CPS Proposes Community-Driven School Actions to Improve Students’ Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, December 1, 2017

CHICAGO - At the request of community members throughout the city, Chicago Public Schools announced today that it will propose several school actions for the 2018-19 school year to expand quality academic programming for students and create more diverse school environments. CPS is investing more than $100 million in new facilities for students – including $85 million in Englewood – and intends to invest an additional $14 million in making the transitions successful for students and the school communities.

Following requests from members of the community, CPS intends to propose the following school actions, which would be voted on by the Chicago Board of Education as early as February 2018. Overviews of each proposal are below, and additional details – including stakeholder letters and draft transition plans – can be found at cps.edu/Transitions.

Cardenas-Castellanos Community Actions: Community Request to Consolidate

Cardenas and Castellanos share a boundary and a principal, but serve different grades. Currently, Cardenas serves students from kindergarten through third grade, with a pre-kindergarten program. Castellanos serves students from fourth through eighth grade.

This proposal would consolidate the schools administratively. Students through third grade would continue to attend the Cardenas building and students in fourth grade and above would attend the Castellanos building.

The Local School Councils for both schools requested this action.

Englewood Community Actions: Investing Nearly $100M in Expanding Quality

CPS will be investing nearly $100 million in Englewood to both build a new, state-of-the-art high school and provide approximately $8.3 million in individualized transition supports for students affected by the proposed school actions.

As of today, a higher share of Englewood students – more than 90 percent – leave their neighborhood for high school, a higher percentage than any other neighborhood in the city. At the request of the community, earlier this year, CPS announced it would build a new, state-of-the-art high school in Englewood to keep neighborhood students in the neighborhood.

The $85 million high school will open in the fall of 2019, and will serve freshmen as it builds to a full 9-12 high school. UJAMAA/Power II Joint Venture, a minority-lead firm, will complete the design and construction of the school, which will serve approximately 1,200 students with music, art, health, dance, multi-purpose and standard classrooms. Additional site improvements will include fields for baseball, softball, football and track. There will also be tennis and basketball courts located within the sports quad. The building will also house a self-contained school-based health center designed to support both students and the community-at-large.

For the construction of the school, UJAMAA/Power II Joint Venture has committed to hiring residents of the City of Chicago and those who live in the community area where the project is being built. The firm will host hiring fairs in Englewood prior to construction.

In addition to the new school, the Englewood community has recognized the enrollment challenges that are taking place in four existing neighborhood schools: Hope, Harper, Robeson and TEAM Englewood. Over the past 10 years, each of these schools have seen declines in enrollment of 70 to 85 percent, with current enrollment between 90 and 135 students at each school. As a result of these trends, the Englewood Community Action Council (CAC) recommended that CPS both create a state-of-the-art neighborhood high school in Englewood and consolidate existing neighborhood high schools in Englewood. In turn, in June 2017, CPS followed through on the recommendation by formally proposing an investment to create a state-of-the-art neighborhood high school, now worth $85 million.

Following the Englewood CAC’s recommendation, CPS also formed a Community Leadership Steering Committee to work through the details of this proposal, including planning for the new high school and developing a plan for the current Englewood high schools and students. Over multiple meetings between the Steering Committee and CPS leadership as well as tours of the existing Englewood high schools, a variety of options were considered for the current Englewood high schools, including closure and multi-year phase outs. Ultimately, a vote was taken on two options and the majority vote of the Steering Committee was to close the high schools at the end of 2017-18 school year and provide robust, individualized support to transition current students to other higher performing high schools that are a good match for their needs.

CPS has budgeted $8.3 million to provide assistance to students attending the four existing Englewood high schools to create targeted, individualized academic and safety plans for their transitions. Schools where Englewood students transfer will receive a portion of the funding to ensure that students are supported before, during and after the transition. Students currently in 9th through 11th grades will be given the opportunity to attend a higher performing school in the area. These students will all receive individualized attention to determine their transition school, including a unique academic and safety plan.

In the case that students or families choose not to use individualized planning, they will continue to have the option to attend a neighborhood high school. While the district anticipates that the vast majority of the roughly 330 students currently enrolled in the four schools will use individualized planning supports, CPS will also ensure that every student has a neighborhood high school as a default backup. As a result, CPS is proposing adjusting the following school boundaries:

• Bogan High School’s boundaries will be shifted to include portions of the boundaries of Robeson and Harper high schools. The southwestern portion of Robeson’s boundary (west of Halsted and south of 67th Street) would be reassigned to Bogan. The southern portion of Harper’s boundary (south of 67th Street) would be reassigned to Bogan.
• Chicago Vocational Career Academy High School’s boundaries will be shifted to include portions of the boundaries of Robeson high school. The southeastern portion of Robeson’s boundary (east of Halsted and south of 67th Street) would be reassigned to CVCA.
• Gage Park High School’s boundaries will be shifted to include portions of the boundaries of Harper, Hope, and Robeson high schools. The northern portion of Harper’s boundary (north of 67th Street) would be reassigned to Gage Park High School. The western portion of Hope’s boundary (west of Racine) would be reassigned to Gage Park High School. The northwestern portion of Robeson’s boundary (north of 67th Street and west of Racine) would be reassigned to Gage Park High School.
• Phillips High School will be shifted to include portions of the boundaries of Hope and Robeson high schools. The eastern portion of Hope’s boundary (east of Racine) would be reassigned to Phillips. The northeastern portion of Robeson’s boundary (north of 67th Street and east of Racine) would be reassigned to Phillips.

Haugan - Henry - Roosevelt Community Actions: Community Request for Boundary Change

Both Haugan and Henry serve students from kindergarten to 6th grade, as well as offering pre-kindergarten programs. Roosevelt High School currently serves students from 7th to 12th grade. This proposal would shift grade offerings over the next two years.

• In the 2018-19 school year, Haugan and Henry would expand to offer 7th grade and Roosevelt would offer 8th through 12th grades.
• In the 2019-20 school year, Haugan and Henry would expand to offer 8th grade and Roosevelt would offer 9th through 12th grades.

Both the Haugan and Henry LSCs requested that the boundaries be changed.

Hirsch Community Action: Community Request for Potential Co-Location

CPS recently announced that it is recommending that the Board provide a charter contract to Art in Motion charter in the Greater Grand Crossing community. The schools would work together to develop programming – including after school programs – that students in both schools could take advantage of.

Art In Motion Charter School would be a new charter school and is currently proposed to open in the fall of 2018 in the Greater Grand Crossing community. Pending the Board of Education’s action on the charter school proposal at its December 6, 2017 Board meeting, the school would open serving 200 students in grades 7 and 8 and will grow to serve one grade per year until it reaches grades 7 through 12.

Near South Community Actions: Investing in Diverse Neighborhood Schools and Creating a New Neighborhood High School

The Near South community area has long advocated for neighborhood educational opportunities from pre-Kindergarten through high school graduation. This proposal is intended to provide a continuum of high quality neighborhood schools, as well as build diverse school communities.

In May 2017, in response to community requests to strengthen educational options in the Near South area, CPS introduced a preliminary framework to expand high quality neighborhood options from pre-K through high school in the Near South area by expanding the boundaries of South Loop Elementary School (South Loop) and converting National Teachers Academy (NTA) to a neighborhood high school.

With a new facility under construction to relieve overcrowding at South Loop Elementary School, CPS is proposing to expand South Loop’s boundaries south to include the entire NTA boundary. This will increase access to this new, state-of-the-art school facility and create one of the most racially and economically diverse schools in the city. In addition, expanding South Loop’s boundaries seeks to right a historical wrong in the Near South area by including students who were previously excluded from South Loop. As CPS noted in a letter to Near South families earlier this year: “Years ago, when South Loop Elementary School was built, boundaries were drawn that excluded and separated low-income black children from their peers. This was wrong then, and it is wrong now, and this recommendation will right a historical wrong.”

Additionally, gradually converting NTA to a neighborhood high school seeks to increase high quality, neighborhood high school seats in the Near South area. Current high school students in the Near South area have very few nearby high school options. Currently, only 8 percent of high school students in the Near South area attend their neighborhood high school and, as a result, 57 percent of high school students in the Near South area travel more than three miles to attend high school. Introducing a high quality, neighborhood high school option close to home will create a continuum of high quality options for Near South students in pre-K through high school graduation.

Working with the Near South Community Leadership Steering Committee, CPS will make the following substantial investments in the transition:

• The district will invest at least $5 million in capital funds to support the high school facility conversion;
• CPS expects to provide an additional $3.5 million in funding to ensure a smooth transition;
• At its December Board meeting, CPS expects to recommend an $85,000 proposal with a research partner to conduct an equity analysis to ensure that all students – no matter their background – are treated equitably in the transition and the years to come.

