rahm education

8/8/2019 Rahm Education

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/rahm-education 1/7

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EDUCATIONAGENDA

WehavemadesignificantprogressfromthedaywhenChicagowasconsideredtohavethepoorestperformingpublicschoolsinthenation.Butwestillhavefartogo.Rahmknowsthatthiswillonlybeachievedwhenwehavethebestpossibleleadershipinourschoolsandourclassrooms,andtheinvolvementofeveryoneinourcommunity–fromparentstobusiness,civicandcommunityleaders–tohelpourchildrentakefulladvantageoftheirpotential.

Rahm'seducationagendaisguidedbyasinglemission:toensurethateverychildinChicagohasaccesstoaworld-classlearningexperience.Toachievethis,hehasputforwardspecificproposalsaroundthreethemes–empoweringprincipalswithgreaterautonomyandholdingthemaccountablefortheirschool’sperformance;givingteacherstheresourcestheyneedtosucceedandrewardingthemforexcellence;andprovidingparentswithmoreinformationabouttheirchild’seducationsothattheycanbemoreactivelyinvolved.AccesstoahighqualityeducationforeverychildineveryneighborhoodwilldramaticallyincreaseChicago'svitality,economicdevelopment,andglobalcompetitiveness.

EMPOWERPRINCIPALSANDHOLDTHEMACCOUNTABLEPrincipalsarethemayoroftheirschool–theyshouldbegivengreaterautonomyandrewardedfortheirsuccesses.Buttheymustalsobeheldaccountable.Rahmwillempowerprincipalswithmoreauthoritytoinnovateandindividualizetheirschool'sacademicstrategywhilerequiringthemtosignaperformancecontractthatsetscleargoalsandholdsprincipalsandstaffaccountableforresults.Giveleadersgreaterautonomytoinnovateintheirschool

Tosupportschoolleaders,Rahmwilldemandacompleteoverhaulofthepoliciesthatturnprincipalsintoadministrativecomplianceofficersratherthangivingthemthetimeandresourcestheyneedtoleadtheirschool.Hewillstartbystreamliningandeliminatingunnecessaryrulesthatgetinthewayofimprovingteachingandlearning.HewilltaskthenewCEOwithshrinkingthedistrictofficefootprintsothatallavailableresourcesaregivendirectlytoschools.Asmaller,focused,andmorenimbledistrictofficewillbededicatedtoservice,supportandaccountability–notcontrolandcompliance.Principalsthatdemonstrateresultswillreceiveincreasedautonomy–freedomfromadditionaldistrictrequirementsandtheabilitytopersonalizetheiruseoftime,peopleandmoney.Insteadofreceivingmandatesfromthedistrictabouttheuseoffunds,successfulprincipalswillreceivegreaterauthoritytopurchaseservicesfrominsideoroutsidethedistrict,orinvestinincreasedsupportforstudents,teachersandparents.



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CreatetheChicagoEducationInnovationFund

RahmworkedwithPresidentObamaandSecretaryofEducationArneDuncanonthefederalleveltopassRacetotheTop,whichsparkedarevolutionineducationpolicyreformaroundthecountry.HeisnowproposingChicago'sowninnovationfundtospurreformsinpractice–inclassroomsandschoolsacrossChicago.

Usingprivatecapitalraisedfromlocalbusinessesandthephilanthropiccommunity,theChicagoEducationInnovationFundwouldenticeschoolsacrossthecitytocompetetoachievethemost–measuredbytheirabilitytoinvolveparents,trainandsupportteachers,andgetstudentresultsinnewandinnovativeways.Theannualcostoftheprogram–$50million–wouldbefundedinitiallythroughprivateinvestment.Overtime,theInnovationFundwillbeunderwrittenbythecityfromsavingsfoundintheCPSbudget.AwardrecipientswillberecommendedandrankedbyanindependentpanelofChicagoandthenation’stopeducationleadersandpractitioners.Awardswillbemadeeverytwoyears,beginninginthe2012-13schoolyear.

BroadentheimpactoftheextraordinaryprincipalswithinthedistrictThereareanumberofhighlyeffectiveprincipalsalreadywithinCPSandRahmwillprovidethemtheopportunitytomanageadditionalschools,ultimatelycreatinganetworkofschoolsthattheywouldlead.Allowingthesevisionary,passionateeducatorstoleadadditionalschoolsisacost-effectivewaytobroadentheirreachandacceleratestudentlearningandacademicgrowthformoreCPSstudents.Requireaperformancecontractforallpublicschools

PerformancecontractshaveproventobeastrongaccountabilitymechanisminChicago'salternativepublicschoolsandinhighperformingsystemsnationwide.Schoolsleadersareforcedtomeetkeyperformancestandardsorrisklosingcontroloftheirschools.Astraditionalpublicschoolleadersreceivegreaterautonomy,theyshouldalsobeexpectedtomeetperformancebenchmarksandinnovateintheirschools.Afive-yearcontract–signedbetweentheprincipalandCPS–willsetclearexpectationsandaccountability.Anyleadershipteamthatfailstoliveuptothetermsoftheperformancecontractcanlosecontroloftheschool.Theschoolcouldthenbeclosed,turnedovertonewmanagement,orhaveitsleadershipteamandstaffreplaced.Performancecontractswillcovermorethangrowthinstandardizedtestscores.Principalswillbeexpectedtomeetcertainstandardsonstudentandstaffattendance,parentinvolvement,graduationrates,fiscalresponsibility,andeffectiveschoolorganization.Cultivatethenextgenerationofleaders

Chicago’skidsdependonexceptionalteachersandleaders.Withadeepbenchofdiverse,effectiveandwell-supportededucatorsfocusedonstudentlearningandperformance,Chicagocanoutperformanycityintheworld.RahmsupportsthecreationofaChicagoLeadershipAcademytoidentify,recruitandsupportthenextgenerationofleadersforChicagoPublicSchools.TheLeadershipAcademywillbeanewnon-profitorganization,fundedbybothphilanthropicanddistrictinvestments,andchargedwithdeliveringaminimumof50newprincipalsperyear.GIVETEACHERSTHERESOURCESTHEYNEEDTOTHRIVE



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Chicago'skidsdeservenothinglessthanthemostexceptionalteachersinthecountry.Rahm'sstrategybeginsbybuildingapipelineofhighly-effectiveteachers,providingthemqualitysupportthroughouttheirtenure,andcreatingsystemsineveryschooltoincentivizeaccountabilityandimproveperformance.Doublethenumberofteachertrainingacademies

TherearecurrentlysixurbanteacherresidencyprogramsinChicago.TheycombineafullyearofMaster'sDegreeleveluniversitycourseworkwithafullyearofprogressivelyresponsibleteachingundertheguidanceofamentorteacher.Aftertheiryearoftraining,successfulgraduatesareemployedasteachersinoneofChicago'sschools,wheretheyreceiveongoingcoachingandsupport.Morethan80percentoftheprogram’s368graduatesoverthepasteightyearsarestillteaching.RahmwouldliketodoublethenumberofacademiesandallowthegraduatestoteachinanyChicagopublicschool–traditional,turnaround,magnetorcharter.Thecurrentteacher-trainingprogramproduces50-70newteacherseachyear,atacosttoCPSof$3.5million.Theprogramcouldbescaledupovertwoyearstoproduce150newteachersayear,atacosttoCPSofabout$10million.Trainingacademieswouldalsohavecapacitytore-trainteachersalreadyservinginChicagotopreparethemspecificallyformakingadifferenceinthecity’smostunderperformingschools.Theprogramwouldbe

fundedwithsavingsfromthedistrict'sprofessionaldevelopmentbudget,whichhasdemonstratedlittleevidenceofeffectiveness.

