1980
Federal Consent Agreement:In 1980 CPS was pushed into a federal consent agreement for noncompliance with desegregation. Even after this action was taken, schools remain harshly segregated today.
Federal Consent Agreement:In 1980 CPS was pushed into a federal consent agreement for noncompliance with desegregation. Even after this action was taken, schools remain harshly segregated today.
Illinois School Reform Act:This bill, introduced under Harold Washington, introduced a committee for nominating school board members, as well as school councils. These reforms pushed forwards democratic control of public schools and decentralized power structures within CPS. This sort of policy benefits communities, parents, and especially marginalized groups in the city. As discussed under 1980, Chicago schools were and are harshly segregated. Malcolm X tells us that “A segregated school means a school that is controlled by people who have no real interest in it whatsoever.” (Malcolm X). What better solution than directly empowering those with interest in the school's success?
Chicago School Reform Amendatory Act, and The Appointment of Paul Vallas as First CPS CEO:The Chicago School Reform Amendatory Act recentralized power in CPS, hamstringing CTU (by limiting strikes against anything but pay and benefits) and community power (by abolishing the nominating committee). Further, the bill pushed privatization within the school system, and cut some positions. Vallas for his part was a businessman, not an educator. Empowering a businessman wasn't an accident, but reflected Daley's goals with CPS. He wanted a CPS that, like a private organization, put the bottom line first.
Charter Schools Law and Accountability Policy: The charter schools law was another step towards school privatization. Charter schools are public, but not district run. This gives them more freedom, but can have other consequences. Charter schools are often advertised as a part of school choice models, which are meant to empower parents, and do anything but. The 1996 Accountability Policy put low performing schools on probation. This probation soon hit a large portion of CPS schools, and failed to address the reasons schools were failing, so failed to make positive change.
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