Stories by Matt Masterson
A Common Language: Chicago Charter Sharing its Bilingual Program
| Matt Masterson
An Archer Heights charter school is partnering with a traditional Little Village elementary school to share its unique bilingual and dual-language classes.
Parents, Community Seek Unity in New South Loop High School Proposal
| Matt Masterson
Hundreds of parents and Near South Side residents weighed in Monday night on a controversial proposal that would transition the National Teachers Academy into a new South Loop high school.
CTU Files Whistleblower Suit Over Fired Special Education Teacher
| Matt Masterson
The Chicago Teachers Union claims Saucedo Academy teacher Sarah Chambers was suspended and later fired by the Board of Education in retalation for blowing the whistle on special education law violations.
AG Madigan Joins Suit Against DeVos Over Student Loan Protection Law
| Matt Masterson
A lawsuit alleges Secretary of Education Betsy Devos violated federal law and abandoned “critical federal protections” for students that were set to take effect this month.
Roosevelt University Aiming to Encourage New Wave of STEM Teachers
| Matt Masterson
This fall, Roosevelt will begin offering a new scholarship to future STEM teachers, thanks to a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation.
Tracking CPS’ Shuttered School Properties
| Matt Masterson
Following a highly controversial move in 2013 to close 50 elementary schools, Chicago Public Schools has sought to sell the vacant properties. Find out who is buying the shuttered schools, how much they’re paying, and what the sites could be used for.
Rauner, State Ask Judge to Toss Amended CPS Discrimination Suit
| Matt Masterson
The governor and the state of Illinois claim an amended discrimination lawsuit filed by Chicago Public Schools suffers from the same flaws that got its previous suit tossed from court earlier this year.
SB1124 vs. SB1: Which is Best for Funding Illinois Education?
| Matt Masterson
Following successful Illinois House and Senate votes on a Democrat-backed education funding reform bill, Republicans are taking a shot at fixing the nation’s least equitable education funding formula.
Karen Lewis: ‘We Cannot Continue Down This Road to Perdition’
| Matt Masterson
The CTU president said interest payments on the latest CPS borrowing could instead be used to pay for three college counselors, three pre-K teachers or six special education assistants.
Teachers’ Pension Fund Not Expecting Full CPS Payment by Friday Deadline
| Matt Masterson
Schools are already out for the summer, but this Friday marks the final business day in Chicago Public Schools’ fiscal year, and with that comes a looming $700 million payment the district owes to its teacher pension fund.
CPS Offering Free Lunches to Students All Summer
| Matt Masterson
Students ages 18 and under can pick up a free lunch on weekdays at school sites across the city, through Aug. 25. Find a location near you.
Teachers Union Merger Could Give Educators a Leg Up in Negotiations
| Matt Masterson
Who wins and who loses if a local charter teachers union merges with CTU? Local labor education professor Robert Bruno takes a look at the proposed merger—and the possible impact on CPS.
New Illinois Guidelines Aim to Boost College and Career Readiness
| Matt Masterson
New state guidelines adopted this month will help kids get ready for life after 12th grade – whether that means picking a college or finding a job.
34 Pre-K Assistants Laid Off as CPS Revises Programming
| Matt Masterson
Chicago Public Schools says the move is not due to spending cuts, but because it is transitioning to a new "universal preschool model."
CPS Borrowing More Money, But Mayor Says Schools Will Open on Time
| Matt Masterson
Tuesday marked the final day of classes for CPS students, and despite lingering questions about district finances and the state budget, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is promising school will resume on time this fall.
Illinois Expecting Feedback on Education Guideline Proposal ‘Very Soon’
| Matt Masterson
Illinois is one of more than a dozen states awaiting a federal peer review from the U.S. Department of Education on its Every Student Succeeds Act plan.
Parents, Community Split Over CPS Plan for New South Loop High School
| Matt Masterson
Why a proposal to convert a Near South Side elementary school into a neighborhood high school has won support from local residents, but drawn the ire of some parents.
Chicago Teachers Offer Plan to Better Handle Student Trauma
| Matt Masterson
Local teachers are recommending changes to Chicago Public Schools to offer better support to students dealing with poverty, homelessness and violence.
Chicago Charter Teachers Back Potential CTU Merger
| Matt Masterson
Educators in the nation’s largest charter school union voted last week in favor of joining the Chicago Teachers Union in a move both sides hope will help expand their “collective power” to advocate for public education in the city.
CPS Announces Plans for New $75M Englewood High School
District will merge four existing area schools by 2019-20
| Matt Masterson
Chicago Public Schools says it's making its most significant investment in Englewood in decades, announcing plans Friday to construct a “state-of-the-art” high school that will take in students from four other area schools the district plans to shutter.
Report: Chicago-Area Public Schools Matching Downstate Counterparts
| Matt Masterson
A new study finds that as school effectiveness and achievement levels rise in Chicago, the opposite is occurring downstate, where low-income enrollment is increasing.
How SB1 Would Rewrite Illinois’ Broken Education Funding Formula
| Matt Masterson
The Democrat-backed bill would increase state funding to every public school district in the state. But it still faces an uncertain future as critics chide what they see as preferential treatment for Chicago Public Schools.
Chance the Rapper to Receive Humanitarian Award for CPS Work
| Matt Masterson
After winning three Grammys and making national headlines this year for his contributions to the Chicago Public Schools, Chicago-born Chance the Rapper is set to receive another award later this month.
Rauner Says Elected School Board Bill is ‘Political Spin’
| Matt Masterson
Gov. Bruce Rauner reiterated his opposition Friday to a bill that would give Chicago an elected Board of Education, calling the measure “political spin” – a statement one of the legislation’s chief sponsors described as “ridiculous.”
Judge Orders Claypool, Staff to Testify in CTA Whistleblower Case
| Matt Masterson
One week before Chicago Public Schools’ 2017-18 school year begins, district CEO Forrest Claypool and a handful of other high-ranking CPS officials will be called to testify as witnesses in a yearslong whistleblower case that dates back to their time working at the Chicago Transit Authority.
State Commission Could Lose Power to Overturn Charter School Closures
| Matt Masterson
If signed by the governor, a Senate-approved bill would leave authority over charter closures with local school boards.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
‘We Have Months Before We Take a Breath,’ Shedd Vet Says as Rescued Belugas Remain on 24/7 Watch
Advocates Rally in Support of Reinstating Parole in Illinois: ‘We’re Violating the Constitution’
15 Illinois Residents File Claims Against DHS Alleging They Were Victimized by Federal Agents During ‘Midway Blitz’
Beef Prices Rise as US Cattle Herd Remains Near Historic Low
Despite Loss and Caleb Williams Injury, Fans Hope a New Chicago Bears Era Has Arrived
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter