[remote or in person] Board of Education
Chicago Public Schools
Education
Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023
5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. CDT
231 N Pine Ave Chicago, IL 60644 (Directions)
Austin College and Career Academy High School, Auditorium
You have the option to document this meeting in person or remotely, via live stream. Please note that Chicago Board of Education meetings run relatively long (the assignment end time is an estimate based on past meetings’ duration).
If you attend the meeting in person, an additional hour will be added to your pay for this assignment. The meeting will be held at Austin College and Career Academy HIgh School (231 N. Pine Ave.) in the auditorium. Enter via the main entrance on Pine (Door 15).
If you plan to document remotely, the meeting will be live-streamed at https://www.youtube.com/@ChiPubSchools/streams. The live stream may not appear until or a few minutes after the scheduled start time. If you don’t see it right away, give it a few seconds, then try refreshing your Internet tab to see if it loads. Check the “videos” tab as well.
See also: Slide decks and documents discussed during the meeting will eventually be linked at https://www.cpsboe.org/meetings/past-meetings.
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Erwin Lopez Rada
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has a new five-year strategic plan (as required by law) – and it proposes up to $14.4 billion in facilities repairs and modernization across all 522 school buildings.
Live reporting by
Delaney Nelson
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has a new five-year strategic plan (as required by law) – and it proposes up to $14.4 billion in facilities repairs and modernization across all 522 school buildings.
Delaney Nelson
@delaneygnelson
Hi, I’ll be live-tweeting today's @ChiPubSchools Board of Eduction meeting for #CHIdocumenters @CHIdocumenters
05:16 PM Sep 28, 2023 CDT
Board welcomes Kate’Lynn Shaw, this year's honorary student board member.
.@CPSCEdoBogdana recognizes Austin Community Action Council for community leader's "excellent work" in the Austin neighborhood. Special thanks given to Chair Maretta Brown-Miller and Vice Chair Natasha Smith-Walker.
@CPSCEdoBogdana "The Austin CAC wishes to also acknowlege Ms. Joyce Chapman, her daughters, her granchildren. They are continuously in our prayers," says Brown-Miller.
@CPSCEdoBogdana Chkoumbova now honoring the longest serving Latino CPS staff members. Here's the related slide shared on the livestream:
@CPSCEdoBogdana "It's been a loooong journey, but an easy road, and I would do it again... I love my job. I lvoe my school. I love my community," says Kandace Dowden, longtime security officer at Melody Elementary School.
@CPSCEdoBogdana Evelyn Iniguez, school clerk at Barbara Vick Early Childhood Center: "Being bilingual has helped my experience and has allowed me to help Spanish-speaking families enroll in school. ... I will continue to serve unconditionally. And I too am not planning to retire anytime soon."
@CPSCEdoBogdana "When I came to this country from Mexico, I never imagined this could happen to me... I go to bed thinking about my work. I wake each day thinking about my work. I am a clerk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." -- Mariana Myers, who began her CPS career in 1976
@CPSCEdoBogdana Rudy Lozano, Jr. commends honored faculty: "Your dedication, leadership and care for our students and staff brings stability and consistency within our schools and communities."
@CPSCEdoBogdana Chkoumbova flexes the district's bilingual, dual language programs and development of Spanish Language Arts curriculum. Announces GoCPS applications are open for the 2024-2025 school year. Concludes her remarks by honoring principals.
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO Martinez encourages students, families, and staff to get their flu and covid vaccines. He also urges families, staff, community members, and especially students to run for their LSCs.
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO Martinez addresses bus transportation. Increase in students that require transportation, shortage of bus drivers, he says.
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO "CPS is continuing our efforts to recruit additional bus drivers to solve this problem," which he says includes hosting hiring fairs, providing signup bonuses, and raising hourly wages.
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO "I understand your anger, frustration, and I promise that we're doing everything to get more of our students, the transportation they need, and we will continue to do so." -- Martinez
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO Martinez now talking about academic progress -- says the number of students testing at mid or above grade level more than quadrupled over the course of the 2022- 23 school year.
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO Martinez announces dedicated plan "aimed at addressing and closing historic opportunity gaps that have adversely affected our Black students" -- an advisory team will directly report to him.
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO "This is the first time in a decade that CPS has seen this level of stability in our enrollments... It is exciting to see more young learners and CPS building a foundation for gains in early literacy, social emotional development, and so much more."
@CPSCEdoBogdana @PedroCPSCEO .@FaheyHughes gives update from special education advisory committee, who are searching for a Special Education Department Chief.
The committee hosted 4 community listening sessions to inform their search. Community members shared these priorities: transparency, lived experience, considering student and parent voices, and familiarity with the district.
