Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Chicago research group on school closings

The Chicago research group, CReATE, has been turning out the best, most readable stuff on corporate-style school reform. CReATE's latest research brief, prepared by Stephanie Farmer, Isaura Pulido, Pamela J. Konkol, Kate Phillippo, David Stovall and Mike Klonsky, on School Closures, is worth a read.

It concludes:
At present, the data reviewed in this research brief does not support Chicago Public Schools’ claim that closures are a viable solution to the current issues in the district. Instead, their greatest potential is to inflict deeper harm on African American and Latino/a communities. In addition to the current issues of privatization (via charter school expansion) and displacement, massive school closings are poised to continue the legacy of mass displacement, marginalization and isolation of low-income communities of color in Chicago. 

1 comment:

  1. This is a wonderful and truly depressing piece. One correction to offer up. Although CPS claims that they are only looking at underutilization this year, in fact performance is still a big factor. Level 1 schools were taken off the list, and schools on the list were expected to show how they were going to "improve" their academic performance. Both of these combine to ensure it is once again the most vulnerable and only the most vulnerable kids in the system who will be targeted by school closings.

    "High schools, for the most part, will not be touched, nor will the highest-performing schools known as Level 1 schools, Byrd-Bennett said." (http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/17642032-418/cps-wont-close-high-schools-top-performers-byrd-bennett-says.html)

    "District chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett has set specific criteria for the closings, and schools that don't want to be on the final list will have to show how they plan to build enrollment or improve academics." (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cps-school-closing-0217-20130218,0,5954505.story)

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