Chicago School Closings a Blow to Parental Involvement?
Posted: 10/09/2013 9:17 pm
Any adult who was successful in school will likely remember that their parents played a defining role in that success. What happens during the roughly six-hour school day is only part of the learning equation. Who else but a parent or guardian will make sure children attend school and complete their homework?
Even parents who are not highly educated can help their children succeed by providing the right support and encouragement.
Yet, as our latest issue of Catalyst In Depth reports, parent engagement is shaping up as a weak link for the Chicago Public Schools' massive school closings. This year, 49 schools were shut down -- the most ever at a single time in a large urban school district.
Parent after parent interviewed for this issue expressed dissatisfaction and dismay about the rocky transition to new schools. They cited bus schedules that don't accommodate after-school activities, crowded classrooms, students feeling anxious and unwelcome. The