Illinois gets second largest preschool grant
Recognizing Illinois’ existing work in early childhood education, the U.S. Department of Education announced today that the state will receive an additional $20 million in annual federal funding to...
View ArticleTake 5: New discipline data; DFER to endorse aldermen and computer science...
1. Suspending black girls ... When it comes to suspensions and expulsions, much of the attention is on black boys. But a New York Times article points out that black girls also are disproportionately...
View ArticleTake 5: Secret recalculations, education platforms and chicken nuggets
Activist principal Troy LaRaviere might have discovered at least one of the “smoking guns” when it comes to the vexing question of why the district delayed releasing the school ratings for so long....
View ArticleTake 5: Dyett supporters ask for RFP to be halted; school ratings by race and...
Several members of the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School demanded Wednesday that board members adopt their plan for the school and reopen it in Fall of 2015, rather than follow the steps CPS...
View ArticleGone for the holidays
The crew at Catalyst is taking a break to celebrate with friends and family. We will return to work on Jan. 5. In the meantime, our reporters will remain on alert and post briefs about any major news...
View ArticleReport finds financial fraud, selective admissions abuses
Over the past five years, a CPS employee who worked at two struggling high schools milked them of almost $900,000 in a large, multi-faceted purchasing and reimbursement scam, according to today’s...
View ArticleTake 5: Catching up on the news
CPS leaders are open to handing over the education of the district’s most troubled, vulnerable students to private entities, putting out a Request for Proposals last week that asked for vendors to...
View ArticleTake 5: Rahm’s early childhood non-news and competing PARCC letters
Seven weeks ahead of Chicago’s mayoral election -- and about a week after his campaign started airing commercials touting his record on early childhood education -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel held a press...
View ArticleTake 5: Meeks to head state board, college credit classes, principal autonomy
In his first statements after being named chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education, Rev. James Meeks said he is open to charters and vouchers, anything that successfully closes the achievement...
View ArticleTake 5: Education assemblies, middle grades to college, Duncan’s pro-testing...
A diverse group of parents, students, teachers and educational activists came together on Wednesday evening to plan what they are calling "education assemblies." Details are still being worked out, but...
View ArticleMore CPS grads are getting college diplomas, though racial gaps persist
Back in 2006, Chicago researchers released a startling report on the post-secondary success of CPS students. The study ultimately concluded that just eight of every 100 high school freshmen would end...
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