Chicago Public
Schools
The official website of the Chicago Public Schools offers
information for teachers, principals and administrators, parents,
students and researchers. Available are procedural guides, budget
information, school directories, curriculum standards, statistics,
services, calendars, and news. The web site is divided as follows:
Parents:
Information and links for parents of CPS students
Community:
Resources and Partnerships, Local School Councils, Learning
Centers, etc.
Schools: School
locator and directory, report cards, guides to CPS Charter, Magnet,
Small, and Year-Round Schools
Instruction:
Curriculum materials and support for CPS Teachers, including
standards, lessons, library services, technology, continuing
education, etc.
About CPS:
Chicago Board of Education, Departments, Financial Information,
etc.
Renaisannce
2010
The Chicago Public School's reform plan, managed by the Office of
New Schools. Launched in 2004, Renaissance 2010 goal is to
"increase the number of high quality educational options in
communities across Chicago by 2010". In 2005, Chicago Public
Schools opened the first "cohort" of Renaissance 2010 schools. 100
new schoolsa are planned by 2010.
Chicago Teachers
Union
The Chicago Teachers Union, Local 1/AFT/IFT/AFL-CIO, is the primary
union for Chicago Public School teachers.
Chicago Public
Library
The gateway to the collections and services of Chicago Public
Library's Harold Washington Library, the Sulzer and Woodson
Regional Libraries, and its other neighborhood
libraries.
Catalyst
An independent new source created in 1990 to document, analyze and
support school-improvement efforts in the Chicago Public Schools.
It is published by the Community
Renewal Society, a faith-based organization founded in 1882
that works to create racially and economically just communities in
metropolitan Chicago.
Urban Education Initiative
(UEI) at the University of Chicago
In 2004 the University launched the Urban Education Initiative
(UEI) to 'produce the knowledge needed to improve urban schools and
to develop a new paradigm for university involvement in PK-12
schooling'. The UEI consists of four components:
Center for Urban School
Improvement (USI): The group which operates the University
Charter School and directs training and development programs
designed to improve urban schools.
Committee on Education
(COE): An interdisciplinary commiteee of faculty members in the
social and behavioral sciences who are pursuing questions of
fundamental importance to education.
Chicago Education
Alliance
Founded in 1995, this began as a consortium of Chicago area
universities dedicated to the improvement of K-16 education. The
CEA now includes seven major universities (including the University
of Chicago), the City Colleges of Chicago, the Chicago Public
Schools, other education organizations, as well as community
organizations and business representatives. Current projects
include Chicago GEAR UP (see listing below), scholarships and
awards, and professional development initiatives.
Chicago GEAR UP
Alliance
GEAR UP is the acronym for the federally-supported program "Gaining
Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs." The
purpose is "to increase the number of students graduating and going
on to post-secondary education by effecting positive whole-school,
systemic change in Chicago public schools. The Alliance works with
schools, teachers, students and parents in order to improve
achievement levels, improve classroom instruction and increase
awareness of the possibility of post-secondary education." The work
is carried on by several different networks that operate in
different areas of the city; the University of
Chicago GEAR UP serves Dunbar High School, Price Elementary and
Robinson Elementary.
Chicago Lawyers' Committee
for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc.
This is the public interest law consortium of Chicago's leading law
firms and law schools. Each year more than 15,000 hours of donated
professional legal services are directed to civil rights issues.
The Committee enforces fair housing laws and works to preserve
affordable housing, advocates for the rights and interests of poor
children, works to improve the ability of Chicago's Public School
system to meet the needs of its 89% minority student population,
and represents victims of hate crimes.
Literacy
Chicago
This non-profit organization is dedicated to improving the literacy
skills of Chicago area adults and families. Literacy Chicago was
created through the 1992 merger of Chicago's two largest literacy
organizations: Literacy Council of Chicago (1968) and Literacy
Volunteers of Chicago (1984). Today, Literacy Chicago is the
largest provider of free, individualized adult literacy services in
Illinois. The organization offers programs for adult basic
education, GED preparation, adult and family literacy, workplace
literacy, and English as a second language.