per But now in their third year, test score gains in math and skills and life skills such as academy student, compared to the jury is still out on whether reading. Even those who conflict resolution and goal- $6,250 for other high school achievement academies can eventually hit the targets setting. All three courses students, officials say. (That fig- put kids on a path to success needed to enter high school count toward elective high ure, however, does not include in high school, based on data typically dropped out before school credits. the costs of additional profes- analyzed for Catalyst Chicago earning enough credits to Those who pass all three sional development and class- by the Consortium on Chica- complete their sophomore courses earn an elementary room coaching for teachers go School Research. Academy year, the CPS Office of High diploma. Those who don’t provided by the Office of High students are less likely to drop
6 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 Achievement academy graduate: out within two years com- Despite the recent bump- From surly to ‘sweetie pie’ pared to kids who attended up in one-year dropout rates, the academic prep centers, “that seems like a substantial but their attendance is still amount of improvement in a poor. Students, on average, short amount of time,” says are earning too few credits to Elaine Allensworth, an associ- meet the academy program’s ate director at the Consortium goal of earning 14 credits who has studied dropout before 11th grade, or to make trends in Chicago. A more rig- adequate progress toward orous analysis of the data is still graduating from high school needed, she adds, but “the pre- on time. liminary evidence looks good.” Academy teachers who Propelling kids into high spoke with Catalyst predict school coursework keeps stu- that many of their students— dents motivated and less like- estimates range from 30 to 90 ly to drop out, suggests Melis- JASON REBLANDO percent—will not be ready for sa Roderick, a Consortium Cierra Jones 11th-grade work. Lack of moti- director. The academies have Age 17, Chicago Vocational Career Academy vation, disruptive behavior provided extra support as stu- and personal issues, they say, dents transition into a full ierra Jones didn’t have the easiest time in elementary school. are even bigger obstacles than load of 9th-grade courses, a She transferred once mid-year, which set her back academical- low academic skills. Daniel big advantage over the prep Cly, and repeated 3rd grade. By the time she completed the 7th Nicky, a biology teacher at centers, she says. grade, she was approaching 15 and, under CPS policy, was too old for Chicago Vocational Achieve- Teachers and students say elementary school. Sent instead to Chicago Vocational’s achievement ment says that some of his stu- small class sizes—capped at academy, she arrived with, in her words, “an attitude problem, a real dents “envision a life for them- 20 for freshmen—and double bad temper.” selves where they’re going to period schedules provide time In freshmen seminar, she refused to follow directions. “You ain’t end up selling drugs or a vic- for individual attention, which my momma! I ain’t going to do that!” she remembers snapping. She tim of gang violence. You hear helps keep kids in school. was repeatedly sent to the office, and fell under the guidance of stu- things like, ‘I’m probably not With 90 minutes instead of dent advocate Malann Marshall. Advocates counsel students with going to live past 21.’” 45 minutes per period, kids behavior and attendance problems, and Cierra became Marshall’s pet In addition, teacher have time to start homework project. “She was a pistol. I told her if it was the last thing I did, I would turnover at academies is high, in class and get help, vastly change her attitude,” Marshall says. and a substantial number of improving the chances that While insisting she apologize to her teachers, Marshall also academy teachers have mini- they’ll complete it at home, encouraged Cierra to drop in before her temper blew. During fresh- mal experience, according to a says math teacher Muhie Tab- man year, Cierra sought Marshall out frequently, and Marshall Catalyst analysis of data pro- bara. “I want them to do five or checked periodically to see how things were going with Cierra and her vided by CPS. (See story on six problems in front of me.” freshman seminar teacher. page 12.) Academy staff find that By sophomore year, Cierra was a new girl. Says Marshall. “She’ll dozens of juniors who graduat- pause and think more. Now, she’s a sweetie pie.” ‘EVIDENCE LOOKS GOOD’ ed from their program last year Cierra got individual attention from her teachers, too. In English Overall, the first two still drop by to visit—some class, the teacher sat beside her and explained the work when she groups of students to enter almost daily. One former stu- didn’t understand it, Cierra recalls. achievement academies have dent at Chicago Vocational Now, in 11th grade, the work is harder. Class sizes are larger, and posted lower dropout rates Achievement Academy phones Cierra doesn’t get much individual help. Her dream of attending the than students in the shuttered the school from Texas. Many University of California at Los Angeles to become a teacher is not off academic prep centers. who spoke with Catalyst say to a promising start: Her first-semester grades were mostly C’s and In 2002, the last group of they miss the attention. D’s, and she failed Spanish and science. Reading is still difficult, espe- students to enter the prep Nina Doston, now a junior cially vocabulary. centers posted a one-year at Chicago Vocational, says “I understand some of the words, not a lot,” Cierra says. dropout rate of 19 percent, she still comes by student As a former academy student, Cierra feels stigmatized by some of according to the Consortium’s advocate Malann Marshall’s her teachers, and returns to visit Marshall for moral support. Many analysis. office because she hasn’t former academy students feel the same way, says Marshall. Teachers The following year, the first found other adults to talk to. started out with negative stereotypes about academy students, students to enter the revamped “Some teachers don’t even although those attitudes are beginning to ebb, she believes. academies had a one-year explain the work,” she says. Cierra says her science teacher went so far as to direct all of the dropout rate of 12 percent. The “They just give it to you and go former academy students in the class to sit on one side of the room. “I rate rose slightly for students back to their desks. was pretty upset,” she says. “Nobody needs to know your past.” entering in 2004, to 14 percent. Academy staff members, Elizabeth Duffrin
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 7 COVER STORY ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES by contrast, appear much Fewer kids quit, but more transfer out The distance some stu- more attentive both inside dents have to travel is part of and outside of class. Teachers In 2003, CPS closed its academic prep centers for overage 8th- the problem. CPS could only are available before and after graders and replaced them with achievement academies inside high place academies in schools school for tutoring. Many schools, with a new curriculum and more support. that had space, which elimi- hand out their cell phone Dropout rates have declined somewhat. Also, achievement acade- nated most on the Northwest numbers. my students are more likely to transfer out of CPS within two years (14 and Southwest sides and At Clemente Achievement percent) than students in the prep centers (9 percent). forces some students to make Academy, algebra teacher long commutes, says Edward Monica Roach sits beside a Klunk, a consultant with the desk cluster, carefully leading Academic Prep Centers Office of High School Pro- three freshmen as they solve grams. In some cases, high an equation. In the hallway, 17% schools with available space director Sally Hill spots one of 36% had reputations as unsafe and her worst-behaved students 2001 46% kids did not want to enroll and hugs him. 55% there, he acknowledges. At Robeson, academy With two student advocates leader Loretta Young-Wright 19% each, academies are better stands at the entrance with a equipped to tackle truancy 2002 33% than most high schools, which box full of prizes such as pen- 43% cils and fingernail polish for typically have no staff assigned students who arrive on time to to combat the problem. Some- their Friday morning classes. Achievement Academies times, the effort pays off. When one young man repeat- At Tilden Achievement edly skipped school, two teach- 12% Academy, one boy who stayed 2003 Dropped out... ers hopped in their car and 26% out of school after an assault went out to find him, says Eng- One year later on the way home was finally lish teacher Gerdlyn Hyman. 