RYH Newsletter 12.2.20

Written By Jodi Lacy

Thank you to everyone who donated on #GivingTuesday either via Facebook or our webpage! We are looking for 16 more folks who can give $25 each to keep us on pace for our December goal. Remember, donations are still being matched so your gift will count 2x! Help us end our 10th year strong! You can support us here. 

SpEd News: Student Specific Corrective Action (SSCA)

Remember when CPS violated special education law in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years? CPS is finally getting around to providing families with “Student Specific Corrective Action (SSCA),” which is $$ for denied busing services and actual additional outside services for students who qualify. For parents who would like to talk to an attorney for free to get more information about SSCA and if their student qualifies, you can call Equip for Equality's SSCA Hotline at 312-895-7231. English and Spanish speaking attorneys are available. The CPS website about SSCA can be found here. Please share this information with other parents. 

 

LSC Elections: What's next? + Debrief With Us

Congratulations to each of you who sacrificed yourselves, time and resources to the 2020 LSC Elections! LSC votes were counted yesterday at each school that held elections. Results should have been posted by the principal by 5PM and we expect results to post on this CPS LSC Election map. Here are some reminders, considerations, and resources for the week ahead: 

  • If required, submit post-election challenges to CPS no later than Th, Dec 3, by 5:00PM. See Post LSC Election Challenge Forms: English | Spanish.

  • Per CPS guidance, current LSCs are required to meet no later than Th, Dec 3, to certify the results and break any ties. Plan to attend these virtual meetings and request the log-in code from your principal, designee or LSC Chairperson. See LSC Certification of Election Results here: English | Spanish.

  • If you noticed a large number of ballots were not counted or any other irregularities, reach out to the Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights (CLC). See flyer below.

  • This is what we shared in last week’s email newsletter about LSC Elections.

  • Here is a RYH webpage with all the communications between several organizations, including RYH, and CPS regarding specifics of LSC Elections.

  • Here is the CPS 2020 LSC Elections webpage.

Because you decided to run for LSC, Chicago’s schools will be stronger! Collectively, our next step is to remain engaged and support the incoming councils. So, RYH and Chicago Lawyers' Committee (CLC) are hosting a post-election event to debrief the election process. This is open to all current LSC members, 2020 candidates, school stakeholders, volunteers and supporters.

2020 LSC After-The-Election Community Meet-up

Sat, Dec 5 | 10:30AM - 12PM | Register to attend on Zoom

 

Pandemic Schooling: CTU & BPNC Event for Families + CPS Intent Forms 

➡️ Remote Learning & Safe Return | Th, Dec 3 | 5PM | Register 

Hosted by Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC)

From the email invite: “...the Chicago Teachers Union is inviting all parents, students, and community members to join in a virtual discussion of solutions and organizing steps to improve remote learning and safe return to school. We want to know what's working, what isn't, and what you think are the next steps to engage more parents in building a movement that can amplify these demands.”

Intent forms for K-8 students are due back to CPS by Mon, Dec 7. This is what we shared in last week’s email newsletter about the CPS plan with respect to the intent form. 

Chalkbeat Chicago: Chicago could reopen schools in January. Here’s what they’re telling parents so far

Chicago Tribune: CPS reopening plan so far: What you need to know about when and how Chicago schools will welcome students back

 

Things change on the regular. Follow RYH on social media.

We share news & upcoming events daily. 

Search @ILRaiseYourHand:

Facebook Page | Twitter | Instagram | Linktree

 

North Lawndale Schools Update

The proposal to close 3 elementary schools in North Lawndale (Crown, Lawndale, and Sumner) and open 1 new school was withdrawn on Dec 1 (this is the day that CPS, yearly, announces “school actions” for the following school year.) Congratulations to the parents, students, and community who pushed back and used their voices to force this change! Follow Save Our Schools Chi on Twitter if you want to stay on top of this and if you want to get involved in their ongoing fight.

Block Club Chicago: Plan To Close 3 West Side Schools, Build STEAM Academy Scrapped For Now After Parent Pushback

Here are two articles from the Chicago Tribune: Blueprint for change or another blow to North Lawndale? A call to close 3 schools and open another has split a Chicago community in need of rebuilding | Backers withdraw proposal to replace 3 Chicago schools with a new one but say North Lawndale plan is not scrapped

 

Odds & Ends

We’ve shared all of the below previously but definitely worth us sharing again! 

  • Send An Email To President-elect Biden

    • Over sixty pro-public education groups, including RYH, have signed on to Network for Public Education’s five priorities for K-12 webpage. Please visit the webpage and read the five priorities. Scroll down to send your own email to President-elect Biden to tell him to keep his promises to support public education and that we need pro-public education leadership in the Department of Education.

  • Indigenous Peoples’ Day Coalition- Illinois

  • Citywide LSC Letter

    • Our LSC Connection Google group has 600+ LSC members from across the city. The Group has written a Citywide LSC Letter that any LSC can sign. So far 25 LSCs have signed. Please share these links with your LSC: LETTER English | Spanish | Form to sign on

  • Brighton Park Neighborhood Council’s (BPNC) Survey

  • Journey for Justice (J4J) Alliance National Survey

    • What is your vision for equity in Public Education? Click here to take the National Grassroots Education Survey in English or Spanish. J4J is committed to getting feedback from Grassroots voices on their vision for America's public schools. We invite you to encourage, Black, Brown Indigenous parents and youth to take their National Education Survey!

 

In Other News

Sun-Times: CPS elementary students received flood of ‘inappropriate’ emails, district says

WBEZ: High School And College Students Cope With Remote Learning

Chalkbeat: Across the US, fewer students are being identified as homeless

 

Upcoming Events

➡️ The Gathering: LSCs Best Practices

Hosted by the LSCs.4.All Coalition

Mon, Dec 14 | 6-7:30PM | More details & registration soon

➡️ Elected Representative School Board (ERSB) Town Hall

Hosted by Grassroots Education Movement (GEM)

Tues, Dec 15 | 6-7:30PM | More details & registration soon

➡️ Monthly CPS Board of Education Meeting

Wed, Dec 16 | 10:30AM | Online registration to speak

Jodi Lacy
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