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For more information contact:

Monique BondCPS Office of CommunicationsPhone: 773-553-1620

Fax: 773-553-1622Website: http://www.cps.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:January 19, 2010

Chicago Public Schools Officials Announce 2010 Proposed School ActionsNew Student Bill of Rights Criteria Guides Process

Chicago Public Schools officials today announced a series of proposed school actions that aredesigned to improve educational opportunities for students at low-performing schools and createoperational efficiencies by closing school buildings that are under enrolled or in poor condition.

CPS Chief Executive Officer Ron Huberman and Chief Education Officer Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins said the proposed actions call for the turnaround of five schools, closing four schools,

consolidating four schools and phasing out one school.

Our primary obligation is to assess the performance of schools and provide the best possibleeducational opportunity for students in every school in Chicago, Huberman said. This meanstaking a long hard look at every school under our Performance Policy and making what can bedifficult decisions on whether a school is properly serving its students.

At the same time, we like virtually every school system in the U.S. are faced with toughbudget constraints and, as a result, we must ensure that we are using our limited operationalfunds in a smart, cost-effective way. We cannot afford to operate schools where the studentpopulation has declined to a level in which keeping a school open is no longer fiscally prudent.

Under Board-approved policy, CPS can close or create turnaround schools for chronic lowperformance; for low enrollment and underutilization; or if a building has fallen into a state ofsubstantial disrepair.

- more-

Office of Communications 125 South Clark Street , 60603Chicago IL (773) 553-1620 : (773)FAX 553-1621
http://www.cps.edu/http://www.cps.edu/


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Chicago Public Schools - Press Release Page 2 of 4

In cases where school actions are approved by the Board, new guidelines introduced this yearaim to ease the transition of students from one school to another.

Huberman said the proposed actions are the result of months of study, analysis and outreach, andthat a series of public hearings will take place over the next few weeks to hear from schoolcommunities, concerned citizens and other stakeholders. Following the hearings, CPSadministration will make a recommendation in February to the Chicago Board of Education forturnarounds, phase-outs, consolidations and closing that would take effect beginning with the2010-11 school year

Huberman said two high schools and three elementary schools are proposed for turnaroundbecause of poor academic performance. Under the turnaround strategy, students stay at theirschool and new leadership and staff are brought in to change the school culture and performanceexpectations.

The turnaround strategy at CPS began in 2006 with the conversion of Sherman ElementarySchool by the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL). The following year, HarvardElementary School was turned around by AUSL. In all, 16 CPS schools are currently being turnedaround by AUSL; by the CPS Office of School Turnarounds, which reports to Chief EducationOfficer Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins; or are engaged in turnaround efforts that are principal-led.

AUSL would be designated to implement the turnaround strategy at four of the schools for whichturnaround is being proposed:

Bradwell Elementary School, 7736 South Burnham

Frank L. Gillespie Elementary School, 9301 South State St.

Charles S. Deneen Elementary School, 7257 South State St.

Wendell Phillips High School, 244 East Pershing Road

The current John Marshall High School, 3250 W. Adams, is proposed to be turned around bythe CEdO-CPS Office of School Turnarounds.

Huberman said one school is being proposed for phase-out because of low enrollment:

George Schneider Elementary School, 2957 North Hoyne Ave.

In a phase-out, existing students may stay at the school but the school will not enroll any newstudents and decrease by one grade level per year.

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Office of Communications 125 South Clark Street , 60603Chicago IL (773) 553-1620 : (773) 553-1621FAX


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Huberman said four schools are being proposed for consolidation:

McCorkle Elementary School, 4421 S. State St., because of the poor condition of itsfacility. Ludwig Beethoven Elementary School, 25 W. 47 th St. which has beendesignated as the receiving school for McCorkle students, will receive $8.5 million incapital improvements during the summer.

Ignance Paderewski Elementary School, 2221 S. Lawndale Ave., because of lowstudent enrollment. Roswell B. Mason Elementary School, 4217 West 18th St., is thedesignated receiving school.

Guglielmo Marconi Elementary School, 230 N. Kolmar Ave., due to under enrollmentwill be consolidated with George W. Tilton Elementary School, 223 North Keeler Ave.,to form Tilton-Marconi School. Other school options for Marconi students will includeEricson, Gregory and Calhoun North Elementary Schools.

Irvin C. Mollison Elementary School, 4415 South King Drive, due tounderperformance will be consolidated with Ida B. Wells Prep Elementary School, 244East Pershing Road, in the Mollison building, as the Wells-Mollison School.

Huberman said four schools will be closed:

George W. Curtis Elementary School, 32 E. 115th St., because of poor academicperformance. Designated receiving schools are Charles Haley, 11411 S. Eggleston, andGeorge Pullman, 11311 S. Forrestville, Elementary Schools.

Simon Guggenheim Elementary School, 7141 S. Morgan Ave., because of pooracademic performance. Designated receiving schools are William A. Hinton, 644 W. 71st

St., and John P. Altgeld, 1340 W. 71st St., Elementary Schools. William H. Prescott Elementary School, 1632 West Wrightwood Ave., because its

student enrollment is far below operational efficiency. Designated receiving schools areLouis A. Agassiz, 2851 N. Seminary Ave., and Augustus H. Burley, 1630 W. Barry,Elementary Schools.

Bartholome De Las Casas Occupational High School, 8401 S. Saginaw Ave,because of facilities-related and programmatic issues, along with low attendance.Students from this special needs school will be placed in either private schools that canmeet their needs or Moses Montefiore School, 1310 S. Ashland Ave.

Students whose schools are ultimately approved for consolidation or closure this year will be

covered under the School Closings Student Bill of Rights, which will provide them with additionalsafeguards, supports and programmatic opportunities as they transition into their new schools,Huberman said.

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The Bill of Rights initiative was presented at the December Chicago Board of Education meeting.Its aim is to encourage the successful transfers for students impacted by a closure orconsolidation. Among its provisions:

When a school is closed or consolidated, students will be assigned to a receiving schoolthat has performed better academically on the CPS Performance Policy than theiroriginal school.

CPS will create safe passage plans in coordination with community partners, theChicago Police Department, Chicago Transit Authority and other city agencies,

CPS will work with receiving school principals to extend instructional time in designatedreceiving schools.

Designated receiving school principals and teachers will create personal learning plansfor transitioning students to facilitate their academic continuity.

We do not discount or minimize the emotional attachment many CPS families have to theirschools, Huberman said. However, it is our job to ensure that we are providing the educationalopportunities for our students that give them the best chance at success. We also have to assesswhether our facilities are being utilized to their capabilities. These are key among the factors thathave led us to these proposed school actions.

Huberman emphasized the importance of the upcoming public and, in some cases, communityhearings. We will evaluate the testimony that is presented prior to issuing our recommendation tothe Board, he said. Huberman pointed out that last year, he removed six schools from the originalproposed school actions list after assessing input from those hearings.

Chicago Public Schools serves approximately 408,000 students in more than 670 schools. It is thethird-largest school district in the nation.

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