2004 14% Two years later lured back by student advo- Spotting him on the corner, cate Rosa Hernandez. She vis- “We pulled him into the car,” Three years later ited his home, phoned him she says. “He was a little Four years later each time he skipped school embarrassed, but he came.” and even offered a ride home when he felt unsafe. “He was FEW CREDITS, MANY ABSENCES Source: Consortium on Chicago School Research reassured,” she says. While more kids are staying But sometimes there is still in the academies, few are earn- little recourse for dealing with ing enough credits to have a performance on the PLAN, the centers were closed and teenagers who simply refuse to shot at graduating on time. 10th-grade precursor to the academies were launched, attend school. Edwin Brown, Freshmen academy stu- ACT, is not encouraging. Only attendance was 78 percent, a leader of Chicago Vocational’s dents earned an average of a third of sophomore academy decline from the previous academy, says that one mother only four credits last year, students who took the PLAN in year’s rate of 80 percent. told him her son wouldn’t putting them on track to earn the 2005 school year earned A case in point: One recent come to school because his only 16 throughout all of high scores that would predict a afternoon, Lynn Peterson’s shoes were too small. “She school. CPS requires 24 cred- good chance at earning admis- 7th-period algebra class at bought him some new shoes. its for graduation, an average sion to a four-year college, Chicago Vocational Achieve- He still won’t come.” of six credits per year. Acade- according to Consortium data. ment Academy contained my freshmen can earn up to A major reason for poor more empty desks than stu- REAL TEST YET TO COME seven credits with electives; performance, teachers say, is dents: Only eight of 17 kids Even though their results they are also given a chance poor attendance. showed up. Of those absent, have been mixed, some say to retake failed classes in Academy attendance rates three were not in school, three that the new academies are summer school. are lower than those for the were suspended for fighting still an improvement over the Assessing the instructional district as well as the old aca- or skipping Saturday deten- academic prep centers they program is difficult. The Office demic prep centers. Average tion, two cut classes starting replaced. The old centers of High School Programs attendance for the academies earlier in the day, and one, were staffed with “very good, declined to release the results last year was 76 percent, Peterson believes, was sent caring people,” says Roderick of specially administered stan- according to a Catalyst analy- home for an infraction of at the Consortium on Chicago dardized tests it uses to track sis, compared to the district- school rules during a fire drill. School Research, who was students’ annual progress in wide high school average of “I work with the ones who part of a team that evaluated math and reading, but student 86 percent. The year prep are here,” Peterson says simply. Continued on page 10
8 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 One-on-one advice to get kids on track Report card conferences aim to show kids the critical link between good grades and jobs or college
n a morning in early May, students in have received D’s or F’s are required to fill out a Chicago Vocational’s achievement “recovery contract” acknowledging that they have academy wait in a large brick-walled not adopted all of the academic and behavioral Oroom. One by one, as names are called, practices that will make them successful in high each student receives his or her report card and school. “I also know that it is not too late,” the then chooses an open seat at one of several tables form reads. It also lists 10 reasons for low per- for a 15-minute conference. The conferences, formance, starting with attendance. held with school staff members, are a centerpiece As Taylor and Branden go over his contract, of the achievement academy approach. Taylor directs him to check off attendance right Juanita Taylor, a social studies coach, extends away because he is routinely more than 35 min- her hand and introduces herself to a towering utes late to school, despite living down the street. sophomore, Branden Robinson. Picking up on Taylor also guides him to check five additional Taylor’s formality, he introduces himself in turn as reasons on the list, including not completing “Mr. Robinson.” homework and needing additional help. Taylor’s goal is to get Branden to reflect on his Taylor tells Branden to ask his teachers for work habits and take responsibility for improving strategies he can use to bring up his D’s. them. Conferences like this one, which occur three Although the Talent Development program aims times a year and are part of John Hopkins Univer- to reward even minor accomplishments—the sity’s Talent Development High School model, are young man receives a certificate for passing his also a chance to review graduation requirements JOHN BOOZ courses, albeit just barely—Taylor makes it clear and help kids make the connection between aca- Kaylah Johnson tries to score a point for he needs to do better. demic performance and job or college goals. Fenger Achievement Academy in an “I don’t want to say, ‘Keep up the good work,’ Grades are Taylor’s first order of business. She academic bowl CPS organized for the nine because your potential is better,” she says. Point- tears apart the two copies of his report card and achievement academies. ing out his one good mark, a B in social studies, hands one copy to Branden . “Look it over and tell she adds, “That’s your potential.” me what you think,” she says. Freshman Stanley Robinson believed he failed To give students an extra push to reach that Branden pauses, admits he “messed up a cou- World Studies mostly because his teacher didn’t like potential, the conference is designed with a fol- ple of times,” then, under additional questioning him. He says he “wasn’t thinking about doing any- low-up step: Teachers are supposed to review the by Taylor, concedes he got D’s in all but one class. thing different.” But a conference with a teacher’s contracts with students, confer with the student Taylor later helps him calculate his grade- assistant made him realize that he was talking a lot and possibly a parent and then follow up with the point average, which is 1.4, and quizzes him about in class and needed to get more work done. “Stay student during the rest of the marking period to the GPA he expects he will need to reach his goal on task. That’s what I have to do,” he decided. ensure that he or she is sticking to the contract. of becoming a mechanic. In Branden’s case, this step didn’t happen. “If you want to go to school for mechanics, I’m CONTRACT TO FOLLOW UP The following week, Branden arrives on time pretty sure they’re going to look at your G.P.A.Are Melissa Roderick, a director at the University three days out of five, an unprecedented show of they going to say—this is someone we would of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School effort from him this school year, and reports want?” Taylor asks. Research, says such conferences can help students doing more work in some subjects. “Mmm, no,” he replies. fill an important knowledge gap. In follow-up But his teachers say later that they are seeing Branden says later to a reporter that, before research to her recent study on college gradua- no improvement, and that he has not approached Taylor talked with him, he didn’t know about tion rates of CPS graduates, Roderick found that them about his contract. Some teachers at the G.P.As and how they fit into his career goals. “I many young adults say they didn’t understand the school report that they have not discussed the con- know how much harder I have to push myself to importance of grades in high school and how they tracts at faculty meetings or followed up with stu- get higher grades,” Branden says. “I’m going to relate to success in college. dents, and add that they already remind kids con- pay attention more.” Greg Ekey, a consultant for the Talent Devel- stantly to do their work and come to class on time. He also says he’s less nervous talking to Taylor opment model who works with the academies, Ekey notes, however, that there’s a difference than he would be facing some of his teachers, bol- points out that holding a conference is just a first between just reminding kids and taking a formal stering one idea behind the conference model— step in helping low-achieving students improve approach—as the recovery contracts do—that will that kids will be more willing to reflect on their their academic performance. make students take a larger role in changing their weaknesses with an adult who, unlike a teacher, is “It’s a one-day event,” says Ekey. “If it ended behavior. not formally evaluating them. there, it would still have an impact, but it wouldn’t “That’s probably why they’re not seeing a big dif- Other students also seem to have taken the have a lasting impact.” ference,” he says. “They’re not doing the follow-up.” conference to heart. With that in mind, students like Branden who Elizabeth Duffrin
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 9 COVER STORY ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES
