Chicago Public Schools

Trib to New Chicago Public Schools Boss: Don’t Slack

By Chris Andriesen
11/22/2010
by Collin Hitt Some big efforts were begun by Ron Huberman during his time as CEO of Chicago Public Schools.  The Trib editors encouraged his replacement Terry Mazany to keep shouldering those boulders uphill.  I would agree, especially with this one: “There’s a boulder labeled Extending The School Day. Huberman started pilot programs to give...

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Terry Mazany named head of Chicago Public Schools

By Chris Andriesen
11/16/2010
By Collin Hitt Greg Hinz reports that Mayor Daley has officially named the replacement for the outgoing Chicago Public Schools chief Ron Huberman. The new schools CEO – and probably the last of the Daley administration – is Terry Mazany from the Chicago Community Trust, who will serve in an interim role until the city’s next mayor...

TAGS: Chicago

Fact Finder: Charter Schools Retain Students Better than Nearby Public Schools

By Collin Hitt
11/10/2010
Fact: The percentage of students who transfer out of charter schools is roughly half that of the neighborhood public schools which charter students would likely otherwise attend. Charter schools are a new kind of public school, attended solely by choice. They must take all comers, irrespective of past performance in school or on tests.  Through...

Rhee or Vallas to Chicago?

10/12/2010
by Collin Hitt Chicago mayoral hopeful Gery Chico says that he’d be interested in bringing Paul Vallas back to run the city’s public school system.  Chico mentioned the possibility to Chicago Magazine columnist Carol Thelsenthal, who had floated the idea of bringing Michelle Rhee from Washington, D.C. to Chicago. I asked announced mayoral candidate Gery Chico, a...

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Chicago Public Schools new CEO?

10/07/2010
by Collin Hitt The unsurprising word has leaked that Chicago schools chief Ron Huberman – a Daley appointee – will leave his post before the beginning of a new administration. Greg Hinz… With Chicago Public Schools officials confirming a Chicago Sun-Times story that schools chief Ron Huberman will leave along with Mayor Richard M. Daley, who else...

Charter Schools Dominate Top Ten

09/22/2010
by Collin Hitt Charter schools in Chicago turned in 6 of the top 10 scores on the ACT last year, according to the Illinois Network of Charter Schools. This is the second year in a row, at least, where charter schools have dominated the top ten for non-selective high schools in the city. The press...

Chicago Kids, Online, at School, Staying Late?

08/25/2010
by Collin Hitt Chicago Public Schools has announced that it is moving forward with a new plan to extend the school day at select elementary schools by using online learning technology.  The Trib carried the story: In an effort to extend what is one of the nation’s shortest school days, Chicago Public Schools plans to add...

Chicago Misspent TIF Funds, Says Audit

06/30/2010
by Kate Piercy Because of “improper spending and oversight of TIFs,” Inspector General Joe Ferguson has concluded the City of Chicago lost Chicago taxpayers “$1.2 million in funds generated by the now-defunct Central Loop tax-increment-financing district — and spent $329,000 for ineligible art work,” according to a Sun-Times report. Ferguson audited of “more than four years worth...