Chalkbeat
Inside A Chicago High School’s Year Of Uncertainty
Attendance is down. Behavioral issues are up. COVID has waned and surged. At Richards Career Academy, staff and students are forging ahead.
Illinois Is Expelling Fewer Preschoolers. But Programs Still Exclude Young Children
Boys, Black children and kids with disabilities are overrepresented among children who are formally expelled from programs in Illinois, data shows.
Teachers Union Calls On Chicago To Delay High School Reopening By A Week, But District Wants To Stay Course
Officials said they are working with the city’s public health department on a vaccination plan for students 16 and older, but the district has not shared any details.
Chicago Wants Leeway To Require COVID Vaccines For School Employees — But Has No Plans To Do So
The district also wants employees to disclose whether they have been vaccinated.
For First Time, Chicago’s Local School Council Election To Include Mail-In Option
The new hybrid voting option will ensure mail-in ballots are sent to teachers, school staff and parents, while still offering an in-person voting option for those groups.
Thousands Of Students Are Missing From Chicago’s Virtual Classrooms. Here’s The Plan To Find Them.
CPS said 49,000 students failed to log into classrooms on the first day of remote learning, a figure it has now winnowed down to fewer than 6,900 after expanded outreach efforts.
A 6-Hour School Day With More Live Instruction: Chicago Public Schools Releases Final Fall Plan
The plan includes a return to letter grades and the daily tracking of attendance.
CPS Agreed To Pay School Police Officers’ Full Salary And Pensions — Up To $150,000 Per Year
New data shows what CPS’ contract with police calls for: a full year’s salary and benefits for 10 months of work.
Lincoln Park High Allegations Test Chicago’s New Protocol For Investigating Sexual Misconduct Complaints
“The mood is somber. The school is in chaos,” one parent said Thursday.
Bernie Sanders Joins Chicago Teachers Union Rally, Calls Educators ‘The Conscience Of America’
Chicago teachers are voting this week on whether or not to authorize a strike, which could happen as soon as Oct. 7.
Chicago Graduated More Seniors This Year. How Did Your School Do?
The school district said that gains by African-American students are one of the biggest drivers behind the improved numbers.
In The Middle Of Chicago, An Emerging Curriculum Blooms In A Hidden City Garden
The Urban Growers Collective camp teaches students about everything from gardening and compost to food justice and the agriculture industry.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot Appoints Parents, Grads, Educators For New Chicago School Board
Chicago's new mayor overhauled the board that oversees the Chicago Public Schools.
In First Term As Mayor, Lightfoot’s Schools Agenda To Include Overhaul Of Budgets, Campus Policing
Lori Lightfoot’s transition committees presented recommendations for the mayor-elect’s agenda Friday.
Early Kindergarten, Grade Skipping: Chicago Considers New Options For Gifted Children
Parents who’ve seen a proposal draft say it sets the bar too high for most children to qualify.
Dedicated Teachers, Overflowing Bathrooms: What Chicagoans Want Lori Lightfoot To Know About Their Schools
More than 330 educators, parents and students weighed in on what they want Lori Lightfoot to know about Chicago Public Schools.
Internet Failure Interrupts ‘Zombie PARCC’ At 125 Chicago Schools
The outage began in the morning when AT&T, the district’s service provider, accidentally cut through a fiber optic cable.
Chicago Says Nearly Half Of Its Schools Are Under-Enrolled, But Critics Challenge District Formula
In years past, the numbers have been used to help justify school closings.