Achievement academy graduate: ACADEMY continued from page 8 because there are fewer kids in the classroom,” says Susan the prep centers. “But they Koca, a 10th-grade English Charter provides escape route weren’t transitioning kids into teacher at Chicago Vocational high school [work].” Achievement Academy. “They In 2002, a small team at cen- know if they aren’t there, the tral office began to rethink the teacher will follow up, [ask centers. Surfing the Internet at them] ‘Where were you?’ and home late one night, Barbara nag them.” Eason-Watkins, the district’s “If you take more time with chief education officer, ran any kid they’re going to be across a model designed by appreciative and want to researchers at Johns Hopkins come to your class more,” University in Baltimore, Md. Koca adds. The Talent Development High To sharpen teachers’ skills, School model had a strong CPS designated a team of sub- track record in raising student ject area coaches to observe achievement in schools in oth- classrooms and provide feed- er urban districts, including back on instruction. Academy JASON REBLANDO Philadelphia and New Orleans. teachers also receive two Arturo Gaytan The model was a blueprint hours of professional develop- Age 17, Ramirez Computer Science Charter for reorganizing a low-per- ment monthly. But these forming high school rather efforts get mixed reviews: New orn in Mexico, Arturo was enrolled in a bilingual program than one intended specifically teachers are more likely to find through the end of 4th grade. In 8th grade at Northwest Mid- as a program for at-risk kids. the guidance helpful, while Bdle School, he missed the standardized reading score needed to Still, Eason-Watkins thought it veterans may well consider it enter high school and had no choice but to enroll in an achievement seemed like a good match. repetitive and a waste of time. academy. A resident of Belmont Cragin, he was automatically Talent Development Helping kids stay in assigned to Senn Achievement Academy in Edgewater. enrolled kids in double periods school, attend regularly and The news made him angry, since he had planned to attend nearby of math and reading, empha- graduate may require an even Foreman High. Senn, an hour from home on public transportation, sized cooperative learning, and more expensive investment, was a large high school that he viewed as dangerous. “Guys would organized small teams of teachers say, such as full-time come up to me and try to start a fight,” he says. “They thought teachers to share the same social workers. Many stu- because I was Latino, I was from a gang.” group of students and meet dents’ mental health needs Arturo says his teachers were helpful. But he struggled the first frequently to discuss their are overwhelming, due to past year, barely passing the first-semester courses needed to earn his progress. abuse or other traumas, 8th-grade diploma. Invited in, the Johns Hop- teachers say. “I do not cry eas- By sophomore year, the commute and continuing harassment still kins consultants urged CPS to ily, but some of [their] stories weighed on him. Figuring that better grades on his transcript might cut back on the time spent would make you cry,” says make it easier to transfer, Arturo says that he began to turn in home- reviewing basic skills, Roder- Sally Hill, leader of Clemente work. By the end of the first semester, he had raised his grades to B’s ick recalls. “They were unwa- Achievement Academy. and C’s, he reports. “I just tried my best to get out of that school.” vering about how important It remains to be seen Although some exceptions are made for higher-performing stu- that was. Kids needed to feel whether the first crop of acad- dents, academy students are not permitted to transfer into a regular like they weren’t going to be in emy students will persevere high school before the end of the two-year program. Arturo was not remedial courses for the rest through 12th grade, says one of those exceptions. of their lives.” Klunk, who helped design the But charter high schools are not subject to the same policy and in The key component of the academies with the Office of February Arturo was accepted as a mid-year transfer to Mirta academy model is student High School Programs. “This Ramirez Computer Science Charter in Logan Square, 25 minutes support—a smaller setting, coming year will be a telling away from his home and with only 270 students. Ramirez is run by smaller class size, and slower- year. If there’s a real test of the the social service agency ASPIRA Inc. of Illinois. paced classes with more indi- program, it’s to see how many In the smaller school, Arturo says he feels less distracted by con- vidual attention. Chicago of these kids graduate.” flicts and learns more. He also gets personal attention. But under the added its own twist with two more demanding workload, his grades have slipped to mostly C’s and student advocates at each Mallika Ahluwalia contributed D’s, he reports. Last semester he failed reading. school to counsel kids and to this report. Arturo dreams of attending culinary school and becoming a chef, monitor their attendance. but knows he needs to make it through high school first. “Junior year Teachers say the extra sup- To contact Elizabeth Duffrin, call is pretty hard,” he says. port keeps kids coming to (312) 673-3879 or send an e-mail to Elizabeth Duffrin school. “It’s more personalized [email protected].
10 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 A different kind of discipline Advocates step in to help kids solve behavior problems that Dressing up for Clemente can hinder learning Achievement Academy’s career day, By Elizabeth Duffrin student advocate Jose Diaz irst-period class at Clemente demonstrates Achievement Academy is barely the art of the underway on a recent Monday, necktie knot Fand already 15-year-old Ramon for a puzzled Valentin is in trouble. After his social Rashad Walker. studies teacher assigns him a detention JASON REBLANDO for disrupting the class, he curses at her and storms down the hallway. advocates needed extra training. can keep disruptive kids from missing Appearing suddenly at the doorway of But at Clemente, Diaz seems to be too much time in class and falling farther student advocate Jose Diaz’s office, making a difference. behind, he adds. Ramon proceeds to pour out his troubles. Teacher Medea Brooks, who assigned Advocates focus solely on working “She started yelling at me and said I’ve Ramon the detention, agrees with the with kids, rather than juggling adminis- got detention!” importance of listening to kids first without trative duties such as standardized test- As a student advocate, Diaz is charged leaping to reprimand them, so that they ing, as counselors do. Some take on extra with helping kids deal with disruptive learn to regulate their own behavior. “Mr. duties, such as tutoring or arranging col- behavior and other problems that inter- Diaz is phenomenal. He reaches the chil- lege visits. Diaz, who left his job as a fere with learning. More accessible than a dren where they are,” Brooks says. “[Kids] mortgage broker to work at Clemente, counselor and less threatening than a dis- won’t trust you if you judge them early on.” started an after-school club modeled ciplinarian, advocates’ duties include Having Diaz act as mediator has after his church youth group. monitoring kids’ attendance, tracking helped her become more thoughtful, Each Tuesday, Diaz gathers “Hope down truants and conferring with parents Brooks adds. When Diaz explains a stu- Too,” a club to discuss teen issues such as and teachers about students’ progress. dent’s viewpoint, “it could be the same sex and drug use from a religious per- After listening patiently to Ramon’s sto- thing the kid was saying but the delivery spective. The club draws more than 20 ry—he claims he got in trouble because he was different. They [advocates] get you to kids and a handful of teachers. didn’t understand the assignment and the reflect on the energy you’re putting out.” “Most of our students are from a faith- teacher wouldn’t explain it—Diaz ques- based background. I’m not. This is another tions him. “Did you go in there prepared to SWIFT INTERVENTION way to reach them,” says English teacher do work?” he asks gently. “Why don’t you Consultants from Johns Hopkins, Jill Ward, who assists Diaz with the club. have a pen and paper?” who created the Talent Development Kids speak enthusiastically about the Ramon at first refuses to take respon- High School model that CPS used to club. “I get to talk to an adult who can talk sibility for the outburst, and his teacher develop its achievement academy con- to me about how to do better in life,” says sends him to complete his work in the cept, are encouraging other cities that freshman Mark Jenkins. library. But by the end of the period, after adopt its model to consider hiring stu- Freshman Bernadette Turner says she more prodding by Diaz, Ramon acknowl- dent advocates. listened when Diaz talked to her about edges his own role in creating the prob- “If you look into the disciplinary her disruptive classroom behavior. “He’s lem. “Sometimes I go over there, and I process at most high schools, it relies on my role model. He talks about our future. talk to her all dumb,” he admits. removal,” says Greg Ekey, a field manager And he’s always smiling.” The district pays for two advocates at for Talent Development. “All too often the Diaz, who says working as a volunteer each academy. So far, results are mixed: student will just be written up, sent down youth minister led him to accept the stu- Teachers at some academies say advo- to chill out in a room somewhere, or sent dent advocate position, also says he has cates have little or no positive impact, home for a couple of days on suspension.” found his life’s calling. “I fell in love with and district officials concede that some Swift intervention from an advocate being with kids, giving them hope.”
