Latest News:
Read news reports of the DFC study:
Chicago Sun-Times: Study disputes turnaround states for failing Chicago schools
Fox News Chicago: Chicago Board of Education Unanimously Approves All Closures and School Turnarounds
Catalyst Chicago: Neighborhood schools beat turnarounds on ISAT
WBEZ: Flurry of new debate before school closings vote
WBBM/CBS Chicago: School Turnarounds Don't Work
Community Media Workshop/Newstips: 'Change is Hard'
Substance News: Chicago study debunks Chicago 'turnaround' hoax
Take Back Our Schools ...
Run for Your Local School Council!
Candidate forms are due at your local school by Friday, March 23, at 3:00 p.m.
No formal education or training is required for parent or community candidates.
Chicago's Local School Councils (LSCs) have powers that are unique in big cities, including:
• Selecting your school's principal for a four-year contract.
• Helping develop, approve, and monitoring a school improvement plan that sets school priorities.
• Helping develop, approve, and monitoring a school-based budget.
At most schools, Local School Councils are made up of:
• Six parents who are not school staff members, and have children enrolled in the school.
• Two community representatives, who are not parents or school staff members, and live within the school's attendance area.
• Two teachers who spend the majority of their time teaching in the school.
• One school staff member, who is not a teacher, who works a majority of time in the school.
• The school's principal.
• A student (in high schools).
The two Parent and Community Members are elected by parent and community residents for two-year terms.
The two Teachers and the Non-Teaching Staff Members are selected through a "non-binding" poll of all school staff for two year terms. (with the poll results almost always accepted by the Chicago Board)
The student is selected in a non-binding poll of students for a one-year term (with poll results almost always accepted by the Chicago Board).
Parents, Community Members, Teachers, and Non-Teaching Staff Members must complete and submit Nomination Forms by Friday, March 23.
You can get the needed forms from your school's main office or from the CPS website. Parent and Community candidate forms in English and in Spanish. Teachers and Non-Teaching Staff Members forms in English and in Spanish.
For Parent and Community candidates, here's a brief outline of the election process:
1. Complete and submit the nomination forms to your local school by 3:00 pm on Friday, March 23.
– You’ll need two forms of ID, one of which must be a government-issued photo ID.
2. Prepare for your school’s Candidate Forum and Candidate Literature Distribution Day.
– Candidate forums are held at ALL schools in late March 2012. Attendance is critical.
– Create a flyer (letter sized) telling parents and community who you are and why you are running. Find out the number of school classrooms, and separate your flyers into sets of 35. Submit them to the school no later than April 11. Candidate Literature Distribution day is April 16!
3. Get out the vote! Ask parents and community members to vote for you on report card pick up day.
– Poll-watch. Ask friends, family, or other candidates to monitor the polls on election day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
– Ask for support on election day. You may stand no less than 50 feet to the entrance of the school and and pass out literature with your name and ballot number. No literature may be passed out in the school or polling area.
– Only you or one other poll-watcher may be there after the polls close to count the ballots.
Governor Signs Historic Chicago School Facilities Act
August 20, 2011: Revolutionary state law creates fair standards and procedures for where Chicago schools get built, which schools get repaired first, and how school closing, turn-around, and phase-out decisions are made.
Planning for the Future with Public Involvement:
Under the new law, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) must create a 10-Year Facility Master Plan; to better coordinate school improvements, repairs, and renovations in an effective and equitable way. The Plan must be with extensive community input, and coordination with other local governments and elected officials, including Local School Councils.
CPS also must develop a detailed 5-year Capital Plan, and produce an end-of-the-year Capital Expenditure Report, which will enable the public and elected officials to "follow the money."
The law spells out extensive procedures and rights for making such decisions as school closings. For example, all proposed school closure proposals must be announced by December 1, with sufficient and extensive opportunities for hearings before a truly independent hearing officer.
Practical Research and Resource Publications:
Designs for Change has over twenty practical research studies and resource guides, available through this website under Publications.
Coming Soon: Updated DFC Website
