Welcome back! 2020 will be a year full of parent advocacy! 

It’s just a start. We parents know that the reality on the ground, in our schools, ultimately doesn’t reflect the promises made by a mayor- we heard too many promises made at press conferences by Rahm.

It was a huge relief to hear CPS Board of Education president Frank Clark announce at Wednesday’s meeting that it was his and the entire Rahm appointed board’s last meeting. There will be a whole new unelected CPS BOE seated at the June meeting!

Chalkbeat Chicago: ‘It’s our last meeting’: New mayor Lori Lightfoot moves to disband Chicago’s school board, setting up major shift

Sun-Times: All 7 members of the Chicago Board of Education step down

And, in case you are wondering about the CEO position...

Chalkbeat Chicago: Lori Lightfoot makes it official: She’s keeping Janice Jackson as Chicago schools chief

We attended and spoke at the May 22, 2019 monthly meeting of the unelected CPS Board of Education meeting- the official last one of the Rahm appointed BOE as President Frank Clark announced at the end of the meeting. Our prepared statements are below with links to a video of one of our speakers. You can find our live tweets from the meeting here.

We would be honored if you would join us and Raise a Glass for RYH on Tuesday, October 2, 5:30-8:30 in the “basement” of Lagunitas Brewery, 2607 W. 17th St.

Buy tickets here. Buy an ad in the program book here. You can still join the host committee here.

Our Facebook event page is here: please share on your Facebook page and invite your friends! We’ll see you there!

Numerous aspects of the application for the Arts in Motion charter school intended for the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood concern us.

Wednesday, October 25, was all about special education advocacy and action in Chicago!

Parents and elected officials joined together for a press conference before the unelected Board of Education meeting. Then, parents attended the BOE meeting and several spoke. A link to the video of the press conference is below as well as text of the BOE statements.

On Monday October 17, WBEZ published an explosive report about CPS' secret plan designed by politically-connected consultant firms to systematically reduce and restrict provision of federally-mandated special education services. You can find a petition demanding the removal of CEO Forrest Claypool and release of funds to cover special education cuts to sign here written in response to WBEZ's story.

Dear Mayor Emanuel,

We are CPS parents and concerned citizens who are deeply outraged at the WBEZ report that came out this week, WBEZ Investigation: CPS Secretly Overhauled Special Education At Students’ Expense, detailing the implementation of a secret special education manual designed by contractors with no education experience who were paid $15M to create barriers to access to services for special education students.

Many parents have brought these concerns listed in the report to the Chicago Board of Education and have been dismissed by CEO Forrest Claypool and called “factually inaccurate” by Board of Education President Frank Clark.