Stories by Matt Masterson
CPS Says Crime Down by One-Third Along Safe Passage Routes
Using an analysis of Chicago Police Department data, the district says crime along Safe passage routes has fallen by 32 percent since the 2012-13 school year.
Illinois House Once Again Backs Elected Chicago School Board
House legislation calling for an elected Chicago Board of Education has once again passed with strong bipartisan support, but the bill may still have a difficult road ahead.
Passages Charter Teachers Reach Late-Night Deal to Avert Strike
Becomes third Chicago charter network to avoid strike this school year
Following a “marathon” bargaining session Wednesday night, educators at Passages Charter School announced they have reached a tentative three-year contract agreement with school management.
Claypool on CTU, Rauner Criticisms: ‘We’re Doing Something Right’
A day after a CTU vote revealed a widespread lack of confidence in the school district chief, Claypool defended himself before the Chicago Board of Education, comparing objections from union critics to those coming from the governor.
CTU Vote Reveals Little Confidence in CPS CEO Claypool
99 percent of union voters say they have no confidence in schools chief
After a nearly unanimous no-confidence vote in Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool, members of the Chicago Teachers Union took to City Hall Tuesday to push Mayor Rahm Emanuel to fire the school district chief.
CPS Emphasizing Science, Financial Literacy in New Grad Requirements
Chicago high schoolers already take three years of science, but a new policy concentrates that specifically on biology, chemistry and physics, requiring students to achieve one credit in each course in order to graduate.
Former Ed Secretary: ‘No Silver Bullet’ in Elected School Board Debate
Despite ongoing calls for an elected school board, John King, the former U.S. chief of public education, said Thursday there’s “no silver bullet” management style to boost school success.
Expansion Plans at Speer Academy Charter School Stall Out
A Chicago charter school looking to expand its building size and enrollment will have to hold off on those plans after an alderwoman refused to support the project.
New ‘GoCPS’ High School Application Site Goes Live
The districts’ common high school application website officially went live this week, less than a month after the Board of Education approved the new model.
Former Yankee Great Mariano Rivera Talks Baseball, Life With CPS Students
The future Hall of Fame pitcher stepped back on the mound Tuesday, offering insights and tips to players from four Chicago Public Schools baseball teams.
Middle Schoolers Get 1st Look at Professional Life at Mock Job Fair
Students at James Madison Elementary may be a few years away from entering the workforce full time, but that isn’t stopping them from getting a leg up on the interviewing process.
CTU Running Full Staff No-Confidence Vote on CPS CEO Claypool
As the city and Chicago Public Schools scramble to find funding to keep classrooms open through the end of the school year, the Chicago Teachers Union is taking up a staff-wide referendum vote of no confidence in district CEO Forrest Claypool.
New Bill Would Curb Pre-K Expulsions in Public Schools
How young is too young for a student to be expelled from school? A new bill going through the state Legislature would keep preschoolers from being kicked out of class.
Agassiz Elementary LSC Votes to Keep School Name
Stakeholders had raised concerns over school’s “racist” namesake
A Lakeview elementary school will keep its name despite a push from community members who wanted to shift away from racist undertones surrounding the school’s namesake.
CPS Expanding Parent University Program
As Chicago Public Schools works to try and improve its parent engagement, the district announced it is expanding a neighborhood-based learning program already used by thousands of families.
Rauner Says Thompson Center Sale Could Net Millions for CPS
Gov. Bruce Rauner says property taxes generated from the sale of the James R. Thompson Center could top $45 million per year, and Republican-backed legislation introduced Friday would send every one of those dollars to Chicago Public Schools.
Passages Charter Teachers Vote to Strike
Nearly all of the 46 teachers, paraprofessionals and teacher assistants at the Passages Charter School in Edgewater say they are in favor of going on strike.
Illinois Weighing Down National Higher Ed Spending Numbers
Overall state and local government support for higher education across the country fell by $130 per student in 2016, the first time that figure failed to grow in four years. And one group is pointing the finger squarely at Illinois.
Summer Safe Passage Program Growing in Chicago
The Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Schools are teaming up this summer to help ensure safe travel for thousands of youth participating in recreational programs and sports leagues.
Former CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett Sentenced to 4 1/2 Years
Former SUPES co-owner Thomas Vranas receives 18-month sentence
The disgraced former Chicago Public Schools CEO will spend 54 months in prison after a federal judge sentenced her Friday for the yearslong kickback scheme she ran while chief of the cash-strapped district.
CPS Aims to Simplify High School Applications With New ‘GoCPS’ Model
Chicago Public Schools is hoping to simplify its rigorous high school application process with a new plan promising to save time and limit headaches for families and students.
Parents, Advocates Want Details On CPS Plan For End of School Year
“This could be a critical week for the future of our schools,” CPS CEO Forrest Claypool said Wednesday at a Chicago Board of Education meeting. “Ending school early would be a tragedy for Chicago students.”
CPS Adding New Course on History of Jon Burge Torture Cases
Chicago teachers will spend the coming weeks preparing for a new course on the history of the disgraced former Chicago Police Department commander who, for two decades, systematically abused and tortured suspects on the South Side to force confessions.
Chicago Researchers Pushing For Expanded Social Emotional Learning
Officials from a Chicago-based education collaborative looked at years of studies on social and emotional learning and found consistent, positive effects on student behavior and outcomes.
CPS Scores Top 5 Public High Schools in New Rankings
In addition to having the top five highest-rated public high schools in the state, Chicago Public Schools has two of the top 100 high schools in the country, according to new rankings from U.S. News and World Report.
Report: Chicago Ranked in Middle for Teacher Rent Affordability
High rent prohibits many U.S. teachers from living in the same cities in which they work. That’s according to a new report from the rental marketplace Apartment List. But in Chicago, teachers are faring better than their coastal peers.
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