Residents CPScontribution

Academy

contributionTotal

Current 65 $3.5million $2million $5.5million

Proposed 150 $10million $2million $12million

Incentivesforhighly-accomplishedteacherstotakeonthetoughestchallenges

Rahmwantstocreaterealincentivesforhighlyaccomplishedteacherstoworkinschoolsthatneedthemosthelp.Hewillstartbybuildinganewsalaryscalesonewteacherscanreachtopcompensationineightyearsiftheyarethebestofthebest,andtwelveyearsiftheyareverygood.Thosewhoaremosteffectivewillbeeligibleforbonusesiftheytransfertoalowperformingschoolandhelptoimproveit.Makeperformancematter

InChicago'sschools,layoffsaretypicallydonebyseniority.Rahmwillchangethatpolicytoensurethatthosewhoarelaidoffaretheleasteffectiveteachers,notthemostjunior.Thiswillrequireanewteacherevaluationsystembasedonacomprehensiveassessmentofinstructionalqualityandstudentperformance,notsimplyresultsfromoneannualexam.

ENGAGEPARENTSANDEXPECTINVOLVEMENTStudyafterstudyshowsthatachild'sbestchanceatsuccessdependsonanengagedparentorguardian.Rahm'sagendaaimstokeepparentsbetterinformedabouttheschooltheirchildattends,keepsthemupdatedabouttheirchild'sprogress,andhelpstoempowerthentoplayamoresignificantroleintheirchild'seducation.Inreturn,hewillcallonallparentstocommittohelptheirchildsucceedbyenteringintoasignedagreementwiththeirchild'steacherthatoutlinesclearexpectationsforhowtheywillhelptheirchildoutsideoftheclassroom. Areportcardforeveryschool



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Parentsdeserveareportcardthatgradestheirchild'sschool,notjusttheirchild'swork.EveryChicagoPublicSchoolprincipalcurrentlyreceivesareportcardwithatop-levelanalysisofhowtheirschoolsaredoingandwhethertheyaretrulyorganizedforimprovement.Rahmisproposingtodaythatasimplifiedversionofthesereportcardsbesharedwithparentssothattheyhavethenecessaryinformationtoparticipateintheirchild'seducationandpushforhigherstandardsintheirlocalschool.

Thereportcardwillincludelettergradesthatratecriteriasuchasschoolimprovementandorganization,schoolsafety,studentattendance,staffattendance,graduationrateandentryintopostsecondaryeducation.ReplaceAssistantPrincipalwithDirectorofFamilyandCommunityEngagement

Theprincipalmanagestheinner-workingsoftheschoolandisaccountableforitssuccess.Rahmwouldlikethesecond-in-commandtobechargedwithmanagingtheouter-workingsoftheschool:therelationshipwitheverychild'sparent.HewillreplacetheAssistantPrincipalrolewithaDirectorofFamilyandCommunityEngagement.Theindividualwouldmanageallextendedtimeprogramming(extendedday,weekandyear)andwouldbechargedwithparentorganizing,training,andenlisting

assetsofparentsintotheschool.ThetraditionaldutiesofanAssistantPrincipal–discipline,cafeteriasupervisionandoveralloperations–wouldbedistributedamongstaff.Parent-teacheragreement

Eachday,parentstrustteacherstonurtureandeducatetheirchildren.Teachersshouldalsoexpectthatparentscontinuetoprovideeducationleadershipathome.Rahmwillintroduceaparent-teacheragreementtobesignedbybothpartiesatthebeginningoftheschoolyearandmonitoredbytheschool'sDirectorofFamilyandCommunityEngagement.Theseagreements,whichareprevalentincharterandindependentschools,buildclearexpectationsforhowparentsshouldprovideextendededucationalopportunitiesfortheirchildren–fromwatchinglesstelevisiontoreadingtogethereachnight.Parenttrigger

Forschoolsthatarechronicallyfailing,Rahmwantstogiveparentsthelegalpowertotransformtheirchild'sschool.Underthismodel,ifamajorityofparentsinafailingschoolsignapetition,theycanforceatransformationoftheschool–eitherbyinvitinganewschooloperatortotakeitover,byforcingcertainadministrativechanges,orbyshuttingitdownoutright.Thisplanempowersparentstotakeownershipoverthesuccessoftheirchild'sschool.PROVIDESTUDENTSEXTENDEDEDUCATIONALOPPORTUNITIES

