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PURE has sent CPS CEO Ron Huberman a revised proposal to change the system's elementary promotion policy.

The evidence is overwhelming that the current CPS promotion policy does not work. It disproportionately harms African-American and Latino students.

At a time when we are experiencing a national economic emergency, there can be no excuse for perpetuating a wasteful, costly program that research has shown offers no benefit to the children it purports to help.

The CPS promotion policy has also been shown to accelerate the drop out rate at a time of national commitment to address this crisis.

This proposal will not take CPS back to social promotion, which also did not work (but which was actually more effective than retention). We believe it's time to move forward, to learn from the mistakes of both social promotion and retention, and try to avoid them.

PURE is offering to help Mr. Huberman establish a policy that proactively addresses students' needs instead of retroactively punishing them.

Here's our proposal. We will keep you posted on Mr. Huberman's response.

This recently-updated position paper focuses on the disparities in funding and resources within the state and within the Chicago system. The paper proposes remedies for this irresponsible situation. 

In 1999, PURE wrote this pamphlet with FairTest and some other Chicago groups to inform parents about the problems with the high-stakes use of the Iowa and TAP tests in Chicago and answered such questions as:

■    Parents, do you believe that either the Iowa (ITBS) or the high school TAP tests alone accurately measure your child’s abilities?

■    Do you believe that, if your child works hard enough, he or she should be able to “pass” the ITBS or TAP?

■    How much do you really know about the ITBS and TAP tests, on which so much of your child’s future depends?

This booklet was written especially for Chicago Public School parents by the LSC Summit, a coalition of Chicago parent and school reform groups together with FairTest, a nationally-recognized organization specializing in issues of student testing. 

How are poverty and education related in Chicago?

Download PURE's paper here.

PURE's complaint led to major changes in the CPS policy to flunk students in 3rd, 6th, and 8th grade based on Iowa test scores alone. CPS added other measures and a parental right to a review.

The policy is still flawed, and CPS continues to flunk about 10,000 students per year despite strong evidence that it does not help, and actually hurts students.

Read the full complaint here. 

The ERA Plan is a new way for school communities to measure student and school progress toward the Illinois Learning Standards. ERA stands for "Evaluation Report for Assessment and Accountability." It was developed by Chicago groups in 2001.

Unlike the current standardized test-driven system, the new ERA Plan supports and encourages high-quality curriculum, instruction, and assessment based on state standards. 

Read the New ERA Plan here. 

Click here to read PURE's full testimony on the Modified Desegregation Consent Decree of the Chicago Public Schools.

A summary version of this presentation was filed prior to a planned May 2006 public hearing which was cancelled after CPS and the U. S. Justice Department came to a resolution.