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 11 COVER STORY ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES Revolving door for rookie teachers
Helping students who are far behind academically can be NEWTEACHERS COME AND GO Achievement academies hire more inexperi- ‘emotionally exhausting,’ especially for new teachers enced teachers—those in their first or second year of teaching—and have higher-than- average turnover compared to most high By Mallika Ahluwalia & Elizabeth Duffrin reapplied. But many vacant positions schools. Here, turnover is the percentage of were filled by newcomers. last year’s faculty that did not return this fall. ust two years ago, Amy Baumanis Since then, CPS has continued to shut began her career teaching English and open academies, creating more SCHOOL NEW TEACHERS TURNOVER and reading at Robeson Achieve- turnover. After only one year, the board District average 20% 18% Jment Academy. Now, she’s ready to closed Julian Achievement Academy and Crane 71% 25% move on. opened a new one at Fenger High. Last Chicago Vocational 30% 30% The chance to build close relation- year, it also shut Westinghouse Achieve- ships with kids in the small setting is one ment Academy to incoming freshmen Englewood 57% 14% thing that attracted her to the job, she because it had slated the larger school for Fenger 57% 43% says. “But the flip side is, it’s emotionally closing. A new academy opened this year Robeson 45% 36% exhausting.” in Clemente High to replace it, starting Senn 20% 40% Baumanis’ story is all too common in from scratch with a brand new staff. the district’s nine achievement acade- Tilden 50% 11% ‘WE’RE HURTING THESE KIDS’ mies, which serve some of the district’s Westinghouse 30% NA* most academically challenged students. Robeson Achievement Academy has Most of the academies suffer from high had an especially hard time keeping *Westinghouse lost teaching positions because it is teacher turnover and have a greater per- teachers, with 36 percent turnover since slated for closing and did not accept freshmen in 2005. centage of rookie teachers than the dis- last school year, when 45 percent of its Note: Julian is not included because it closed in 2004. trict as a whole, according to a Catalyst teachers were newcomers. Clemente is not included because it opened in 2005. Chicago analysis of data provided by The Englewood school has difficulty Source: Catalyst analysis of CPS data Chicago Public Schools. filling positions and often recruits from Between 2004-05 and 2005-06, Teach for America, which only requires teacher turnover at the academies was 29 its graduates to make a two-year commit- percent of students who entered the percent overall, compared to the district ment to teaching. academies last fall came directly from 6th average of 18 percent for high-poverty Aaron Bredenkamp, a Teach for Amer- or 7th grade because they were high schools, Catalyst’s analysis found. ica algebra teacher, says he came to approaching age 15, according to the (Catalyst found irregularities in the data, Robeson’s achievement academy Office of High School Programs. however. For instance, Chicago Vocation- because his program requires that he Both inexperienced staff and high al Career Academy lists two achievement accept the first position offered to him turnover can depress student achieve- academy teachers under the regular high after an interview. After next year, he ment. Research has found that new school’s unit number.) thinks he might head to Oregon and isn’t teachers tend to produce lower stan- During the 2004-05 school year, 43 sure whether he’ll remain in teaching. dardized test score gains, particularly in percent of academy teachers were in their Hiring inexperienced staff contributes mathematics, and high turnover means first or second year of teaching, compared to high turnover at Robeson’s academy, that each year, a new crop of teachers to 20 percent of high school teachers says veteran English teacher Debra Ford. must learn the curriculum and teaching across the district, Catalyst found. Unlike Baumanis and Bredenkamp, strategies for the Talent Development Some academies have had a revolving Ford has 17 years of teaching experience High School model on which academies door of directors also. Senn, for instance, and a background in special education are based. has had three leaders in three years, due that taught her how to reach struggling But even with coaching, it takes time to two retirements. readers. The children’s difficulties are not to get up to speed with the unfamiliar The academies may have ended up a drain on her, she says. “It’s challenging program, says Bernadine Harris, who with a higher proportion of new teachers and it’s a stimulant for me.” arrived at Chicago Vocational Achieve- in part because the program is so new. Typically, achievement academy stu- ment Academy this fall to teach reading When CPS shut the academic prep cen- dents are two years below grade level for and English. “We’re learning [the pro- ters in 2003, it reopened programs inside their age, and have already repeated one gram] while we’re trying to use it,” she high schools and some of the old staff grade before failing 8th grade. About 40 says. “We’re hurting these kids.”
12 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 13 ANDREW SKWISH Neighborhoods SOUTH CHICAGO Finding new life after steel
Blue-collar enclave sets targets: more jobs, service sector, diversifying the jobs base and keep- ing the neighborhood somewhat economically viable as the steel mills shut down. affordable housing and better education “If they [the steelworkers] all did live here, maybe the bottom would have fallen out, and we would have become a ghost town,” says Bosanko. ByEd Finkel Now, the community’s first priority is jobs. As for the USX site, a private developer is in negotia- fter decades as a steelmaking hub, South tions to purchase it for mixed-income housing, Chicago has begun to write its next chapter. retail, and new parkland along the lakefront Home to the USX South Works mill, which between 79th and 92nd streets. Still, the site will Aonce employed more than 20,000 workers take “years to develop,” Bosanko adds. earning substantial union wages, the far Southeast Community developers are already working to Side neighborhood began to decline when USX create affordable housing and bolster the business began to shed jobs in the 1970s. USX shut down sector, says Lynne Cunningham, president and completely in 1992. CEO of the Southeast Chicago Development Com- South Chicago, initially a Native American set- mission. “There’s a strong interest from both out- tlement that became a blue-collar enclave around siders and people here to invest in the neighbor- the turn of the 20th Century, faced a bleak future hood,” she says. of boarded-up homes, shuttered storefronts and The commission is the lead agency for South environmental devastation. Chicago’s New Communities Program. Funded by “When the steel industry came to a halt in the the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation ’70s and ’80s, for all practical purposes, the area and administered by the Local Initiatives Support should have died,” says Neil Bosanko, executive Corp., the program is aimed at comprehensive com- director of the South Chicago Chamber of Com- munity development including traditional bricks- merce and a longtime activist and expert on local and-mortar projects like housing and retail develop- history who sits on the local school council at ment as well as strategies to improve education, Bowen High. health care and public safety. Residents are also con- South Chicago survived the steel shutdown, in cerned with racial divisions, gang activity, boarded- part, because white former steelworkers fled to the up housing and other ills. southern suburbs, at first in search of more mod- Education is “a pretty prominent piece” of the ern housing and later to avoid the influx of Mexi- New Communities effort in South Chicago, Cun- can immigrants and African Americans, says ningham says. The focus is on elementary schools, Bosanko. The newcomers typically took jobs in the particularly Sullivan Elementary, located in an This is an area where new affordable housing has been built occasional over the past five years. series NEW: SOUTH CHICAGO REPORT CARD Education activists are continually working to examining This month, Catalyst debuts a new website feature: Neighborhood impress upon young people the ever-increasing schools from Report Cards that will give readers a statistical snapshot of how importance of staying in school, Bosanko says. “I a community communities and their schools are faring. Data captured on these realized the kids needed to break that cycle of, ‘I perspective. report cards will include housing and socio-economic trends, com- don’t need to finish high school, my old man can Previous munity demographics and test scores for individual schools. Look up get me a job at the mill,’” he says. The shutdown of neighborhood the South Chicago report card at www.catalyst-chicago.org. the mills “challenged our young people to have reports can be more aspirations and to explore life a little.” found online.
