Designs for Change

Congratulations to all LSC Election Winners!

The following trainings are planned for May-June 2008:

Roles and Responsibilities of Local School Council Members (Lessons I & II)
May 29, 5-9 p.m., Vodak Library
3710 East 106th Street

Understanding Least Restrictive Environment (Lessons VII-IX)
June 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., location TBA.

SIPAAA, Budget, and Principal Selection and Retention (Lessons III, IV, & VI)
June 14, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Curie Metropolitan High School
4959 South Archer Avenue

Sign an Online Petition to Oppose the Gutting of Local School Council Powers - proposed by Chicago Board President Rufus Williams

sign petition now

2008 City-Wide Legislative Subject Matter Hearings to
Strengthen Local School Councils

Saturday, June 7, 2008
10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Percy L. Julian High School
10330 S. Elizabeth (103rd and Vincennes)

LSC Members and Concerned Citizens
Are invited to testify at this historic hearing!

What do LSCs need to be even more effective?

Local School Councils are publicly-elected, local school decision-making bodies that are responsible for hiring the school principal, selecting school programs, monitoring the school budget, developing and approving the School Improvement Plan, and making sure that parent and community voices are included in school decision making. Research says that LSCs are effective school governance bodies.

Registration begins at 10 a.m.; the hearing will take place from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

"School Reform Chicago Style" a Classic Study of the Drafting and Passage of Chicago School Reform Act of 1988 Now Available Online.

School Reform Chicago Style, written by Mary O'Connell and originally published by Center for Neighborhood Technology, is a readable in-depth analysis of how the state law that created Local School Councils was drafted and passed in the State Legislature by an impressive citizens' movement.

Unavailable for many years, it is now available online.

Complete Publication

The Big Picture
School-Initiated Reforms, Centrally Initiated Reforms, and Elementary School Achievement in Chicago (1990-2005)

Report Shows 144 Inner City Chicago Elementary Schools Have Shown 15 Years of Substantial Sustained Achievement Gains

Press Release • Summary • Full Report

The full report includes color graphs and pictures. They will remain clear if printed in black and white.

Policy Reform Program
The Chicago Policy Reform Program studies and advocates changes in school system structure and policy that foster school-level improvement. In doing so, DFC collaborates closely with Local School Council members active on policy issues and other parent, community, and business groups. DFC provides workshops and training for Local School Council members.

Literacy and School Improvement
DFC supports Literacy and School Improvement activities. We advise and assist school communities in Chicago (including Local School Councils, teachers, principals, and parents) in planning and carrying out basic educational changes to improve student achievement, especially student literacy. These efforts include resource guides and advice for schools across the city, and citywide leadership for Links-to-Literacy, a program to encourage independent student reading in 255 schools.

Learning Path Institute
Associate of Arts Program
The Learning Path Institute/Chicago is becoming a credit-granting degree-granting program to provide college-level educational experiences for active parent leaders and community leaders working to improve urban education. Learning Path Institute extends the focus of DFC’s reform efforts beyond elementary and secondary education, to include the “learning paths” that children and youth follow from birth to a career with a future.