From The Chicago Tribune: Chicago Public Schools officials say they plan to get tough with privately run charter schools that are failing academically this year and could shut down those that aren't making the grade. The district's contracts with networks that run 32 charter schools are up for renewal this year. At least seven of those schools are rated by the district at "Level 3," the lowest standard for academic performance.
Earlier... From The Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett wants to delay releasing a list of schools to close or consolidate — required Dec. 1 — and plans to ask the state Legislature for an extension until March 31. Byrd-Bennett hopes to have a nine-member independent commission conduct a community engagement process to advise her on any school closures or consolidations. From The Chicago Tribune: Chicago public school officials say that nearly 140 of the district’s schools are more than half-empty, and that those numbers will play a key role in deciding which schools to close or consolidate. Sources have said up to 120 schools could be closed, but district CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett says no hard number exists and the plan is still being determined. She acknowledged that persuading community residents to accept any school closures will be difficult. The district must release a list of school actions, including boundary changes, consolidations and closings, by Dec. 1. OCTOBER 2012.... From The Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago Public Schools have 600,000 seats and only 400,000 kids, underscoring the need to “consolidate” under-utilized schools that should been closed over the last decade, Mayor Rahm Emanuel says. Thirty-two aldermen have introduced a resolution demanding that Emanuel disclose a school-closing plan that would help pay for the newly ratified teachers’ contract. Emanuel says he doesn’t know yet how many schools would be on the list. But, the mayor says he will address the issue, which Chicago has avoided for a decade as population declined. RELATED...from The Chicago Tribune: Chicago Public Schools officials have asked several charter networks if they would take over failing schools. In the past, the district has tried to maintain distance between school closings and the addition of charter schools. Often the district would keep a school building closed for a year or longer before approving a charter campus for the site. But that may change as the district deals with a deficit that could reach $1 billion next year and considers closing anywhere from 80 to 120 under-utilized or poorly performing schools.
Earlier...
SEPTEMBER 2012....From The Chicago Tribune: With the teachers strike ended and Chicago public school students back in the classroom, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is expected to push ahead with an aggressive expansion of charter schools. The school district expects that about 53,000 of the district's 400,000 students will attend charter schools this year. The number of Chicago charters this year is expected to surpass 100, and the city is aiming to add dozens more in the next five years with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