Givestudentsmorelearningtime

Chicagohasoneoftheshortestschooldaysandshortestschoolyearsinthecountry.OureighthgradestudentsaremorethanafullgradelevelbehindtheirBostonpeersinmath,andnearlyagradebehindtheirBostonpeersinreading.Partofthereasonisn'tsurprising:ChicagostudentsareintheclassroomonehourlessthantheirBostoncounterparts.Untillearningtimeisextended,particularlyforstudentsthatneeditmost,achievementwon'tdramaticallyimprove.Chicago'steachersarecommittedtoimprovingstudentoutcomesandoftenareemployedbyCPSinvariousafterschoolprogramsthroughouttheschoolyear.However,thecurrentcontractrestricts



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learningtimeandputsourchildrenandourcityatacompetitivedisadvantage.Rahmwillworkwiththeteachers'uniontolengthenthelearningdayandschoolyearbecauseit'stherightinvestmentinourchildrenandourcity'sglobalstanding.Increasedlearningtimewillincludeacademic,artsandsportsprogramsbeyondthetraditionalschoolday–buildingonthesuccessofthecommunityschoolmodelinplaceinsomeChicagoschools–andforgingnew,creativepartnershipswithcommunityandcivicorganizationsthatextendtheschoolday,weekand

year.Giventhecost-effectivenessoftechnology,wemustalsoincludeon-linelearningduringafterschoolprograms.RahmwillalsoinvestaportionoftheChicagoInnovationFundinschoolswiththebest,mostcost-effectiveideasforlengtheningtheschoolday,weekandyear.Putapriceonthecostofdroppingout

Studentswhodropoutofschoolshouldfaceconsequencesthatforcethemtoreconsidertheiraction.Rahmwillpushforalawthatimmediatelyrevokesthedriverslicenseofanystudentwhodropsoutofhighschool.

AcurriculumtokeepChicagostudentscompetitiveRahmhasproposedaChicagoCurriculumProjecttoensureourchildrenarethemostcompetitiveandcollege-readyinthenation.Specifically,thispublic-privateinitiativewillmakeChicagothefirstcitytomeetthenewfederalcollege-andcareer-readycurriculumstandards.Thesestandardshavebeendevelopedbyabipartisangroupofstategovernorsandchiefstateschoolofficerstoprovideaconsistent,clearunderstandingofwhatstudentsareexpectedtolearnwhilegivingflexibilitytoteacherstodeterminehowbesttohelpstudentsmeetthem.Nearly40states–includingIllinois–haveadoptedthestandards,butnomunicipalityhasyettointegratethestandardsintolocalcurriculum. TheProjectwillworkwithteachers,administratorsandparentstoproposeandassesschangestothecity'scurriculumtomeetthesenewstandards,willpilotinseveralpublicandalternativeschools,andwillbuildcapacitythroughteachertraining.TheHighSchoolChallenge

Whilesupportingprincipals,teachersandparentswillimproveschoolperformancethroughoutthecity,Chicagoneedstoinvestdedicatedeffort,ingenuityandresourcesintothecity’shighschools.Whileimprovingslightlyoverthelastdecade,Chicago’sdropoutratesremainstubbornlyhighandthosewhogoontocollegeoftendon'thavethehighschooleducationneededtosucceed.RahmwillfocusfirstonturningaroundChicago’sdropoutfactories(andtheirfeederschools),whichaccountfor50%ofChicagoschooldropouts.Thiswillincludecreatingnewschooloptionsforfamilies–replicatingsuccessfulneighborhoodhighschools,magnetschools,developingnewschools,leveragingsuccessfulturnaroundeffortsandbuildingadeepernetworkofalternativeschoolsforstudentswhodonotsucceedinthemainstream.TacklingChicago’stoughestschoolswillrequiremorethancreatingnewschooloptions.Itwilldependontargetedinvestmentsinincreasedsocialsupportsforchildrenwiththegreatestbarrierstoacademiclearning–socialworkers,collegecounselors,andstaffchargedwithinterveningandsupportingstudentsbeforetheydropout.Anditwilldependonthecitysteppingup.Rahmwillincentcommunitybasedorganizations,citywide



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non-profits,universities,commercialcompaniesandothercivicinstitutionstobringtheirpeopleandprogramstobeartosupportparticularstrugglingschoolsbyprovidingmentors,tutors,jobtraining,accesstocollegecourses,andinclassroomsupporttoschoolsthatneeditmost. ARECORDOFPUTTINGOURCHILDRENFIRST

RahmhasalwaysbelievedthataqualityeducationservesasthefoundationoftheAmericaneconomy.HehasworkedtomakeAmerica’spublicschoolsthebestintheworld,tomakecollegemoreaffordable,andtoensurechildrenacrossChicagohaveaccesstoinnovatinglearningstrategiesandgreatteachers.

LedeffortstopromoteinnovationinAmerica’sschools

AschiefofstafftoPresidentObama,RahmworkingwithSecretaryofEducationArneDuncantocreateandimplementthenewRaceToTheTopchallenge.ThisinitiativehasspurredaracetoreformAmerica’spublicschoolssothateverychildhasaccesstoacompleteandcompetitiveeducation.Backedbya$4.35billioninvestment,thereformsmadeunderRacetotheTopwillhelpprepareAmerica’sstudentstograduatereadyforcollegeandcareerbypromotingcompetitionamongstatestohavethemostinnovativeandsuccessfulschoolsinthenation.

Tookthecorporatemiddlemanoutofthestudentlendingprocess RahmhelpedleadtheObamaadministration’sefforttoreformthestudentlendingprocess–removingthecorporatemiddle-mansothatloanscouldbemadedirectlytostudentsandthefederalgovernmentcouldsave$80billionintaxpayerdollars.ThosesavingswerethenreinvestedinourchildrenthroughexpandedPellgrantsandincentivesandtaxcreditstohelpmakecollegemoreaffordable.InvestedinAmerica’scommunitycolleges

RahmplayedacentralroleincraftingandpushingtheObamaadministration'sAmericanGraduationInitiative,astrategydesignedtoboostgraduationrates,improvefacilitiesanddevelopnewtechnologyatcommunitycolleges.Theprogramwillcreateanadditional5millioncommunitycollegegraduatesby2020andnewinitiativestoteachAmericanstheskillstheywillneedtocompetewithworkersfromothernations.ExpandedteachertrainingopportunitiesinChicagopublicschools

In2005,Rahmsecured$2millioninstatefundingforateachertrainingacademythatwasjointlyimplementedbytheChicagoPublicSchoolsandtheAcademyforUrbanSchoolLeadership.ThisparticularprogramservesasamodelforthetypethatRahmhasproposedtodouble.FoughtforChicago’spublicschools

AsacongressmanrepresentingChicago’snorthandwestsides,RahmfoughtforadditionalfundingfortheChicagoPublicSchoolsystem.Hehelpedsecureanewgiftedprogramatalocalelementaryschoolandsecureda$1.2millionjuvenilejusticegrantforCPS.Madecollegemoreaccessibleandaffordable Aftermeetingaparentwhosaidthattheyweren’tabletocompletethelengthyandconfusingFAFSAstudentloanform,RahmintroducedtheCollegeMadeEZActtocreateasimplerapplicationforcollegeaid.HehadthehonorofwatchingthebillthengetimplementedunderPresidentObama.



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RahmalsointroducedtheUniversalHigherEducationandLifetimeLearningActtostrengthenandsimplifythethreeexistingtaxbreaksstudentscurrentlyusetohelppayforhighereducation:theHopeScholarship,theLifetimeLearningCredit,andthedeductionfortuitionandfees.

Pushedforexpandedschoolchoice

SeeingthesuccessofcharterschoolsinChicago,RahmintroducedthePellGrantsforKidsActtoexpandopportunitiesforstudentsinlow-performingschoolstoswitchtoacharterschool.Hislegislationwouldhaveauthorized$300milliontocreatenewcharterschoolsandexpandexistingcharterschoolstoaccommodatemorestudents.

rahm education

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