President Shi reiterates the Board's commitment to transparency and public participation.
Union reps addressing the board. @jacksonpCTU, VP of @CTULocal1 starts: "It's a great thing to see these meetings come back to the community. It'll be a good bridge to an elected school board."
@jacksonpCTU @CTULocal1 Potter says Skyline is not a quality curriculum, is difficult to alter, not enough modifications for students with disabilities, many materials without translation. "With other parts of the country banning books, we shouldn't have a curriculum that restricts them."
Potter: "I use the textbook in my teaching as a reference, not a Bible, so I can shift practice content and outcomes as needed based on student need and interest."
Next up: Troy LaRaviere of @ChiPrincipals. Talks about his relationship with board members. "The ones I've interacted with the most are Rudy and Mary. You all are two of the most beautiful people I've ever known in my life."
LaRaviere: "As beautiful as you are, how could you let what is going on in this district go on? ... how could you let the best principals, brightest principals in the city be treated this way?"
LaRaviere talks about dark and secretive process to remove principals. Helpful context in this piece by @SSKedreporter @NaderDIssa last month:
chicago.suntimes.com/education/2023…
"I love this city, I need to see this city act right." -- LaRaviere
Public comment continues. Parent to kid at @ArtInMotionChi expresses gratitude for AIM. "I implore you to grant (AIM) the longest renewal term possible, allowing (AIM) to continue nurturing, empowering students ... who have dreams and talents to share with the world."
Student at @charter_legacy: "I love my school because from now on I will always use my hands to help not hurt, my heart to care for other, my mindset to think big and find solutions, and my words to use positive and uplifting talk."
@charter_legacy @CPSHancock Christian Feaman of @ILCharters advocates for 7-10 year renewal terms for "deserving" charter schools. Implores board members to visit charter schools.
@charter_legacy @CPSHancock @ILCharters Rocio Tovar, Associate Principal at Namaste Charter School. "When I immigrated to the US ... my native language was viewed as an obstacle rather than an asset. However, Namaste firmly focuses on honoring our students, families, their identity, their language and culture."
Mom to kid at Marine Leadership Academy speaking. She says her son was badly attacked at school, and received inadequate help from school personnel. She says the school did not call EMS. Calls for principal and all school administration to be removed.
CPS parent at Inter-American Magnet School: "Busing is a public good. But seeing Chicago public schools not prioritizing the current bus crisis is a choice to actively disinvest in the future of all children, but moreso the black and brown children who are forced to reside in ...
... neighborhoods that have been stripped of resources already. The city of Chicago loses every single time we don't fully invest in public education."
Another parent sharing concerns about child safety at Marine Leadership Academy.
Speaker: "I am in an unsustainable position. I (spend) some three hours in the car each day and almost $300 a month in gas to get my child to and from Skinner North in traffic."
Speaker on literacy rates: "A person who cannot read is a person who cannot make choices about the life they want to live. No academic or economic gap will be closed if we do not sure ensure that every CPS student learns to read."
Tina Ellis, principal at Noble DRW College Prep, asks the board to renew the school's charter.
Joseph Williams, @LegalPrep Principal: "One thing that sets us apart is that our students choose us. They select us because we offer a unique curriculum with significant enrichment programs not found in your average high school."
Next speaker talking in support of Frederick Douglass Academy High School, requesting more resources, repairs, and support from the district.
Next speaker here in support of Montessori School of Englewood.
Last public speaker calls for investigation into and removal MLA administration, says children are not safe. Says her daughter was drugged during lunch on a school day and received inadequate support from school personnel.
Tanya Woods speaking on initiative to bring resources to North Lawndale. "I will endeavor to do everything in my power to continue to see more resources being brought to the communities that have been hardest hit and most marginalized in the city of Chicago."
Todd-Breland talks about Liberation Mondays in the fall 1968, walkouts led by Black high school students. "Many of the same issues that they were talking about in 1968 are still present today."
"Many speakers highlighted that today that we still have a tiered and an equitable system. Black communities have borne the brunt of this harm, the harm of disinvestment, the harm of education, privatization, the harm of school closings...
... so I want to acknowledge this pain that we heard today the righteous anger that we heard today and the earn trust of this body that we are all now a part of." -- Todd-Breland
Kate’Lynn Shaw shows support for speakers: "I acknowledge everything and I love this support and I also love the comments and even the scrutinization because that is what makes us a great city and what makes us actually make change within the city that we love."
Chkoumbova presents on CPS Instructional Core Vision. "We want every student to walk out with dignity, purpose, and options."
