Chicago Shake-Up Targets 17 Schools

Stephanie Banchero:

This city's school board voted Wednesday to shake up the teaching staffs at 17 low-performing public schools, handing Mayor Rahm Emanuel a victory in his battle with the teachers union and highlighting an increasingly aggressive stance on education overhauls by a number of Democratic mayors nationwide.

The Chicago Board of Education voted to close five elementary schools, phase out one high school and "turn around" 10 schools by firing all the teachers and making them reapply for jobs. One other high school will convert to a new school with a health-science focus.

Six of the schools would be given over to the Academy for Urban School Leadership, a non-profit organization with a record of student achievement and close political ties to Mr. Emanuel.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at February 24, 2012 1:37 AM
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