This Week in Ed 4.12.19: New mayor, new approach at CPS?
It’s almost CPS Spring Break! We have a bunch of stuff to share with you before CPS students are out of school for a week. Happy reading...
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This Week in Ed 4.5.19: New mayor! PLUS, Elected School Board bill passes in the House!
In a historic election, Lori Lightfoot was elected mayor on April 2. For now, the mayor still controls the school system. On September 5, 2018, we released this statement: Rahm’s not running- What does that mean for the public schools? In it, we reflect on our time with Rahm and we list the ed policies we have deep concerns about. We stand by this list and look forward to Mayor Lightfoot using it as she works with all stakeholders - students, parents, educators, and community members -- to reimagine Chicago Public Schools. More on what parents want from our new mayor, here.
Chalkbeat Chicago: Lori Lightfoot is Chicago’s next mayor — which means big changes are coming to schools and check this out: Letters to Lori Lightfoot: Tell Chicago’s mayor-elect about your school
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Press Conference 3.27.19: Parents want community based equity in Chicago Public Schools
At this press conference before the monthly meeting of the unelected CPS Board of Ed, parent leaders from across Chicago spoke about their vision for Chicago and CPS. Participating organizations included Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Chicagoans United for Equity, Enlace, Generation All, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, Journey 4 Justice, Parents 4 Teachers, and Raise Your Hand. Action Now, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, and Northside Action for Justice also support this vision.
You can watch video of the entire press conference here.
Statements from the press conference are below.
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RYH Statement: March 2019 Unelected CPS BOE Meeting
We attended and spoke at the March 27, 2019 monthly meeting of the unelected CPS Board of Education meeting. Our prepared statement is below. You can find our live tweets from the meeting here.
Before the meeting, we participated in a press conference with parent leaders from across the city and from various community-based organizations. You can find the media alert here, video of the press conference here, and statements from the press conference here.
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This Week in Ed 3.22.19: We’re hiring- RYH Executive Director- PLUS Chi Ed News 🏫!
Earlier in 2019 we shared the exciting news about staffing transitions in RYH and RYHA as both organizations grow. Earlier this week Raise Your Hand began the search for our next Executive Director. Now we need your help.
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We're hiring! RYH Executive Director
Downloadable and printable RYH Executive Director job description here.
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Testing Opt Out Press Conference
We joined with the Chicago Teachers Union on Tuesday, March 12, for an opt out of IAR press conference at Hernandez Middle School: “CPS test undercuts newly arrived immigrant children, charge teachers.”
Here is our 2019 Standardized Testing and Opt Out Toolkit which contains an explanation of the "new" IL state test, IL Assessment of Readiness or IAR, as well as opt out resources in both English and Spanish.
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This Week in Ed 3.8.2019: #ZombiePARCC 🧟 Testing could start Monday! RYH Opt Out Toolkit with Spanish resources added- check it out!
The window for the IL Assessment of Readiness (IAR) opens Monday, March 11. Use this weekend to review our 2019 Toolkit for Standardized Testing and Opt Out to learn more about this “new” assessment and how you can #ChooseToRefuse #ZombiePARCC! 🧟 The three main resources are now translated into Spanish: Q & A, Notification Letter of Refusal (scroll to p. 2), and Refusal Cards- all three can be found in the Toolkit.
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RYH Presents Report to the BOE: Improving Nursing Care in CPS, 2.27.19
At the February 27, 2019, unelected CPS Board of Education meeting, RYH delivered a parent research report entitled Improving Nursing Care in Chicago Public Schools: Creative and Meaningful Solutions Left on the Table. You can find the report here.
Below are the prepared statements from three RYH parents who delivered the report and explained the need for a complete overhaul of the CPS nursing design system. The fourth prepared statement below includes several questions from RYH on various CPS issues such as the ARA meetings, an overhaul of SQRP which hasn't involved parents, and implementation of a new IL CPS facilities law.
You can find 3 videos of our speakers, plus a video of the CPS BOE and Central Office discussion after our 3 speakers here.
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Letter to ISBE from The Advocates Group, February 26, 2019
On February 26, 2019, Raise Your Hand and other members of the Advocates Group sent a letter to the IL State Board of Education (ISBE) prior to their meeting which included an update from the ISBE Monitor. It has been nine months since the ISBE public inquiry into CPS special education found that CPS delayed, denied, and withheld services to students with disabilities- and this continues.
Please read the letter below.
WBEZ: Chicago Special Ed Parents Say Students Still Being Denied Services
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