Jackie Leavy has sent around another powerful post. We sure miss her and Neighborhood Capital Budget Group, which she ran for years, but what a gift that she is still speaking out so effectively. Please note her spot-on comment about today’s Tribune editorial: “The Tribune criticizes protesters who are questioning CPS’ School Actions and Turn-Arounds for disrupting the CPS Board meeting last month. However the Editorial is silent on the phenomenon of folks being recruited by organizations that have contracts with CPS and paid to say they support CPS at the recent public hearings.”

From Jackie:

Dear Supporters of Great Public Schools for All Students: 

Tuesday, Jan. 24th (during the President’s State of the Union address) -  WGN broadcast a report on the CPS School Action Hearings. Since many of us likely didn’t get a chance to see it, here is the link – this is a report you don’t want to miss: http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-cps-protestors-cps-official-deny-use-of-rentaprotester–20120124,0,340019.story

WGN reports that the Chicago Teachers Union plans to call on CPS’ Inspector General to investigate. WBEZ is also continuing to cover the story, with a promise to “follow the money” by reporter Linda Lutton on air this morning (01/26). 

West Humboldt Park Parents Vote Overwhelmingly to Reject Proposed AUSL Turn-Arounds:

On Jan. 24th, CASALS and PICCOLO schools parents held their own VOTE to see what parents really want for their schools. Latrice Watkins, Piccolo Parent and LSC Chair explained, “We knew that the reality of or schools was being ignored, so to show the support for what’s happening in our schools, we organized this election. . . . What’s happening at Piccolo already is a turn-around. . . . CPS did not take into consideration the great momentum at the school.”  Ms. Watkins said, “We got together and began calling parents and talking to parents. . . . We want to send a message that there is a big mistake being made here.”  Only parents/guardians could vote, and there was one vote per household. Casals joined in as well to take a vote at their own school. ELECTION RESULTS:

•  At Pablo Casals:  93% of the 171 parents/guardians who voted yesterday resoundingly rejected CPS’ Plan to have AUSL take over their school.
•  At Piccolo:  89% of the more than 100 parent/guardians voting said “NO” to the proposed AUSL take-over.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE:  SOTO “WANTS TO STOP SCHOOL REFORM COLD”. . . “DON’T PROTECT FAILING SCHOOLS”. . . “LEGISLATORS . . . RESIST THE URGE TO MEDDLE“:  Today the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board published the attached editorial. It says State Rep. Soto is trying to “stop school reform cold.”  The Tribune focuses on how terrible Guggenheim, Crane HS, and Dyett HS are. The editorial states “lawmakers in Springfield don’t know best about which Chicago schools should be closed or spared. That’s rightly a local decision.” The Tribune criticizes protestors who are questioning CPS’ School Actions and Turn-Arounds for disrupting the CPS Board meeting last month.  However the Editorial is silent on the phenomenon of folks being recruited by organizations that have contracts with CPS and paid to say they support CPS at the recent public hearings.

What’s Next?

–  Proposed School Actions:  Hearings again tonight and tomorrow night at 125 S. Clark: THURSDAY, 01/26:  5:30 PM – Doolittle East Elementary; 8 PM Guggenheim Elementary.  Friday, Jan. 27th:  5:30 PM Dyett HS; 8 PM:  Lathrop Elementary.  THEN . . . Watch for the Independent Hearing Officers’ Reports to be posted online at CPS’ website – between next week and February 7th.  BOARD VOTES on FEB. 22nd.

–  DOCUMENT & CIRCULATE YOUR ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR YOUR SCHOOLto the media and your elected officials; send to CPS’ CEO Jean Claude Brizard and to the CEFTF:  ceftf.ilga@gmail.com.  Be as specific as you can be: What you want to do, what you need to do it.

–  CPS Hearings on Proposed Turn-Arounds next week! Schedule here. Ask your elected officials to consider YOUR ALTERNATIVE proposals.

– Invite a CPS Board member to your next CAC meeting, LSC meeting, or your school/community, or to a meeting, to learn about your ALTERNATIVE PLAN for YOUR School.

–  Read the Tribune Editorial.  You may decide you want to “weigh in” and respond.  If you do, here is the link to submit a Letter to the Editor:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-lettertotheeditor,0,3578487.customform.

jackie

Just when public education advocates were feeling disappointed in President Obama all over again – with his SOTU call to stop teaching to the test by making tests a major element in teacher evaluation, etc. – something comes along to remind us why people have brains.

