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Chicago to get new charter schools

After the charter school moratorium was thwarted in early October, the Chicago Board of Education has unanimously approved two new charter schools to open.

Here’s part of the scoop from Sarah Schulte at ABC 7 Chicago:

The Chicago Board of Education unanimously approved plans Wednesday to open two more charter schools in the city.

Supporters say there is a need and demand for quality choices, while opponents say there is no proof that charters do better than a neighborhood schools.

Dueling protests in front of CPS headquarters occurred Wednesday, as high school students protested budget cuts while teachers voiced their usual objections to new charter schools.

“Why open new school when you can’t fund schools you already have?” said Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey.

Teachers and CPS students were matched with as many charter school supporters.

The charter school controversy came to a head with the school board considering a proposal to open two new schools. Earlier in the week, CPS announced it would reject several proposals and would only recommend a school by the Kipp operator and a new Southwest Side Noble Network High School.

“We need to give parents the ability to send their children to high quality public schools,” said Pam Whitman, a parent. “Noble and Kitt proposals make that reality.”

Dozens of Noble and Kitt charter parents told the board how charter schools have improved their children’s education, especially in low income areas.

“Parents in these communities are asking for these schools and parents show up for them, the rest of this is just politics,” said Jelani McEwen, a charter school supporter.

And politics is exactly what many charter opponents say is behind charter expansion.

Read the rest of the article here.

Nearly all Chicago aldermen (42 out of 50) had signed a resolution seeking a moratorium on new charter schools in the Windy City and across the state. The Illinois Network of Charter Schools said it best when speaking out against the moratorium, writing the proposed moratorium is misguided and fails to acknowledge the reality that “60,000 Chicago parents have chosen to send their children to charter schools, and thousands of students continue to languish on charter school waitlists.”

On October 28, 2015, hundreds of parents rallied in the rain outside of CPS headquarters to ensure their voices were heard of the need for more options for their children.