Presentation emphasizes early literacy, literacy key practices, language development and comprehension. Talks strategic districtwide academic investments: more teachers, increased access to the arts, interventionists in every school, culturally responsive curriculum
Want High-Quality Curriculum in every classroom within the next 3 years. Talks targeted academic investments: expanded coaching for educators, tutor corps, increased special education staffing, additional counselors. Identify where targeted support is needed.
Making sure students are centered: "support the whole child and center the inner core." "How do we ensure we center our students we lift up their voice?" -- Chkoumbova
Illinois Assessment for Readiness: CPS students in grades 3-8 are returning to pre-pandemic levels in ELA, are improving in Math since the pandemic, she says
If you're looking for more info, the discussed presentations will be here (link to past meetings page, which includes actions, proceedings, videos, and reference materials):
cpsboe.org/meetings/past-…
Via i-Ready assessment, % of Black students at mid- or above-grade level increased sixfold from the beginning of the year
SY24 strategies: increase High Quality Curriculum implementation, differential professional learning pathways, universally accessible intervention tools, build instructional and support capacity, targeted behavior support, address substance abuse, per the presentation
Chkoumbova: "Commitment to a holistic approach to education is super important for us. One of the practices that I constantly uplift for our schools is, how do they design the conditions for students to feel engaged, to feel excited, to feel that sense of belonging?"
Emphasis from the Board + Chkoumbova on importance of not using data to punish teachers, schools, but instead as a transparency tool to identify growth and accountability.
Enrollment this year is an increase of 1,185 students from last year -- this is the first time in 12 years that enrollment has increased.
Charter and contract schools have seen small decline in enrollment. High school levels pretty stable. Most notable declines in enrollment in grades 6 and 8.
Increases in needs and diverse backgrounds of students. Significant increase in English learners.
Needs of new students: more economically disadvantaged students, more English learners, more students with IEPs, more students in temporary living situations
Todd-Breland and Morales ask what the district is doing to support ELS students, given the data. Chkoumbova points to CPS funding to schools based on number of enrolled ESL students.
Martinez: "...Our schools, our departments have to adjust because we've been working on an environment for a decade of enrollment declines consistent. Now for the first time, we're seeing stability, and we're seeing that growth because of these different circumstances...
...it is a different way for us to operate and it is a different way for us to look at our resources."
Todd-Breland asks: "In my time on the board, we've had influxes of refugees from Afghanistan, we've had influxes of refugees from Ukraine, how did the process work for those students, and how are they working for our current migrant populations that are coming?"
Martinez responds: "What we have never seen is what we're seeing today, because of the politics because of so many things happening in the southern part of our country -- and the volume that is happening and frankly the lack of processes, the lack of systems ...
... I applaud our mayor and our city and our governor that are really pushing hard with the federal government, but it is unprecedented."
Martinez talks about the Daily Student Experience. "We have to have consistent processes to identify student needs and respond to them. You have to have high quality school conditions that provide a rich holistic experience."
Martinez discusses the Black Student Success Plan, aimed at addressing and closing opportunity gaps.
Chief Equity Officer takes over. Planning process includes community engagement efforts.
Now to COO, who is talking about the Educational Facilities Master Plan
COO Charles Mayfield: "In regards to our real estate, we got a lot of buildings, and on average, they're pretty old." Average building age is 83 years old. James Ward Elementary School is 149 years old.
Total facility needs: $14.4 Billion. This figure does not include programmatic upgrades, technology upgrades or specific environmental upgrades. "This is just to get the facilities to a safe, accessible and easy to use standard for learning." -- Mayfield
Discussion among board members and CEO about the Black Student Success Plan.
Board is discussing community engagement and timeline re: strategic plan
President Shi looks to conclude: "This is a call for all of us to be engaged... This is serious. The strategic plan is not just document, just some numbers. It's a reiteration of how we prioritize and think about education altogether...
... For us to succeed, we're going to need the largest, most effective community engagement that CPS has ever seen."
Meeting adjourned at 10:18 p.m. This concludes the Chicago Board of Education meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at the CPS Loop office. For more meeting coverage, check out .
chicago.documenters.org
Agency Information
Chicago Public Schools
The Chicago Board of Education is charged with governing the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), setting policies, governing operations, and charting the direction of current and future programs.
A list of board members (with headshots) is here. Board members are currently appointed by the mayor. In 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law that will gradually transition to a 21-member elected school board over the course of 2024-2027.
A list of CPS executive leadership is here.
Documents
8/24/2023
11/20/2019
9/28/2023
8/17/2023
8/24/2023
9/28/2023
9/28/2023
9/28/2023