Last Stand 4 Children First (LS4C) is a national lampoon of the Stand for Children/Students First mercenaries whose expensive propaganda is being used to justify gutting public education in the US. LS4C recently posted some Illinois pages at www.standillinois.org. Go to the site and enjoy it all – it’s not long but it’s rich! Here’s a taste:

GET TO KNOW US

We believe all children deserve to succeed in life. Much of our funding comes from the most elite families in Chicago. Our corporate masters need a reliable source of middle management and we believe only a very regimented education focusing on standardized tests can adequately prepare students for such a future.

Our Mission

Our mission is to insure that top down initiatives from the Mayor’s office have the appearance of parent empowerment and buy in.

“Join the struggle to help turnaround our failing schools and earn cash and other valuable merchandise.”

***

There’s a lot more about Chicago on the LS4C national blogspot. too – don’t miss it!

From Jackie Leavy, advisor to Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force:

1/24/12

Dear Supporters of Great Public Schools for All Students:

Did you know that the new reform law requires CPS to post Summaries of the Community Hearings on School Actions, within 5 calendar days of the hearing date?

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE CPS WEBSITE – READ THEM FOR YOURSELF.  LEARN WHO CPS SAYS WAS IN ATTENDANCE ON JAN. 6TH AND JAN. 20TH, AND WHAT THE TESTIMONIES WERE:

http://www.cps.edu/About_CPS/Policies_and_guidelines/Pages/2011TransitionPlans.aspx

THE INDEPENDENT HEARING OFFICER

Did you know? The new reform law requires that . . . .

“The independent hearing officer shall issue a written report that summarizes the hearing and determines whether the chief executive officer complied with the requirements of this Section and the [School Action] guidelines”.

    - This refers to Sec. 34-230 of the law, “School action public meetings and hearings”.  This is the Section that REQUIRES CPS’ CEO to come up with academic and non-academic criteria and Guidelines for School Actions. 

    – IF YOU AGREE with the General Assembly Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force that CPS has NOT complied with this section of the law – because the School Action Guidelines are so vague and not specific to each type of Action CPS wants to take – tell your Independent Hearing Officer so. 

   –  IF your review of CPS’ Summaries of the Jan. 6th and Jan. 20th hearings raise any concerns:  Tell your Independent Hearing Officer about those concerns.

THE LAW ALSO REQUIRES THAT . . . 

CPS’ “chief executive officer shall publish the report [of the Independent Hearing Officer] on the district’s internet website within 5 calendar days after receiving the reportand at least 15 days prior to any Board action being taken.”  Look for the Independent Hearing Officers’ reports on CPS’ website before or no later than February 7th- 15 days before the February 22nd, 2012 CPS Board meeting.

Knowledge is power.

From ed.gov:

Watch the State of the Union Live Tonight

Tonight at 9 pm EST, President Obama will give his annual State of the Union address, with education being a likely topic of discussion during the speech. You can watch an enhanced version of the speech with graphics and data at whitehouse.gov/live, and join the conversation on Twitter during the speech by using the hashtag #sotu.

Following the speech, a panel of senior advisors, including Secretary Duncan, will answer your questions. Ask your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #WHchat and on the White House’s Facebook page.

On Wednesday, ED will post a summary of the education portions of the State of the Union on our Homeroom blog. Click here to sign up for email updates from ED’s Homeroom.

On Friday at 12 pm EST, Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy, will hold Twitter office hours to answer your State of the Union questions. Ask your question using #WHChat on Twitter and follow the chat through the White House’s @WHLive Twitter account.

***

Here’s the question I posted to the Facebook page:

Your educational policies are, unfortunately, contrary to what most educators and parents support. It seems to many of us that these policies are designed to empower private school management companies, not school communities. Will you pledge to be a more careful listener to what people in the schools are saying to you and Secretary Arne Duncan? We believe that our children’s futures and the future of public education are too important to leave up to wealthy philanthropists and investors in education management companies. Thanks!

Teacher Anthony Cody has some great suggestions for questions on his blog. Here’s one:

As we go further down the road of expansion of charter schools, supported by Race to the Top and other federal policies, researchers are finding that these schools are intensifying the degree of economic and racial segregation. Does the administration plan to continue to support the expansion of charter schools?

We’ve done it before, but the momentum for demanding a citywide moratorium on school closings grows stronger than ever.

Why do I say that?

1) The front-page headline story in the Sun-Times exposing the rent-a-protesters at school closing hearings has turned up the heat on CPS and its refusal to listen to the real people in the school communities who are affected by district actions.

