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Call, write or email Representative Arroyo and tell him THANK YOU for sponsoring  legislation that will require Chicago Public Schools to go before the Illinois General Assembly to provide testimony regarding their budget and plans to build or repair schools and to close or consolidate schools.  HB3871 Amends the School Code. Provides that any school district receiving a block grant under the provision concerning block grant funding for districts with over 500,000 inhabitants shall be required to testify every year before the General Assembly regarding their overall annual budget and their budget request to the General Assembly for the following fiscal year. Provides that the testimony shall include plans to build or repair schools and to close or consolidate schools.

 

  • According to the findings of the CEFTF, CPS placed the schools slated for closure and/or turn-around on academic probation, and then cut their programs, staff, and resources.

 

  • It appears that almost all affected schools are overwhelming in the South and West Side of the city where low-income African-American children attend. 

 

  • The criterion CPS provides for school actions apply to neighborhood schools almost exclusively.

 

 

  • CPS has paid AUSL millions to take control of its worst-performing schools pledging $25.7 million to upgrade schools marked for turnaround this year.

 

 

  • CPS has recommended closing many neighborhood schools in recent years because of poor performance or under-utilization; however two-thirds of AUSL's schools remain open at less than 70 percent capacity.

 

  • All of AUSL's turnarounds remain on academic probation, including the two original turnaround projects, Sherman Elementary in 2006 and Harvard Elementary in 2007.

 

  • AUSL High Schools receive an extra $500,000 from CPS for specialized teacher training and recruitment.

 

  • AUSL turnaround schools receive an additional $500 per pupil to pay for instructional coaches, student mentors and tutors.

 

  • AUSL elementary schools receive an additional 300,000 and $420 per student.

 

  • CPS pays for an additional assistant principal at each turnaround school for one year.

 

  • CPS also ensures these schools receive repairs to fix or modernize the building and new equipment.

Uncovering Priorities

  • Currently there are 140 CPS schools south of North Avenue in Chicago without libraries; these schools are located in predominately Latino and African-American neighborhoods. 

 

  • In many neighborhood elementary schools, school level administrators have to choose between offering their students an art class or music class while their colleagues at selective enrollment and magnets schools have the ability to offer both classes along with world language and physical education classes.

 

 

  • In 2011, CPS announced a budget hole of $700 million dollars.  After cutting valuable student programming to close the hole, CPS now plans to spend $50-80 million dollars on a longer school day.