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 15 NEIGHBORHOODS SOUTH CHICAGO A school for the community tries to raise math and reading test scores Principal’s vision to make Sullivan ‘the educational center in the neighborhood’ pays off
By Debra Williams
n just about any weekday evening, and sometimes on Saturday, a visi- tor to Sullivan Elementary can Owalk through the halls and find a buzz of activity until 7 p.m. After 90 minutes of tutoring or other academic activities, students can take part in sports, sewing lessons, a computer lab session, band, drama, art or board games. For parents, there are GED and Eng- JASON REBLANDO lish as a Second Language classes, par- enting courses, a dad’s club and a pro- Students at Sullivan make fancy handbags during the after-school program. Sometimes parents, gram to learn how to teach early literary working alongside their children, try their hand at sewing too. skills to their young children. Sometimes the school sponsors field hatched an idea that led to Sullivan’s adop- school, at home and in the community.” trips for students and parents. And for the tion of the community school model. Although the data is preliminary, an community, Sullivan has hosted asthma, Initially, the plan was to create after- evaluation by Metropolitan shows that dental, vision and hearing screenings. school programs in every school in the participating students raised their test The buzz of activity is the result of the neighborhood and provide transporta- scores faster than those who don’t partic- Community Schools Initiative, one of CEO tion to them for students. But some con- ipate, Scheidt reports. Arne Duncan’s pet projects. Community sortium members died, and the plan nev- “This is both in reading and math and schools, which are springing up in districts er came to fruition. for every year we’ve had the program. We across the country as well as Chicago, aim Esenberg held on to the idea. “I had a hope to see it this year too,” she says. The to provide activities and services not just vision to make Sullivan the educational evaluation will be complete in August. for students but their families and the center in the neighborhood,” he says. National data bolster Metropolitan’s neighborhood as well. Chicago has 102 In 2003, he learned that Metropolitan findings. According to a 2005 report from community schools so far. Family Services would receive a five-year, Naperville-based Learning Point Associ- “Being a community school helps our $212,000 grant from the federal 21st Centu- ates, about 45 percent of children who kids academically and it’s good public ry Community Learning Centers program participated in activities at schools fund- relations because it gets more people in to partner with schools and offer after- ed by federal 21st Century grants raised the building,” says Principal Robert Esen- school activities. Metropolitan became their reading and language arts grades; 41 berg, who believes the lure of recreation- Sullivan’s partner. percent raised math grades. al activities motivates kids to come for Still, school-wide impact at Sullivan the academics beforehand. “We even SIGNS OF SUCCESS remains elusive. Last year, Sullivan’s read- have a few kids who don’t go to Sullivan, “The community school looks at stu- ing test scores dropped, and for the last because we have a good band program.” dents in a holistic way,” says Michelle five years, test scores have hovered just Almost 10 years ago, Esenberg and the Scheidt, a manager at Metropolitan Fami- below 30 percent. South Chicago Consortium, a group of ly Services. The vision is to put supports in Scheidt notes that low participation local organizations and businesses, place so that our students can succeed at may be a barrier: Only 347 students, out
16 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 Schools cope with influx of some 825 enrolled, are involved in the after-school activities. Sullivan also has a high mobility rate—36 percent com- pared to the district average of 24 per- of kids from public housing cent—and many students come and go during the year. “We are not touching all of Sullivan’s students,” Scheidt explains. “Mobility has us concerned.” CONNECTING TO CURRICULUM One hallmark of a community school is a linkage between the after-school pro- More gram and the curriculum, says Alicia Haller, affordable senior program manager for the Chicago housing Campaign to Expand Community Schools. has been To that end, tutoring at Sullivan is done built across by teachers or career service personnel from who have the opportunity to talk to a stu- Sullivan in dent’s teacher about his or her academic recent needs, says Sylvia Diaz, a member of the years. community school’s oversight committee. CHRISTINE OLIVA Most teachers send students to the after-school program with a weekly rincipal Robert Esenberg of Sullivan Ele- says. Some have exhibited discipline problems, homework calendar, so that tutors know mentary is among a number of South she adds, and the agency has “tried to put what they are working on. In other cases, PChicago principals and community some programs in place to respond to the tutors devise their own methods to rein- leaders who say an influx of children whose needs of those kids” force classroom work, such as exchanging families relocated from public housing has Martha Silva-Vera, retired principal of Mire- notes on a special memo pad. had a substantial impact on their schools. les Elementary, says any influx of large numbers This year, as part of the after-school “It’s been a big struggle,” Esenberg says, of new students will create difficulties. “You initiative, Sullivan began a special pro- both for his school and others in the commu- have certain traditions and values and customs gram called SUCCESS 3 for students with nity. “We all felt the migration starting about that you try to build into the school,” she says. behavioral problems. The program pairs six years ago. It has made a big change for us.” “We have to extend support to those children 10 students, typically referred by their One such change is in test scores. Esen- coming into a different school culture.” teachers, with a counselor who helps the berg, and other principals, report that the Most of the children who were displaced students work on communication, social influx of children from impoverished commu- from public housing are African-American; skills and team-building. nities and schools has led to a decline in Mireles has a substantial Latino enrollment. “We had a desperate need for some scores, at a time when schools face increasing Yet, Silva-Vera maintains the situation should kind of intervention plan for these stu- pressure to raise achievement. Most of Sulli- not be seen in racial terms. “People are trying dents,” explains Diaz. “These kids were van’s new students have test scores in the bot- to make it a socioeconomic or racial issue. I disruptive in the after school program tom 10 percent, Esenberg reports. don’t think it’s that. It’s more about kids and we didn’t want to kick them out.” As the Chicago Housing Authority demol- adjusting. We don’t normally get 100 [new] The oversight committee approached ishes public housing high-rises, families have kids from one community. That is hard.” Metropolitan Family Services, which fanned out to new neighborhoods—one of Neil Bosanko, an education activist and agreed to provide the counselors. them South Chicago, which ranks 12th out of director of the South Chicago Chamber of While the program has only been 77 neighborhoods in the number of relocat- Commerce, wonders if schools will get a fight- operating for a few months, teachers say ed families, according to CHA data from Sep- ing chance to help kids coming from troubled they see a positive change in the students’ tember 2005 (the most recent available). communities. ability to get along with others; in partic- Since 1998, 117 families who formerly lived in “Can we keep these kids in one place long ular, their unruly behavior in the lunch- CHA housing have moved into rental units in enough to make an impact?” he asks. “Or will room has improved. the community. they keep moving from place to place and Haller praises the school’s efforts. Sullivan, located in the Bush section of [get] lost in the system?” “Sullivan is top-notch,” says Haller. “We South Chicago, has about 120 units of scat- Silva-Vera points to the need for more are not talking about a lot of money, and tered-site CHA housing, estimates Michelle resources. “The system knows where the Sullivan is a large school. They are doing Scheidt, manager of community-based and housing is shutting down. They know where the best they can with what they have.” prevention programs at Metropolitan Family the students are relocating. But individual Services in South Chicago. Children living in schools are faced with acclimating children To contact Debra Williams, call (312) 673-3873 or send scattered-site housing are participating in into the new schools.” an e-mail to [email protected]. Metropolitan’s after-school programs, she Ed Finkel
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 17 NEIGHBORHOODS SOUTH CHICAGO Bowen’s small schools come full circle Top-down reforms killed a promising effort, but school leaders revive the concept
By Debra Williams ONE SMALL SCHOOL, THEN EIGHT
hen the first wave of school In 1992, social studies teacher Joann reform came to Chicago in 1990, Podkul jumped at the chance to start a Bowen High School quickly school-within-a-school: a teachers’ acade- Wbecame a pioneer in the small my that ended up enrolling about 60 kids. schools movement, creating a school- “Students would get personalized atten- within-a-school for students who were tion. Our teachers could steer students to interested in becoming teachers. opportunities that would fit their interests Eventually, more small schools were and needs,” says Podkul. Once the acade- launched and began flourishing, only to my got off the ground, students began fall victim to top-down reforms. But making academic progress, she recalls. through the efforts of community and But Bowen as a whole was not per- school leaders, small schools have forming well and in 1996 was placed on returned to Bowen: BEST (Bowen Environ- academic probation. Inspired by the suc- mental Studies Team), Chicago Discovery cess of the teacher’s academy, the LSC Academy, Global Visions Academy and the decided to adopt small schools school- New Millennium School of Health. wide and chose the Small Schools Work- So far, the schools appear to be making shop as its external partner. strides. Principals say staff members have “We knew that CPS was desecrating the more opportunity to develop relationships vocational programs that our kids were with their students, and performance indi- interested in and would have helped them cators are, for the most part, better than in the job market,” such as the auto shop, those for Bowen’s general program. says Neil Bosanko, a longtime Bowen LSC “I can stand in the hallway and see all member and the executive director of the [the students] and I know their names,” South Chicago Chamber of Commerce. says JoAnn Thomas-Woods, BEST’s “So we looked to how we could fit in principal. themes that our kids would want.” Although still below-par, dropout The school created seven additional rates are lower and attendance rates and teacher-led small schools: visual and test scores are higher in the small performing arts, travel and tourism, arts schools. Scores on the PLAN and and technology, languages, architec- JOHN BOOZ EXPLORE tests (precursors to the ACT, ture, a scholars program for high-per- which is included in the Prairie State Luis Padilla (top) and Jalessa Patton paint forming students and a culinary pro- Exam for juniors) and course failure rates masks of themselves that were cast in art class. gram for special education students. also need to improve, says Ernestine Key, Gradually, Bowen’s picture brightened. program associate for the Chicago High our electives,” says Lynne Nuzzo, principal The school got off probation in 1999. School Redesign Initiative. of Chicago Discovery. “I’m a little worried “Freshmen who fail two or more class- about that.” ‘A SCREECHING HALT’ es are not on track to graduate. We want “Classes were supposed to be small,” But then, test scores in reading fell, no failures,” Key says. says Alice Hale, a community member on which the district considered a red flag. In This year, the small schools are facing the advisory board at BEST. “If the schools 2000, Bowen and four other high schools the potential loss of staff due to budget lose staff, they will be just like the classes at were selected for intervention, under cuts, which principals fear will hinder fur- a larger high school. Then how do you intervention, the district sent in teams of ther improvement. And the loss of Bowen’s work with these kids? I know our principal educators to guide improvements. general program, whose principal served needs a teacher and she may lose a teacher. Central office didn’t consider the overall as campus manager, could mean added Schools are going to lose their identity.” picture, Bosanko says. “The improvements administrative duties for the small schools “Because they already have fewer peo- were noticeable. Attendance improved. principals. [Bowen’s general program will ple, it will be difficult,” says Cynthia Bar- Class failures and truancy were reduced. graduate its last class of seniors this June.] ron, the area instructional officer for There were gains in every area but the one “We will not be able to offer some of small schools. “It is tough for everybody.” that they were [looking at], reading scores.”