2) The Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force (CEFTF), a state legislative advisory body established to assure that CPS facilities decisions are fair and transparent, has done its due diligence in collecting information and analyzing the CPS process and policy. The CEFTF has determined on a near-unanimous vote to report to the Illinois General Assembly that the CPS school closing and turnaround process is out of compliance with Public Act 97-0474 (only the CPS representative voted no).  Rep. Cynthia Soto, CEFTF co-chair, is preparing to introduce a bill calling for a moratorium.

3) Community-generated plans for school improvement, such as the “Bronzeville Global Achievers Village School Improvement Plan,” are beginning to resonate with the public (see this story, for example, about changes to a legislative proposal in Florida to include consideration of parent-generated school improvement plans when schools are considered for intervention).

For today’s Public Schools Action Tuesday, please send a quick message like the following to CPS here and to Mayor Emanuel here, and if you have an extra minute, to your alderman:

CPS under mayoral control has had 17 years to fix our schools. By working against the desires, proposals, and concerns of local stake holders, CPS has nearly decimated the school system without significantly raising achievement. It’s time for a moratorium on school closings and turnarounds. CPS must re-engage with parents and the entire school community through LSCs, PACs, and other meaningful opportunities for open dialogue, collaborative planning, and all-way accountability.

There’s a Board meeting tomorrow where many threatened schools will be represented, and there are hearings this week and ongoing about the changes CPS proposaes for these schools:

Tuesday, January 24

5:30 to 8:30 pm – Crane Closing hearing, Talent Development Co-location hearing at 125 S Clark Street, 5^th floor Board Chambers

Wednesday, January 25

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm – Best Practice HS Closing hearing at 125 S Clark Street, Rm 1550

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – ACT Charter and Nash Co-location hearing at 125 S Clark Street, 5^th floor Board Chambers

Thursday, January 26

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm – Chi Arts and Doolittle Co-location hearing at 125 S Clark Street, 5^th floor Board Chambers

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Guggenheim Closing hearing at 125 S Clark Street, 5^th floor Board Chambers

Friday, January 27

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm – Dyett HS Phase-out hearing at 125 S Clark Street, 5^th floor Board Chambers

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Lathrop Closing hearing at 125 S Clark Street, 5^th floor Board Chambers

Monday, January 30

5:30-7:30 p.m. – Casals AUSL Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Piccolo AUSL Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

Tuesday, January 31

5:30-7:30 p.m. – Herzl AUSL Turnaround hearing at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Stagg AUSL Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

Wednesday, February 1

5:30-7:30 p.m. – Fuller AUSL Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Woodson South OSI Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

Thursday, February 2

5:30-7:30 p.m. – Marquette AUSL Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Smith OSI Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

Friday, February 3

5:30-7:30 p.m. — Chicago Vocational OSI HS Turnaround hearing at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Tilden OSI Turnaround hearing, at 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor Board Chambers

Congratulations to our powerful, tireless Parents Across America member, Rita Solnet, and other parents in Florida for taking a lemon of a bill (promoted as “parent empowerment”) and making it into something a lot more like lemonade!

According to the Tampa Bay Times,

Heading toward its first hearings, Florida’s proposed “Parent Empowerment Act” came uder blistering criticism from parent groups saying the initiative was a “scheme” to hand neighborhood schools over to private entities. Many parent groups immediately disavowed any input in the bill that supposedly is for them.

“They try to sell it as a piece of grassroots legislation,” said another parent about the so-called “parent trigger” law, but “It’s more astroturf.”

In a change that Illinois legislators and the Chicago school board ought to pay attention to, the Florida proposal now gives a fair hearing to parents’ ideas for school improvement:

In one key change, the bill would give school boards the power to select a perennially struggling school’s first reform plan. Parents could submit an alternate if they wish, and the board would then have to send that option to the state for consideration. “If the state board determines that the school turnaround option selected by the parents is more likely to improve the academic performance of students at the school, it shall remand the district school board’s implementation plan to the school board,” the draft states.

Bronzeville parents have been trying with little success to get CPS to pay attention to their “Bronzeville Global Achievers Village School Improvement Plan,” which is an alternative to closing even more schools in their community.

We were using the phone last night sometime after 7 pm when our SFC call came in. The voice mail message that “Jackie” left for us said she was sorry she missed us but that she was with Stand for Children and that if we, like them, want better education for children, we should look at their web site.

While local SFC leaders are claiming that they “just want to have an open conversation” about ways to improve schools, they seem pretty fixated on the turnaround model. It’s certainly front and center on their web site, and they make it sound so reasonable: