The future of Chicago's schools

[Casino67]

Chicago Tribune:

 

Wednesday will be another school day for 566 students at Fuentes Elementary charter school on Chicago's Northwest Side. Fuentes isn't a traditional Chicago public school, but part of the United Neighborhood Organization network of charter schools, run under different rules without union teachers.

 

Fuentes students — who outperform students in traditional Chicago public schools in reading and math — have been in class since Aug. 6. They haven't missed a single day of instruction while 350,000 of their peers have slept late and waited for striking teachers to return to classrooms. Their parents have not had to scramble to find alternatives. Think the parents of those 350,000 kids haven't noticed the normalcy at schools such as Fuentes? Think those waiting lists for charters across the city aren't about to explode? Think again.

 

On Wednesday, striking Chicago teachers will finally return to classrooms. On Tuesday afternoon, the Chicago Teachers Union House of Delegates voted to suspend the union's strike, pending a ratification vote of all 26,000 members on a new contract.

 

We'll save you the trouble of wading through this massive contract, 10 months in the haggling. Bottom line: This is not a status-quo-hugging contract. On balance, this deal should bring Chicago closer to other big cities and states that are pushing even more dramatic reforms.

 

Most important: Students will get a longer instructional day. Teachers will face a far tougher evaluation process that for the first time holds them accountable for student academic growth. That will help identify the teachers who most consistently help students learn. It should help teachers improve. And it should usher the weakest teachers out the door.

 

That's the deal on paper. What we don't know — what no one knows — is how 681 CPS principals will respond to this deal.

[Valin]

@Casino67

 

Thanks! This is what I was looking for. Off the top of my head it appears the Union blinked. Maybe it takes a Chicago Pol to play Chicago politics.

 

We'll save you the trouble of wading through this massive contract, 10 months in the haggling. Bottom line: This is not a status-quo-hugging contract. On balance, this deal should bring Chicago closer to other big cities and states that are pushing even more dramatic reforms.

 

Most important: Students will get a longer instructional day. Teachers will face a far tougher evaluation process that for the first time holds them accountable for student academic growth. That will help identify the teachers who most consistently help students learn. It should help teachers improve. And it should usher the weakest teachers out the door.

 

That's the deal on paper. What we don't know — what no one knows — is how 681 CPS principals will respond to this deal.

[Casino67]

@Casino67

 

Thanks! This is what I was looking for. Off the top of my head it appears the Union blinked. Maybe it takes a Chicago Pol to play Chicago politics.

 

We'll save you the trouble of wading through this massive contract, 10 months in the haggling. Bottom line: This is not a status-quo-hugging contract. On balance, this deal should bring Chicago closer to other big cities and states that are pushing even more dramatic reforms.

 

Most important: Students will get a longer instructional day. Teachers will face a far tougher evaluation process that for the first time holds them accountable for student academic growth. That will help identify the teachers who most consistently help students learn. It should help teachers improve. And it should usher the weakest teachers out the door.

 

That's the deal on paper. What we don't know — what no one knows — is how 681 CPS principals will respond to this deal.

 

My only question is, where is the money coming from?

[Valin]

@Casino67

 

Thanks! This is what I was looking for. Off the top of my head it appears the Union blinked. Maybe it takes a Chicago Pol to play Chicago politics.

 

We'll save you the trouble of wading through this massive contract, 10 months in the haggling. Bottom line: This is not a status-quo-hugging contract. On balance, this deal should bring Chicago closer to other big cities and states that are pushing even more dramatic reforms.

 

Most important: Students will get a longer instructional day. Teachers will face a far tougher evaluation process that for the first time holds them accountable for student academic growth. That will help identify the teachers who most consistently help students learn. It should help teachers improve. And it should usher the weakest teachers out the door.

 

That's the deal on paper. What we don't know — what no one knows — is how 681 CPS principals will respond to this deal.

 

My only question is, where is the money coming from?

 

Taxes going to go up and/or non teacher staff is going to be cut. If the scools improve I don't think people will really mind the taxes.

 

Off topic a bit

 

I don't believe people mind taxes, what they do mind is people feel they are not getting a good return on their dollar.

I've said before, I don't mind paying my taxes...but my street isn't plowed.

[Valin]

@Casino67

 

Chicago Teacher Strike Ends, Pension Crisis Begins

 

The strike may be over, but the problems for Chicago’s teachers are only beginning. The Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund will go bankrupt in a few years if nothing is done. The New York Times reports:

 

The Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund has about $10 billion in assets, but is paying out more than $1 billion in benefits a year — much more than it has been taking in. That has forced it to sell investments, worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year, to pay retired teachers. . . .

 

Having skipped its pension contributions for many years, Chicago is supposed to start tripling them in another year under state law. But the school district has drained its reserves. And it cannot easily turn to the local taxpayers because of a cap on property taxes. Borrowing the money would be difficult and expensive as well, because of a credit downgrade this summer. One of the few remaining choices would be to make deep cuts in other services.

(Snip)

 

(Snip)

[Casino67]

@Casino67

 

Chicago Teacher Strike Ends, Pension Crisis Begins

 

The strike may be over, but the problems for Chicago's teachers are only beginning. The Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund will go bankrupt in a few years if nothing is done. The New York Times reports:

 

The Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund has about $10 billion in assets, but is paying out more than $1 billion in benefits a year — much more than it has been taking in. That has forced it to sell investments, worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year, to pay retired teachers. . . .

 

Having skipped its pension contributions for many years, Chicago is supposed to start tripling them in another year under state law. But the school district has drained its reserves. And it cannot easily turn to the local taxpayers because of a cap on property taxes. Borrowing the money would be difficult and expensive as well, because of a credit downgrade this summer. One of the few remaining choices would be to make deep cuts in other services.

(Snip)

 

(Snip)

 

That's what I was talking about.

 

Are you going to make us hunt for the link or do you have it handy?

[Valin]

@Casino67

 

Chicago Teacher Strike Ends, Pension Crisis Begins

 

The strike may be over, but the problems for Chicago's teachers are only beginning. The Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund will go bankrupt in a few years if nothing is done. The New York Times reports:

 

The Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund has about $10 billion in assets, but is paying out more than $1 billion in benefits a year — much more than it has been taking in. That has forced it to sell investments, worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year, to pay retired teachers. . . .

 

Having skipped its pension contributions for many years, Chicago is supposed to start tripling them in another year under state law. But the school district has drained its reserves. And it cannot easily turn to the local taxpayers because of a cap on property taxes. Borrowing the money would be difficult and expensive as well, because of a credit downgrade this summer. One of the few remaining choices would be to make deep cuts in other services.

(Snip)

 

(Snip)

 

That's what I was talking about.

 

Are you going to make us hunt for the link or do you have it handy?

 

Not sure why it didn't work. For some unknown reason I can't get the link to work I'm afraid you're gonna have to go Here to find it.

[Casino67]

http://www.nytimes.c...icago.html?_r=0

 

Does this one work?

 

Seems to.