18 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 tory who works with high schools that want to restructure into small schools, agrees that logistics can be difficult. And small schools require kids to give up the “shared- school culture” that includes pep rallies, team mascots, sports teams and the other trappings of the typical high school life. “You lose that when you have multiple schools under one roof,” Shaughnessy says. “But if you want to prepare students for life after high school, it is better to be part of an autonomous small school that is more personalized.” ANOTHER SETBACK In 2004, central office administrators told lead teachers that the small schools had to be led by principals with full cre- dentials. While the lead teachers were handling hiring, budgets and other administrative work, none met the board’s entire list of requirements. The board’s decision did not sit well JOHN BOOZ with the teachers or with some parents. Teacher Paul Mack observes Luis Padilla (left) and Cory Melton as they work on masks of their “It was just unfair,” says Hale. faces. Mack says the project helps build trust—something that Chicago Discovery Academy is However, Key notes that CPS always working to teach—because students must allow classmates to make casts of their faces. intended to have the small schools led by fully certified principals. In Bowen’s case, “Everything came to a screeching went to central office, he met Jeanne she says, “maybe [that] was not clearly halt,” Podkul recalls. Nowaczewski, the new small schools communicated.” Bowen lost 35 teachers, who chose to director, who told him that CPS would The principals were selected by com- retire rather than work in an intervention soon be requesting proposals from high munity stakeholders, including parents school. schools interested in breaking up into from the advisory councils, other par- “They quit en masse,” recalls Michael small schools under the Chicago High ents, faculty members and other com- Klonsky, director of the Small Schools School Redesign Initiative. munity residents. Arne Duncan gave final Workshop. “It was horrible. I remember Bowen jumped into action, says approval to the group’s selections. 17 of them approached me directly. These Bosanko. The LSC surveyed students at “We work well together,” says Nuzzo at were the best, and most of them went to elementary feeder schools to see what Chicago Discovery Academy. “But if I small charter schools or the suburbs.” subjects they were interested in and held decide to do something on the spur of the Gang violence flared up again, Klon- meetings with Bowen teachers, who moment, we have to talk to each other sky adds. broke themselves up into four small first. We’ve gotten better at it, but some- “Small schools almost wiped out vio- teacher-led schools. Chicago Discovery, times we forget.” lence completely,” he says. “The school with a focus on fine arts and architecture, Next year, Bowen may get a campus became peaceful. There was a major and BEST opened in 2002. Global Visions, manager, possibly a retired principal, to reduction in arrests and suspensions. Then, with a focus on technology, opened the handle the day-to-day operations of the it was right back to the way it was before.” following year. The New Millennium building. And Barron says her office is The intervention team visited the small School of Health opened in 2004. considering whether to move to per- schools, Podkul recalls, but didn’t know But building-sharing emerged as a pupil budgeting. “We are looking at what what to do with them because central prime concern, especially since Bowen would work to their advantage,” she says. office had no small schools office and dis- has only one gym, lunchroom and library. “The resources that set us apart and trict leaders, at the time, had not embraced “We had some feverish arguments as help us give our kids extra attention are the concept. Only the architecture and to how we were going to split things up,” being taken away,” says Bosanko, who travel and tourism schools survived. recalls Podkul, who is now retired. “But favors a school-within-a-school setup to we knew each other. We’d worked togeth- save costs. “We need to revisit what small ANOTHER TRY er. We were not new to our jobs. We didn’t schools were designed to do and find the Two years later, new CEO Arne Duncan get to a point where we were not talking resources to make that happen. If we don’t scrapped intervention, deeming it a failure. to each other.” have the extra money to do this, then can Bowen’s LSC decided to take another Joan Shaughnessy, a consultant at the we really afford to have four separate look at small schools. When Bosanko Northwest Regional Educational Labora- autonomous structures in the building?”
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 19 Updates Suburban supt. takes on CPS
PS has tapped Allan Alson, the highly regarded superintendent of Evanston Township High School, to oversee its high school transformation project. In 1999, Alson led the creation of a Cconsortium of 15 school districts that were committed to closing the achievement gap between white and minority students. Associate Editor Maureen Kelleher spoke with Alson about what needs to be done to make Chicago’s public high schools better.
Talk a little bit about your job and your know how to do school, so they need study skills role in high school transformation. [and] organizational skills. They need to have their motivation set up for them. The centerpiece is bringing new curriculum There will be one coach approximately for and assisting teachers to deliver that curricu- every 15 teachers. I really see coaches as critical You’ve got a lot of experience with minority lum in ways that truly provide engaging oppor- friends, people who in a non-supervisory, non- achievement in high school. How does your tunities for students. The idea is to motivate evaluative way could sit with you and the two of experience inform your thinking about the high school transformation project? students to build their skills, to build their con- you really talk in a down and dirty way about ceptual and analytical skills, to be excited about [solving problems]. I started my career in urban education. I learning and to improve their ultimate oppor- worked in Philadelphia—where I grew up—as a tunities for post-high school. Who are these people going to be? How math teacher in a [public] school that was 100 There are other elements to high school will the coaching work? percent African-American and very poor. I transformation. It includes building better Finding high-quality coaches is not the eas- taught in Boston, in Cleveland and I’ve had an bridges with 8th-grade. It includes credit recov- iest task and so we have to be vigilant and be opportunity in Evanston. One prime area of ery and dropout prevention. There are a lot of willing to step in and take corrective action. Hir- research is about teacher-student relationships moving pieces, so part of my job, as I see it, is ing is not a perfect science. and the instructional strategies that teachers can making sure all of those other pieces are in Schools have been asked to form leadership employ to change life’s opportunities for kids. place as well. teams. The leadership teams will consist of princi- We’ve worked with phenomenal researchers pals, three lead teachers and one or two other who have really helped expand my thinking. We Ground zero is looking at curriculum and important people that the principal designates. had a couple of research grants on understand- instruction in 14 high schools. This is about their professional development, about ing the barriers of high achievement in mathe- That’s correct. learning to be better instructional leaders and what matics for kids of color. The person who’s going they need to do build distributed leadership. to be the Chicago lead for math is someone Within high school culture, we know there who once taught for me in Evanston. are things that have to happen. Who is going to be doing those kinds of It’s really an engaging set of activities that things and where are we going to find Oh, Rickey Murff? [Murff, previously with those people? has kids excited about learning. Where kids feel the district’s Office of Math and Science, has been hired by math curriculum like teachers know them, where teachers don’t We will do a national search to find people provider Carnegie Learning to supervise give up on them, where schools have a pyramid who have demonstrated skills, whether they’ve their coaches.] of interventions to try when kids are struggling. been principals or assistant principals for cur- It’s about counselors thinking right away when riculum and instruction or superintendents. We He was a wonderful teacher. The last piece kids enter high school, what does the end game want the best people who understand urban is, adolescent literacy. I believe literacy touches look like? If a kid dreams of college, what are the environments, who understand secondary edu- all curricular areas—and I mean reading, writ- incremental steps, especially if they’re a first- cation, who understand the struggle moving ing, speaking, not just reading. I can bring to the time college-goer in their family. It’s also about increasing amounts of kids to complete high table some ideas to insure that our curricular using wonderful programs like AVID, which is school and to succeed in college. Are they out vendors pay attention [to] literacy. It’s obvious- used very successfully in Evanston. Kids don’t there? I believe so. I’m going to supervise them. ly the foundational baseline.
