This Week in Ed 1.26.18: Jackson Approved as New CPS CEO

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CPS Board Meeting Recap

Janice Jackson was approved as the new CEO of CPS at the board meeting.

Sun-Times: Janice Jackson confirmed as $260K chief of the Chicago Public Schools

WTTW Chicago Tonight: CPS Board Approves Janice Jackson as New CEO

RYH spoke about numerous issues including clout contracts that should be looked at, the new space utilization formula that mysteriously has added capacity to 96 schools that didn’t get additions, and more. We also spoke at an earlier hearing.

RYH Statement on CPS Request for Waiver to IL School Code Ethics Law to Hire New COO

RYH Statements From the January 2018 Unelected BOE Meeting

Read more on the space utilization changes from our friend Jeanne Marie Olson of Apples 2 Apples. She has written 4 new blog posts this week. We recommend you start with the first (Official School Capacity changed in many schools since 2012… why? (Part 1)) and we do recommend you read all four.

Meanwhile, during the Board meeting, students from the four high schools in Englewood that CPS is trying to shutter went to the University of Chicago Lab School to see if they could get a tour of the school and enroll there next fall.

Hyde Park Herald: High school students, parents, and education activists stage action at the U. of C. Lab School

CPS Special Ed Investigation

The IL House held a six-hour hearing on special education last Friday. We do have video: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

WBEZ: Chicago Schools Chief: Cost A Driver In Special Ed Overhaul

The IL State Board of Education (ISBE) is investigating CPS around special ed policies and practices. It’s important that they hear from parents who have trouble with IEP compliance for their children.

If you are a parent who has had trouble getting services for your child including service delays or denials, transportation issues or denials, and withdrawal of a paraprofessional or denial of one, please fill out this Google form (in English and Spanish) and we’ll be in touch with you. Printable form here in English and here in Spanish. You can email the printed form to info@ilraiseyourhand.org or send it via the US Postal Service to IL Raise Your Hand, 73 W. Monroe #221, Chicago, IL 60603.

If you have questions and are not ready to fill out the form, email us at info@ilraiseyourhand.org. RYH will also be doing a series of “Know Your Rights Workshops” on the south and west sides in March and April. If you’re interested in attending, please email us.

Citywide LSC Candidate Summit 2018

LSC Elections information is posted here. Please consider running for your LSC!

In addition, please attend the Citywide LSC Candidate Summit on Saturday, February 10, 9:30am - 1:30pm at NTA Elementary, 55 W. Cermak. RYH is a sponsor with many other community organizations. You can find the Facebook event page here. You can register to attend here. You can download a flyer in both English and Spanish here.

School Ratings Forum

In partnership with multiple organizations, we are hosting a public forum: What Makes a School Great...And Do Level Ratings Measure It? Chicago schools live and die by their level ratings. Ratings drive enrollment and resources and are used to justify closings. What if communities created a rating system to help schools, students and families? What would a rating system designed to decrease sorting, segregation, and inequity look like?

Monday, February 12, 7-9:00pm, Kenwood High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Avenue

Find out more about the forum & RSVP here. Please share the Facebook event page to your own page, invite people, and share on your school’s Facebook page. Download a pdf flyer to print here.

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