One Year After Closings, How Are Chicago's Public Schools Now?

[xchrom]

http://truth-out.org/news/item/24227-one-year-after-closings-how-are-chicagos-public-schools-now


Despite widespread protests, Chicago Public Schools still opted to close 50 of the city's schools before the 2013-2014 academic year began. (Photo: peoplesworld)

In the fall of 2012, the fear of school closings was one of the main catalysts for the historic Chicago Teachers Union strike, which saw tens of thousands of teachers walk off the job.
The Chicago Public Schools district had already closed 86 schools in the previous decade on the basis of low test scores and, more recently, arguments that the buildings were underutilized. At the time of the strike, rumors were circulating that up to 120 more schools were on the chopping block.

Though the district did not apparently respond to these rumors during the strike, in February 2013, the school board officially released its list of schools slated for closure. Of the more than 276 schools initially considered, 50 had their doors shut for good for the 2013-2014 school year, despite citywide protests and school occupations by parents. The impact fell heavily on Chicago’s African-American students—and teachers. Of the 49 closed elementary schools, 90 percent had a majority African-American demographic, while 71 percent had a majority African-American staff of teachers, according to the Chicago Teachers Union. All in all, the closings amounted to shuttering 25 percent of all CPS schools that had majority African-American students.

Despite this blow, the city vowed that students and teachers would not feel an impact from what amounted to the largest school closure in history. In fact, they argued, closing the schools would more evenly distribute resources that teachers often complained were sorely lacking.

It’s been one year since then. Now, a new report by the CTU finds that few of those promises were kept, particularly around staffing receiving schools and additional allocation of resources. The report, called “Twelve Months Later: The Impact of School Closings in Chicago” includes interviews with teachers from seven receiving schools as well as well as research into vacancy reports, class size data and operating and capital budget documents.

[yeoman6987]

1. Holy cow

They had 276 schools on a list for consideration of closing? How many schools do that have in Chicago? They must have a ton. It is a shame that they have to close the 50 schools. I don't know much about the Chicago district. One of the districts near me, Hartford County in Maryland just announced that they will not receive a raise, but no teachers will be fired this year. Maryland is one of the wealthier states and we pay a huge amount of taxes. I can't see why they can't at least get a reasonable raise. Just crazy how awful they treat teachers EVERYWHERE!

[hack89]

4. They had 681 schools in 2012-2013

CPS reported overseeing 681 schools including 472 elementary schools, 106 high schools, 96 charter schools, and 7 contract schools.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Public_Schools

[chervilant]

2. We the People

are NOT the focus of our corporations government. $$Money$$ is.

[hobbit709]

3. Is anyone really surprised by these findings?