20 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 Follow up: High School transformation Schools divided on project price tag; some buy in, others back out
By Maureen Kelleher some schools with rock-bottom In mid-May, the district advertised scores see things differently. nationally for coaches, but curriculum eginning in September, 14 CPS At Dyett High in Washington Park, developers say they welcome hires schools will test run the district’s where only 8 percent of juniors met from within. “I’m pretty confident multimillion dollar high school state standards, Principal Jacquelyn we’ll find qualified coaches within Btransformation project, an ini- Lemon has no problem with the cost. CPS,” says David Hart, chief operating tiative designed to improve curricu- “We have to transform this school and officer for Carnegie Learning, which lum and instruction in core subjects. this school community,” says Lemon, has already tapped a district employee Two months ago, the Bill & Melinda who notes Dyett’s ongoing struggle to oversee its coaches. Coaches will be Gates Foundation announced it was with student achievement and disci- considered teachers on loan, and will giving $21 million for the effort. Initial- pline. “For what we’re getting, the price be paid union scale salaries based on ly, 15 schools were to be involved dur- is minimal.” education and experience. ing year one, but cost was a factor for The project is the second sys- Leading the work is Allan Alson, at least one school that considered the temwide effort in nine years aimed at who will supervise all the vendors as idea, then backed out. reforming Chicago’s high schools. The they implement curriculum, coach- Participation was voluntary, and first time, the only lasting change was ing and student assessments. Alson the selection process was designed an increase in coursework required for will also meet with principals month- to check for buy-in among staff, as graduation, which researchers say has ly to troubleshoot and provide pro- well as other indicators of readiness, contributed to a slight improvement fessional development. The district is says Angus Mairs, who has shep- in graduation rates. also advertising for a replacement for herded the project through its initial This time, the district is hoping for Donald Pittman, the outgoing head stages. “We had always said we are dramatic improvements in students’ of high school programs. How the not going to force [it] if there are not academic achievement. The project is transformation project will work with 15 schools ready to go.” focused on bringing tougher, more that office has yet to be determined. Most principals interviewed by engaging curriculum into high school Alson says a national search is Catalyst Chicago thought highly of the new curriculum being offered, “We have to transform this school and this school community. yet concerns about coaching, curric- ular fit with existing approaches and For what we’re getting, the price is minimal.” costs kept some schools out. “I was into it until I saw the cost on the Principal Jacquelyn Lemon, Dyett High School school end,” says Principal John But- terfield of Mather High in West Ridge. classrooms and giving teachers the also being conducted for two coach- During the first year, participating tools and coaching they need to shift es to work with principals. high schools only pick up $250 of the away from lecture format and toward Principals welcome the intensive $1,250 per pupil price tag for the new project-based, individualized teach- coaching, for themselves and their curricula. But later their share grows. ing. CPS has also contracted with faculties. “It gives you much more By year three, Butterfield estimates American Institutes for Research to opportunity to ask questions,” that Mather would spend about 25 create new ways to assess what stu- observes Principal Euel Bunton of percent of its discretionary budget, dents have learned and to evaluate Phillips High in Douglas. which this year is $1.8 million. “No the new curricula. “We’ve been making gradual way could I gut what I’m already CPS has hired seven curricular improvement,” says Bunton. “This doing,” he says. vendors—two for math and English; would move us forward at a much Schools like Mather, where 32 three for science. Each of them will faster rate.” percent of juniors met or exceeded hire a manager to oversee a staff of state academic standards last year, core subject coaches, who are slated To contact Maureen Kelleher, call (312) 673- have the luxury of taking a pass. But to be on board by mid-June. 3882 or e-mail [email protected].
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 21 UPDATES
CTU sets 100 contract demands Parents rate schools, By Cassie del Pilar selves on involvement PS teachers have another year to go under their current contract By Mallika Ahluwalia Cagreement, yet union delegates Survey results have approved a preliminary list of majority of parents give their demands and are gearing up to nego- child’s public school high marks— Schools do best at supporting learning at tiate a new deal. and themselves higher marks—in home activities (57 percent of parents say Several items on their wish list— Aparental involvement activities so) and least well at inclusive decision- shaving 15 minutes off of the school and effort. making (43 percent). Elementary school day, eliminating 50-minute periods in Those whose children attend charter, parents feel more supported by schools high schools, requiring the district to contract, military or small schools—so- than high school parents. foot the entire bill for health insurance called non-traditional schools—tend to premiums—would undo provisions view involvement at their schools more Parents who gave their child’s that were hammered out by former favorably than do parents with children school a positive score Chicago Teachers Union President in traditional CPS schools. Parents whose 69% Deborah Lynch and her team. children were in high school reported 46% 48% Others, such as prohibiting princi- lower levels of involvement. 38% pals from firing non-tenured teachers, The survey was commissioned by Par- are hallmarks of CTU President Mari- ents United for Responsible Education lyn Stewart, who has staunchly main- (PURE), a parent advocacy group, to Learning at home Decision-making tained that preserving teachers’ jobs is determine how charter schools and regu- a top priority and has already threat- lar public schools compared in parent Elementary High School ened to strike over it. involvement. More than 4,000 parents Also notable among these items is a whose children are enrolled at 92 public bid to stem the expansion of charter schools responded. Parents with children at charters and other schools, and force charter operators “The slight advantage to non-tradi- non-traditional schools are more likely to with more than one campus open to tional schools could come from the fact score schools higher in volunteer activities, eliminate those additional sites over that these are chosen schools rather and are happier with the level of commu- three years. Stewart and her team have than assigned schools,” says PURE nication between school and home, than opposed the district’s new schools ini- Executive Director Julie Woestehoff. are parents at traditional schools. tiative, Renaissance 2010, arguing that Survey results show very high levels of closing schools eliminates teaching involvement across the board for par- Parents who gave their child’s positions and that teachers at the new ents—for example, over 90 percent say school a positive score on... schools, particularly charters, are not they review their child’s schoolwork. represented by CTU. Woestehoff acknowledges that this is like- ...VOLUNTEERING Union officials have not yet deter- ly because parents who responded to the 62% 59% 56% mined which items it will take into for- survey are those who are more motivated 44% mal negotiations, which will begin next and active in their children’s education. year. Over the past 10 years, the district For Woestehoff, the survey is a first step has pushed for, and gotten, multiyear toward getting the district to take the pulse agreements that assure labor peace for of its own parent involvement efforts reg- Elementary High School an extended period. This time, CTU is ularly and sponsor workshops for schools aiming for a one-year deal. on how to bring parents in to volunteer. ...COMMUNICATION Stewart declined to comment on Pinpointing the effects of parent 64% 58% 57% 52% the demands, citing a mutual agree- involvement on student achievement is ment with the School Board to refrain elusive, but there need to be more efforts to from negotiating in the press. replicate best practices, she says. “We know schools are in resource deficits, but Elementary High School For a complete list of CTU’s proposed developing parent involvement is critical.” demands, as well as a look at who may Non-traditional Traditional be running for union president next year, To contact Mallika Ahluwalia, call (312) 673-3874 or go to www.catalyst-chicago.org. e-mail [email protected]. Source: PURE survey
22 Catalyst Chicago June 2006 VIEWPOINTS
