During a contentious hearing on the Chicago school closings and turnarounds, Rep. Monique Davis compared actions of the CPS board to those during the "German whatever" (referring to the Nazi regime that closed Jewish businesses and schools in the 30s).

by Michael Wille Following a contentious 7 hour hearing on Wednesday, the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to turn around 10 failing schools and close or phase out 7 others. These schools had been seriously under performing over the last 5 years even with increased financial support from the city and the state. Nevertheless,...

by Michael Wille In their opening round of teacher contract negotiations, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has demanded reduced class sizes, higher taxes on the city’s richest residents and a whopping 30 percent salary increase with little accountability in return. Think about what they are calling for. At a time when 10.2 percent of Chicagoans are out...

by Michael Wille With the CPS graduation rate hovering around 55%, you would think that teachers would be supportive of giving kids more time in the classroom.  After all, according to a new website started by CPS to promote the longer school day, 14 of 15 studies have confirmed positive results between lengthening time in the classroom...

by Mark Cavers An article in the Chicago Tribune yesterday quotes a representative of the Chicago Teachers Union arguing against the CPS decision to explore closing some under enrolled schools in an effort to close a $750 million deficit. The president attacks the decision saying the Chicago Public School system has, “a moral obligation to … stop these...

According to a Renaissance Schools Fund and Richard Day Research poll, Chicago's charter school parents report overwhelming satisfaction with the quality of their children's education.

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...

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...

by Collin Hitt Reason Magazine has a great feature on online learning by Katherine Mangu Ward. As is typical with her journalism, it provides clarity to a complex issue. She sums up the unease with technology felt by teachers and bureaucrats, which has real consequences for today’s students: Adults who weren’t weaned on broadband find...