Naperville CUSD 203 sets hearing for online charter
District 203 in Naperville will hold a hearing Monday, March 18, to consider a proposal from a for-profit education company for an online charter school in the Fox Valley area.
News & Issues
New ed director will steer black educational excellence
A federal education directorship for African-American educational excellence was created by executive order. US Education Secretary Arne Duncan has announced David Johns will fill the post.
New S Dakota law: schools can arm teachers
A new law in S. Dakota will allow school boards to give teachers permission to carry guns in school. Debate continues in Texas on several similar bills this week.
ISBE extends accommodations for Dixon teachers’ strike
The teachers' strike in Dixon, Ill., now in its 9th day, has forced school officials, all the way up to the Assessment Division at the Illinois State Board of Education, to make special accommodations to give students every chance to complete state testing.
Baltimore's Northwestern High steps toward closure
A claim by one Baltimore high school's alumni association is that the closure of the school violates civil rights. We disagree and explain.
Late ISAT testing window extended for striking teachers
A teachers' strike in Dixon, Ill., has collided with the ISAT testing window, which opened last week. The strike enters its 8th day Monday. The board proposed a cooling off period to get students back in class.
Chicago schools spiral toward inevitable closure
I think the school closings in Chicago are evidence of a violation of the civil rights of African-American residents of our communities, but the violations happened a long time ago. The closings are just the inevitable result of the district doing a thorough cleaning.
Special ed report causes trouble in Arlington Heights
Special ed is one of the biggest parts of running a public school. One Arlington Heights district just received a report identifying some ways it might make special ed programs better. Some disagreement ensued.
2 schools, a public & a charter, use the same building
The Chicago Tribune examines an increase in violent tendencies when a national charter chain school takes over space in a neighborhood school doomed to be closed.
IL expects fewer kids to meet state standards on ISAT
The ISAT will use a new scoring system this year, and fewer students are expected to be shown meeting state standards. But this is due to an increase in the standards, not to a decrease in teaching quality.