Catalyst Chicago is an independent publication created to document, analyze and support school improvement efforts in Chicago’s public schools. PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSITANT LETTER TO THE EDITOR Linda Lenz Maribell Ruiz EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Veronica Anderson John Booz, Joe Gallo, Jason Reblando Fundraising a problem, not a solution CONSULTING EDITOR Lorraine Forte EDITORIAL BOARD Dion Miller Perez, chair s a longtime PTA member and for students and advocacy—another SENIOR EDITOR Vivian Loseth, vice chair leader, I read the story on word for lobbying. Lobbying our leg- Elizabeth Duffrin Carlos Azcoitia Afundraising (“Cashing in, getting islators to do what they should be ASSOCIATE EDITORS Ray Boyer extras”), and just couldn’t decide doing: funding our schools so that Maureen Kelleher Joan Crisler whether to weep or scream. the wealth of the community does Debra Williams John Easton Talk about a clear example of this not almost totally control the kind of Renee Ferguson RESEARCHER Joel Freehling state failing to adequately and equi- education the schools in that area Mallika Ahluwalia Victor Harbison tably fund its public schools. And are able to provide. DESIGN ASSOCIATE Carol Johnson here is a story about well-meaning, Sure many PTAs fund raise beyond Christine Oliva Hawa Jones and in some cases desperate parents, the needs of their own budget, and in Gloria McKinley INTERNS trying to do what we as taxpayers wealthy communities, they often raise Michael Milkie Cassie del Pilar, Nekita Thomas Melinda Morrissey have a constitutional and moral duty huge amounts of money. Is that won- SPRINGFIELD CORRESPONDENT Diana Nelson to do—which is to educate the next derful? I don’t think so. It only enables Matt Adrian Barbara Radner generation. legislators to ignore the issue, and Luis Salces Of course, this causes horrible enables a few schools to have what CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sara Spurlark Jody Temkin, Alexander Russo Silvia Villa inequity, and makes parents in most every school should have. COPY EDITOR schools that can’t raise these kinds of Should they be helping schools in Ex Officio Charles Whitaker funds feel bad. Should they? No! As a poorer communities know the secret Delois Brown-Daniels, PTA, we regularly tell our members of successful fundraising? Does any- MARKETING MANAGER board chair, CRS that their role should be parent edu- one think this is the answer to having Brian J. Foster Calvin S. Morris, executive director, CRS cation, parent involvement, provid- great schools everywhere? Again, No! CIRCULATION MANAGER ing extra treats or enrichment events What should be promoted—and Charles Willett Jr. we as an organization sure try—is to Published nine times a year (monthly except January, July and August) by urge parents and communities to the Community Renewal Society. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. The spend their time actively working opinions expressed in Catalyst are not necessarily those of CRS. Catalyst is WRITE TO CATALYST, BE A CATALYST toward well-funded schools, and a trademark of the Community Renewal Society. calling state legislators to account. Catalyst welcomes guest columns ADDRESS: 332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 500, Chicago, Ill. 60604 More of that, and less inequitable WEB SITE: www.catalyst-chicago.org and letters to the editor on matters fundraising, just might really help PHONE: (312) 427-4830, Circulation (312) 673-3871 affecting Chicago Public Schools. ALL kids. FAX: (312) 427-6130 E-MAIL: [email protected] They should be sent via e-mail to I apologize for stamping my feet [email protected]. OUR SUPPORTERS: Catalyst is made possible by grants from The so to speak, but fundraising is part of Chicago Community Trust, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, IBM Corporation, Please include the writer’s full name, the problem, not part of the solution. The Joyce Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, title and contact information for ver- McDougal Family Foundation, Oppenheimer Family Foundation, Peoples ification. Columns and letters may be Gretchen L. McDowell Energy, the Albert Pick, Jr. Fund, Polk Bros. Foundation, Prince Charitable edited for clarity and space. Past President, Illinois PTA Trusts and The Spencer Foundation, and by subscriptions and contribu- tions from individual supporters. Consultant, State Legislation SUBSCRIPTIONS AND SERVICES Call (312) 673-3871 or sign up at www.catalyst-chicago.org . E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS Free. Receive a table of contents when issues are NEW! Advertise in posted to the web, plus breaking news and special alerts from time to time. EYE ON EDUCATION Free by e-mail or fax. Receive a biweekly notice of upcoming events, new school resources and job opportunities. EN ESPANOL E-mail subscriptions: Receive links to translated articles For information, when they are posted to the web. contact Brian Foster: ON THE WEB Back issues, a timeline history of school reform, citywide edu- (312) 673-3867 In print cation statistics, school improvement resources, phone directories and more. [email protected] On the web “CITY VOICES” Consulting Editor Lorraine Forte hosts this public affairs program at 6:30 a.m. the second Sunday of the month on WNUA-FM, 95.5. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Catalyst Chicago is now offering four-color advertising space Include the writer’s full name, title and contact information for verifica- inside EVERY issue and online at www.catalyst-chicago.org. tion. Letters should be limited to 200 words and may be edited for space and clarity. Send them to the attention of the Editor.
Catalyst Chicago June 2006 23 COMINGS & GOINGS To submit items for Comings & Goings, e-mail
CONSENT DECREE CPS and the federal RICARDO MILLET, who resigned in March. … on student test data, group children by ability for government reached a tentative agreement to ALLEN BEARDEN, previously assistant director of small group instruction, and then regroup them update the 26-year-old desegregation consent teacher quality at University of Illinois at Chicago, across classrooms every five weeks depending on decree. Under the modified decree, the district has taken a newly created consulting position at their progress. Participating schools are: will be able to decide, without federal oversight, the Chicago Community Trust. The university’s CARDENAS, CATHER, FARADAY, FINKL, GARY, how much money and what resources will go teacher quality program no longer exists. … GOLDBLATT, KANOON MAGNET, MORTON, TILTON toward integration. U.S. District Judge Charles P. SIDDHARTH N. MEHTA, CEO of HSBC North and CASTELLANOS. All applied to participate and Kocoras cancelled the public hearings scheduled America Holdings Inc. has been elected to a new were required to get 80 percent faculty support. for May 15, angering parents and community seat on The Chicago Public Education Fund’s leaders. Kocoras delayed approving the modified board of directors. FUNDED State lawmakers approved a $3 decree until groups acting as “friends of the million grant for Grow Your Own Illinois, a court”—the American Civil Liberties Union, the AT CLARK STREET Dixon Elementary program that helps residents in poor Mexican American Legal Defense and Principal JOAN DAMERON CRISLER was named communities become teachers at their local Educational Fund and the Chicago Lawyers’ managing director of LAUNCH, a principal schools. The organization’s plan calls for training Committee for Civil Rights Under Law—have development program. Assistant Principal 1,000 teachers over the next 10 years. time to review it and submit their critiques. SHARON A. DALE is acting as principal. SCHOLARS Eighteen CPS seniors have been CPS GRADS More CPS graduates who go to CHARTERS, CONTRACTS The Charter School named Gates Millennium Scholars. They will college are choosing four-year schools, according of the Chicago Children’s Choir will reopen in the receive full-ride scholarships worth up to to a study done by the district’s Department of fall with a slightly different name and newly $100,000 a year for four years. (See www.catalyst- Postsecondary Education. Sixty-four percent of organized board of directors. Effective July 1, the chicago.org for a full list of recipients.) … Five CPS college-bound graduates enrolled in four-year school will be known as Choir Academy Charter students received National Merit Scholarships. colleges and universities, up from 60 percent in School of Chicago; KERSEN DE JONG is board They are: SARAH R. BAYER and JOSEPH B. MATUCH 2004. The study comes after the release of a president. … CPS’s two Big Picture high schools, from Lincoln Park High; IIYA CHALIK and new report by the Consortium on Chicago one in Back of the Yards; the other on the Near MAXIMILIAN SWIATLOWSKI from Northside School Research at the University of Chicago South Side, have been ordered not to accept College Prep; and WENNA JIA from Whitney that showed dismal college graduation rates freshmen next year. Both schools currently have Young. Winners will receive $2,500 scholarships. among CPS graduates, especially African- students in grades 9 through 11, who will be American and Latino males. The district’s study allowed to stay and graduate. CPS cites poor test AWARD WINNERS Six high school teachers, found a 2.5 percent increase in overall college scores and high operations costs as factors in its nominated by their students, received Suave enrollment and 3.9 percent and 1.3 percent decision to phase out the schools. Performance Plus Awards. They are: DANIELLE increases in the number of African-American DELIMATA, Lane Tech; KHARA CRISWELL, Juarez; and Latino students enrolling in college. NEW PROGRAM This fall, 10 elementary KAREN CALLOWAY, Kenwood; JAMES FITZGERALD, schools will pilot Focused Instruction, a program Hubbard; BROOKE GAYNOR, Applied Arts, Science MOVING IN/ON DEBORAH HARRINGTON, that is gaining popularity in urban school districts and Techonology Academy; KATHERINE former vice president of the Woods Fund of striving to make adequate yearly progress under WHITINGTON, Las Casas Occupational. Winners Chicago, was named president. She replaces No Child Left Behind. Teachers plan lessons based received $3,000; their schools received $1,500.
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID CAROL STREAM, ILLINOIS PERMIT NO. 87 Community Renewal Society 332 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 500 Chicago, Illinois 60604
Moving? Return your label with new address.
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED