Charter Schools Trail in State Test Results
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and new leaders of Chicago Public Schools have been pushing for a longer school day and year to raise student performance. But last week’s state test results show that charter schools–which typically have more instructional time–actually have a lower percentage of students exceeding state standards.
Overall, state scores on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test were up in Chicago Public Schools. The percentage of students who exceeded state standards increased, but the number still remained low—16.6 percent, up from 14.7 percent last year. The percentage who met state standard increased to 73.9 percent, up from 68.5 percent.
A breakdown by school type shows selective-enrollment schools did the best, followed in order by magnet schools, neighborhood schools, charter schools and turnaround schools, according to a Chicago News Cooperative analysis of the results. Turnaround schools are those that had been overhauled because they were previously identified as the district’s lowest performers.
Both neighborhood and charter schools saw an increase in the number of students meeting state standards—6
Rahm’s Labor Ultimatum | Charter Scores Lag | Quinn’s China Mission
EMANUEL’S LAYOFF THREAT
Union leaders did not take kindly to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s threat to lay off 625 workers if they don’t agree to a $20 million plan for unspecified “work rule changes and efficiencies.” The impasse comes as a concession agreement is set to expire on Thursday, leaving an estimated $30 million hole in the city’s current budget. http://bit.ly/mkvx5o
- The union ultimatum came during a news conference to announce that Walgreens will add 600 jobs in the city