Huberman Tightens Down On New Schools - Will Board Go Along?

CPS Announces Six New School Proposals for Priority Communities

Board of Education Will Consider Proposals at Next Meeting 

Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Ron Huberman today announced six new school recommendations to be submitted to the Chicago Board of Education for consideration at its November 18 meeting. If approved, all six schools will open in communities in need of high-quality education options. 

"Six months ago we targeted three underserved communities and strongly encouraged new school design teams, composed of educators and entrepreneurs with close ties to the community, to submit proposals for schools in those areas," said Huberman. "Today, after months of community, and parental input, we are pleased with the results."   Huberman also stressed that input from the Transition Advisory Councils (TAC) was crucial in making the decision process fair and sensitive to the needs of each of the school communities. TAC members met with Huberman last month to share their new school recommendations. 

The six proposals include four elementary schools, one high school serving grades 9-12, and a combination middle school-high school that will serve students grades 6-12. Three of the new schools are slated to open in the fall of 2010, and the other three schools are slated to open in the fall of 2011. All six will be subject to approval from the Chicago Board of Education later this month.  

The three schools slated to open in fall of 2010 are proposed in communities the district considers to be high priority -- Englewood, Riverdale (Far South Side) and South Chicago--and would be run by existing charter school operators who manage other high-performing schools in Chicago. If approved, these schools will be located in CPS buildings listed in the 2009 Request for Proposals (RFP), released this past May.  

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The three schools that will be recommended to the Board for a fall of 2010 opening include: 

• Noble Street Charter School - Englewood Campus, a proposed charter school, would serve grades 9-12. The Englewood Campus would follow the Noble model, which is built on a platform of small schools, strong leadership, strict adherence to a discipline code and a rigorous academic program that includes emphasis on reading, math, community service and physical fitness. The culture at all Noble Street schools is infused with the "Noble Way"-scholarship, discipline and honor. Noble Street currently operates nine campuses serving 2,200 students. The new school is proposed to be located at Reed Elementary School, 6350 S. Stewart Ave, which is being phased out.

• Chicago International Charter School (CICS) - Riverdale Campus, a proposed charter school, would serve grades 6-12.  The Riverdale Campus would offer students a rigorous college-preparatory education through innovation and choice. CICS currently operates 13 campuses serving 8,100 students, including the K-8 Lloyd Bond Campus that opened in Altgeld Gardens in the Riverdale community this fall. The new school is proposed to be located at Carver Middle School, 801 E. 133^rd Place, which was consolidated with Carver Elementary last year.

• LEARN Charter School - South Chicago Campus, a proposed charter school, would serve grades K-8. The South Chicago Campus would provide its students with the foundation and ambition to earn a college degree through an academically challenging college preparatory curriculum. Each LEARN school, which features an extended day and extended year, is driven by its set of distinct Core Principles: mutual respect among staff, parents, students, and communities served; expected active family contribution; and emphasis on character development and the whole child. LEARN currently operates three elementary schools serving 900 students on the west side of Chicago. Their flagship campus is one of the highest performing non-selective elementary schools in North Lawndale. The school is proposed to be located at James N. Thorp Elementary School, 8914 S. Buffalo Ave. as a permanent co-share.

CPS received 14 proposals to serve the Englewood, Riverdale and South Chicago communities. Design teams applied to open new schools in those areas through a competitive and community-based process.  

In each of these three communities, district officials formed a Transition Advisory Council (TAC) composed of parents, educators, community residents, community and faith- based organizations, and elected officials and their representatives. Beginning in May of this year, and lasting through October, the TACs met regularly to discuss the community's educational needs and assets, review education-based research, visit high performing schools, and review new school proposals.  
 
 
 
 

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Commenting on the process, Paulette Cage Edwards, Riverdale TAC member and Executive Director of the Foundation for Family Empowerment located in the Riverdale community said, "Parents in the Riverdale Community, like other communities, want to have a choice in schools for their children.  CICS is the choice of the Riverdale TAC. As a member of the Riverdale TAC and former Altgeld Gardens resident, I believe the rigorous academic plan and disciplined environment offered by CICS is needed to propel these children to reach beyond state academic benchmarks and in doing so achieving their fullest potential." 

The three schools that will be recommended to the Board for a fall of 2011 opening in independently owned buildings include:  

• LEARN Charter School - South Shore Campus, a proposed charter school, would serve grades K-8 in the South Shore community. Like the South Chicago Campus, the South Shore Campus would provide its students with an academically challenging college preparatory curriculum, a strong school culture and an extended day and extended year. The school is proposed to be located at 7110 S. Coles.

• Roseland Preparatory Academy, a proposed contract school, would serve grades K-8 in the Roseland community. Roseland Prep would offer students an education where they take pride in themselves, their families, their environment, their school and their community. The school will be modeled after Frazier Preparatory Academy, a college-prep contract school that opened in North Lawndale in the fall of 2007 and utilizes the Mosaica Paragon curriculum. The school is proposed to be located at 11400 S. Edbrook.

• UNO Charter School, a proposed charter school, would serve grades K-8. UNO seeks to provide its students a rigorous curriculum in a well-managed, structured environment to redefine the culture and expectations of public education, especially in urban settings among minority students. UNO currently operates one high school and eight elementary schools serving 3,700 students. Historically, UNO has focused on opening schools in communities experiencing overcrowding. The school's location is yet to be determined.

Also, three schools were approved by the Board last year to open in fall of 2010. They are: 

• UNO Charter School, a charter school approved by the Chicago Board of Education at its September 2008 meeting, will serve grades K-8. It will offer students a structured academic and social environment to prepare them for success in high school and beyond. The school's location is yet to be determined.

• UNO Hospitality High School, a charter school approved by the Board at their September 2008 meeting, will serve grades 9-12. Established in collaboration with the Chicago LEADS (Leading Economic Advancement, Development and Sustainability) Initiative, it will offer students a college-prep track and a career-prep track focusing on the hospitality industry. The school's location is yet to be determined.

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• Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy, a contract school approved by the Board at their October 2008 meeting, will serve grades 9-12. Also in partnership with Chicago LEADS, will offer college-prep and career-prep tracks that focus on study and careers in the health sciences. Students will have the opportunity to earn industry certification in nursing, health technology or health administration. The school's location is yet to be determined.

Finally, eight contract schools have applied to convert their existing or planned schools to charter schools. They are: 
 

• Academy of Global Citizenship (Garfield Ridge)
• Catalyst Circle Rock Campus (Austin)
• Chicago Talent Development High School (West Garfield Park)
• EPIC Academy High School (South Chicago)
• Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy (Near Southwest Side)
• Rowe Elementary (West Town)
• Urban Prep Academy for Young Men (East Garfield Park)
• Urban Prep Academy for Young Men (South Shore)