Chicago Public Schools CEO Jackson Releases Five-Year Vision for Continued Academic Progress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, March 26, 2019

*** View the CPS Five-Year Vision Video here ***

CHICAGO - Chicago Public Schools CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson today released the district’s Five-Year Vision that lays out concrete commitments to build upon the district’s academic progress, ensure continued financial improvements, and strengthen integrity through regular parent and community engagement in all parts of the City.

“Chicago Public Schools’ Five-Year Vision reaffirms our values and commitment to strengthening the educational quality in all parts of the City while empowering families to be active partners in the district’s strategy,” said CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson. “By working hand-in-hand with families, community members and our dedicated educators, we will build upon our recent success and ensure every student in Chicago has access to a high-quality holistic education that gives them the tools they need to lead our city into the future.”

The district’s new Five-Year Vision was developed after an extensive engagement process that incorporated priorities and insights from families, educators, parents and partners in order to develop a truly inclusive and comprehensive Vision for the future of CPS. The ambitious goals outlined in the Five-Year Vision were developed in partnership with the University of Chicago’s Urban Labs through a rigorous, data-informed goal- setting process which will offer schools a clear roadmap to success while helping the district meet our collective goals by 2024.

This Vision builds upon three core commitments that reaffirm our values and priorities: academic progress, financial stability and integrity:

Academic Progress: As more CPS students are graduating high school, enrolling in college and improving academically at the elementary level, the district is committed to building upon that progress from pre- kindergarten through 12th grade to ensure every student reaches their academic potential. In the next five years, the district will establish universal pre-kindergarten for all four-year-olds, invest in additional high-quality academic programs like IB and STEM, and strengthen instruction at every level. We will double down on efforts to recruit and retain talented teachers and administrators to ensure every student is provided with high-quality instruction. And to ensure that every student can access the high-quality education they deserve, we will prioritize student safety and protection above all else.

Five-Year Goals:

• Increase the number of incoming kindergarten students meeting readiness benchmarks by 50 percent.
• Increase the number of CPS students meeting or exceeding national averages for reading and math attainment on NWEA to 70 percent.
• Increase the number of CPS students who graduate to 90 percent and the number of students who graduate with an early college or career credential to 60 percent.
• Financial Stability: Over the last three years, the district has made a remarkable financial turnaround, due in large part to the historic state education funding reform that our families, educators, and city leaders helped earn. Our goals for financial stability include financial equity and operational excellence to ensure the district is operating efficiently and funds are directly benefitting schools and students.

Five-Year Goals:

• Secure full education funding from the state.
• Evaluate funding models and identify opportunities to increase equity with an emphasis on supporting underserved populations.
• Ensure every school in the district has a 1-to-1 student to digital device ratio with increased internet bandwidth.

Integrity: We honor the trust families place in us when they enroll their children in CPS schools, and we will strive to communicate openly and honestly and face our challenges with a commitment to improve. By prioritizing active communication and transparency, the district can engage with stakeholders, community members, and other partners to receive feedback about how to best serve the community.

Five-Year Goals:

• Increase the number of parents who feel CPS is moving in the right direction to 80 percent.
• Increase the number of parents who report that there are many different ways they can be involved with the school to 92 percent.
• Increase the number of parents who feel their children have access to quality education in their communities to 85 percent.

Chicago Public Schools’ Five-Year Vision can be found at cps.edu/vision.

Chicago Public Schools serves 361,000 students in 644 schools. It is the nation's third-largest school district.

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