Ogden-Jenner Community Actions: Creating a Diverse, Academically Strong Community School

Two years ago, the communities of Ogden and Jenner requested that CPS consider merging their two school communities into one diverse community supported by a high quality neighborhood school. Since then, the school communities have worked with consultants and experts to provide detailed transition guidance and recommendations. As a result, CPS is proposing that Jenner be consolidated into Ogden and their attendance boundaries be merged into one.

• Students in Kindergarten - 4th grade would attend the current Ogden building, 24 W. Walton St.
• Students in 5th – 8th grade would attend the current Jenner building, 1119 N. Cleveland Ave.
• Students in 9th – 12th grade would attend the high school campus at 1250 W. Erie St.

CPS expects to provide $1.8 million in funding to ensure a smooth transition.

Rudolph Elementary Learning Center-Hope Institute Learning Academy Community Actions: Community Request for Co-Location

Both Rudolph and Hope serve students with diverse learning needs. Rudolph’s building was never intended to be a long-term school community, and Hope’s building has been newly renovated.

The proposal co-locates Rudolph and Hope. Rudolph is a specialty school whose mission is to foster a safe and supportive learning environment using evidenced-based learning strategies for its students. Currently Rudolph is located at 110 North Paulina Street and serves pre-K through 5th grade. Rudolph’s current enrollment is 97 students and the school continually enrolls students throughout the school year. If this proposal is approved, Rudolph will remain a school without a boundary, as all of its students are assigned there based on the supports written in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) through the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) School Assignment Department. Hope Learning Academy is a contract school serving grades kindergarten through 5th. Hope Learning Academy currently serves 355 students.

Members of the Rudolph school community requested this proposal.

Upcoming Community Meetings

Before the Board’s vote, the following community meetings and public hearings will be held to allow members of the public to provide additional feedback for consideration:

School Actions Community Meetings: Cardenas-Castellanos
Meeting 1: January 9, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Rosario Castellanos Elementary School 2524 S. Central Park Ave.	Meeting 2: January 16, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Rosario Castellanos Elementary School 2524 S. Central Park Ave.

School Actions Community Meetings: Englewood Schools
Meeting 1: Jan. 10, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Kennedy King College (Great Hall, U Building) 740 W 63rd St	Meeting 2: Jan. 17, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Hamilton Park Fieldhouse 513 W 72nd St.

 

School Actions Community Meetings: Haugan - Henry - Roosevelt
Meeting 1: Jan. 10, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Helge A Haugan Elementary School 4540 N Hamlin Ave	Meeting 2: Jan. 17, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Patrick Henry Elementary School 4250 N St Louis Ave

 

School Actions Community Meetings: Hirsch
Meeting 1: Jan. 9, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Emil G Hirsch Metropolitan High School 7740 S. Ingleside Ave.	Meeting 2: Jan. 16, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Emil G Hirsch Metropolitan High School 7740 S. Ingleside Ave.

 

School Actions Community Meetings: Near South
Meeting 1: Jan. 9, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Illinois Institute of Technology Hermann Hall Auditorium 3241 S. Federal St.	Meeting 2: Jan. 16, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Second Presbyterian Church 1936 S. Michigan Ave.

 

School Actions Community Meetings: Ogden-Jenner
Meeting 1: Jan. 9, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Ogden International School of Chicago 24 W Walton St	Meeting 2: Jan. 16, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Edward Jenner Elementary Academy of Arts 1119 N Cleveland Ave

 

School Actions Community Meetings: Rudolph-Hope
Meeting 1: Jan. 10, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Hope Institute Learning Academy 1628 W Washington Boulevard	Meeting 2: Jan. 17, 2018 6 to 8 p.m. Hope Institute Learning Academy 1628 W Washington Boulevard

Upcoming Public Hearings
The following public hearings for proposed school actions will be held at CPS Central Office, 42 W. Madison Street:

Proposed Action	Date	Time
Cardenas-Castellanos	Jan. 25, 2018	7 to 8 p.m.
Englewood Schools	Jan. 30, 2018	5:30 to 8 p.m.
Haugan-Henry-Roosevelt	Jan. 26, 2018	4:30 to 6 p.m.
Hirsch	Jan. 31, 2018	5:30 to 8 p.m.
Near South	Jan. 29, 208	6 to 8:30 p.m.
Ogden-Jenner	Jan. 25, 2018	4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Rudolph-Hope	Jan. 29, 2018	4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Chicago Public Schools serves 371,000 students in 646 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.

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