Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What I told reporter about CPS' falling suspension rate

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What I told reporter about CPS' falling suspension rate:

What I told reporter about CPS' falling suspension rate

"Chicago Public Schools has one of the highest suspension and expulsion rates and the disproportionate use of suspensions." -- Barbara Byrd-Bennett, Feb 7, 2014

This morning, I'm being asked by a reporter to respond to CPS's recently-reported remarkable drop in the rates of suspensions and expulsions since 2012 (67% and 74%) along with a corresponding rise in graduation rate (74%, 85%) and improvements in math and reading scores.

My response won't be much different from the one a gave to the NYT  when I took issue with their previous glowing reports on Chicago's graduation and drop-out rates.

First, I am elated to hear about any improvements in city schools, including lower suspension and expulsion rates. Readers of this blog know that I am a big fan and advocate for public schools and unlike those who currently run CPS and the D.O.E, have sent all three of our children to CPS schools. Currently, my grandson is enrolled at a neighborhood high school in Chicago.

The lowering of suspension/expulsion rates is a key indicator of school improvement. It only makes sense that the more children are in the classroom instead of sitting at home or running Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What I told reporter about CPS' falling suspension rate: