By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
Chicago officials have announced they want to wipe out selective enrollment and magnet schools – the city’s top performing schools – all in the name of equity. That’s the latest from CPS in a new 5-year strategic plan that calls for a transition away from “school choice” and toward traditional neighborhood schools.
The irony shouldn’t be lost on you. It’s at those top schools where ‘equity’ is actually being achieved in Chicago. More than 70 to 80 to 90 percent-plus of blacks and Hispanics in many of these top, diverse schools can read and do math at grade level – on par with the white and Asian students there.
Compare those results with the overall reading proficiency at CPS for black students – just 17 percent can read at grade level – and the insanity of the proposal becomes all too clear.
A look at the city’s 14 top-performing schools (ranked by reading proficiency) – all of which will presumably be shut down under the plan – shows just how well Chicago minorities perform there. Take Keller Elementary Gifted School, where 36 percent of students are black. 96 percent of those black students read at grade level. For Hispanics, 100 percent of them are reading proficient.
Or take Northside College Prep, where nearly one-third of the school’s 1,000 students are Hispanic. 88 percent of them are proficient in reading. The schools listed above are diverse, where the city’s minorities are given a chance to perform with whites and Asians.
It’s not just that these minority kids meet proficiency standards. A deeper look at their test outcomes shows a large share of them excel – 43 percent of Northside College Prep Hispanics ‘exceeded’ standards in reading, the highest level of achievement. At these schools merit and excellence still matter.
Shut down the top-performing schools and the few families that don’t abandon CPS will be forced to attend schools with dramatically lower student outcomes.
That’s where more irony kicks in. Many CPS schools are moving toward ‘equity,’ but at the other end of the spectrum. At these schools, students are equal because few to none of them can read at grade level, regardless of race.
At Wells Community Academy, for example, only 10 of the school’s 300 students are proficient in reading. Based on the data from Illinois’ Report Card, they were all Hispanic. None of the school’s white or black students were proficient in reading.
It’s similar at Tilden Career Community Academy. No whites nor blacks read at grade level.
Yes, those schools are at the extreme end of things, but the situation at CPS isn’t much better. Overall, just 8 percent of black students can do math at grade level at CPS. In reading, it’s just 17 percent.
Hispanic results are slightly better, at 14 and 21 percent, respectively, but equally depressing.
That level of failure persists despite the fact that, all-in, per student spending at CPS now exceeds $29,000.
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CPS can say goodbye to its top performing students and their families if CPS officials dismantle the city’s selective enrollment schools. The district has been bleeding students for decades and this is likely to accelerate the flight.
Many of those parents stay in the city only because they can get their children into magnet or selective schools like Lane Tech or Payton High. With no way to ensure their children are placed in a high-performance environment, many will either turn to private schools or move out to the suburbs.
Not that CTU or CPS officials care. High-performing black and Hispanic students are a threat to the union’s narrative of universal white supremacy and race-based oppression.
Those students must go.
Appendix
1. Ending Choice
The school board included the following language in a proposed resolution “Regarding Values and Parameters for New Five-Year Transformational Strategic Plan, SY25-SY29”:
3) transition away from privatization and admissions/enrollment policies and approaches that further stratification and inequity in CPS and drive student enrollment away from neighborhood schools
CPS has also responded to various media outlets, saying:
While CPS will work with the community and its City partners to co-design the strategic plan, the parameters set a vision for the District to develop a plan that shifts away from a model which emphasizes school choice to one that elevates our neighborhood schools to ensure each and every student has access to a high-quality education in a supportive and welcoming school.
2. Spending
3. Enrollment
Read more from Wirepoints:
- RIP Norman Lear. Fifty years ago he scorned Chicago Public Schools for its failures. His criticisms still matter today.
- Illinois per student spending jumps to nearly $24K, CPS at nearly $30K.
- States supporting Universal School Choice increasingly surround Illinois. Tennessee next.
- 5 facts they don’t want you to know about Illinois’ 2023 student test results
At $1.5 million per job, the new incentive package from the state is at least 15 times the norm. For this much money, the state could have just handed out a million bucks to 827 people, instead of creating 550 jobs.
Ted joined Jeff Daly to discuss the university student protests erupting across the nation on the Israel/Palestine conflict, why it’s so dangerous for society if the media abandons facts in favor of narratives, why that allows government to spin away the problems like crime and financial crises, why it causes the voting public to become apathetic, and more.
When you hear the complaints from Illinois politicians, remember the hypocrisy: 40,000 bused to Chicago, but 161,562 allowed to fly directly to Florida.
Nearly one year ago, Chicagoans cheered Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s removal from office. In her place was Brandon Johnson, who promised a more inclusive approach to building a “better, stronger, safer Chicago.” It hasn’t turned out that way. Today, there’s little disagreement that Mayor Johnson has disappointed on most key issues. On crime. On policing. On migrants. On education. On governance. Even on foreign affairs.
Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about the problems and costs of the Chicago Bears’ proposed new stadium, why its unlikely to happen in its current form, why the ongoing wave of violent crimes makes residents scared of the city, and why the funeral of slain police officer Luis Huesca matters to Mayor Johnson’s reputation.
Have Black voters figured out yet that the people they vote into power are pooching them ?
Very disheartening and troubling for so many reasons. But it’s not a surprise. This guy is an absolute diehard Marxist and he is a fool. There is no stopping this train wreck. There is no recall, impeachment, or any form of taking his power away. Pritzker is not going to lift a finger. This is what happens when one party has run the state for so long. While the political class rewards itself continually, the citizens see diminished safety, security, education, and for what? Because they want to stay and fight? Fight for what? Scraps? This is their doing and… Read more »
Everything to you is disheartening and sad. These people are vastly outnumbered. They’re bullies propped up by the media and people like you. Stop giving them more credit than they deserve and do something helpful.
By leaving the state, you are reducing their power. That’s why they are so desperate to bring in migrants to keep the population stable.
No you’re not!!! You’re making yourself an easier target by congregating with other like minded people. How did migration work out for American Indians in the 19th century? There are several very successful examples of this technique that are too controversial to cite.
Hey Fellow English speaker, how well did the Britons do under the migration of Angles, Saxons and Jutes? Why are we speaking a bastardized Germanic language instead of a latinized Romance language?
Sometimes leaving does work as you spread your values to the new location.
No comprende, señor.
Touche!
See, I’m not all doom and gloom.
It’s a race to the bottom.
And Chicago’s children are the victims.
Pity the children.
You know the Chicago Teacher’s Union. Why would you expect anything different?
More proof that The Education fiasco isn’t about kids–It’s a money grab for adults.
The magnet schools themselves aren’t any better. The students that attend them are better. You could take the worst performing school and only allow top performing students to attend and it would magically become a high performing school overnight. Not because of the building, teachers, administration or any other resources other than the students themselves. These schools were always a way to get your child away from the other trouble making students. Maybe just start removing all the trouble making students and those that don’t want to be there and the ones that are left will finally be able to… Read more »
Absolutely! Excellence always starts with a strong desire on the part of the individual immediately being impacted. Without that all of the external incentives, embellishments and rules meant to improve things generally will likely fall short of being even moderately successful.
Great post!
Like the movie “Lean on Me” the true story of Joe Clark who turned around a failing school plagued with drugs and hoodlums? Where are the Joe Clark’s in any Chicago public schools. Is there just one principal that could do what Joe Clark achieved. Not one that I am aware of. It would NOT be allowed by the union or status quo. I am sure if they are dedicated principals they would LIKE to do it BUT??? If you know of someone let us know.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_on_Me_(film)
Who cares what they allow! I’d love to see someone make a difference and would proudly rally around a martyr.
Exactly! Just one person taking a stand to turn around one under performing school. Why can they not do this? One principle that says enough is enough. Getting tutors for some kids. Getting the smarter kids in class to help the slow learners. Anything. Who and what is stopping them. There are 646 schools all with principals and not one will try.
It’s simple. They’ve been convinced by social media and the press that any effort to make a difference is futile. Trolls here are trying to do the same thing with overwhelming doom posts, demoralizing claims, and anecdotes of despair. We all know that out of state political participation is a fraction of a percent. Somehow, every other poster here is an Illinois expat that spends all their free time trying to convince everyone that they’re all alone, there’s nothing they can do, and resistance is futile. Their behavior is completely illogical if you think about it. I’m working on a… Read more »
They’ve been convinced by nearly three decades of voting patterns and then quite literally millions of native born Illinois residents being replaced with foreign born straight ticket Democrat supporters. Have you ventured in Chicago’s suburbs lately? Have you seen the demographic changes in Des Plaines, Hoffman Estates, Roselle, Bolingbrook, Round Lake Beach? The people are changing and they won’t ever be convinced to vote Democrat. At my most recent high school reunion, half the class had already moved out of state.
Easy for any of us to say, but how many would? All you have to do is take a look and see what has happened to others who have tried to take a stand against ridiculous policies based on ridiculous ideologies. Could you withstand the absolute destruction of your reputation, your livelihood, your social circles? Because that is 100% what would happen if „they” felt their agenda was threatened. Bret Weinstein and his wife were drummed out of not just their jobs, but their town for daring to not participate in and voice opposition to a racist event at Evergreen… Read more »
I’m sorry to read of your experiences in the public school system. You’re right, most cannot directly challenge those who run our schools without suffering repercussions. Somehow we have allowed a Gestapo to take root in the school system. They won’t stop until they are forced out. Voting out current union leaders would be a good first step. Randi Weingarten, Betsy Pringle, and Stacy Davis-Gates out of a job would send a clear message.
Speaking up is an act of courage. Kudos to you.
Seems that those we pay to educate children prefer to patiently explain why they can’t possibly be expected to do so, while simultaneously demanding more money for their budgets.
There are no more Joe Clarks, only Brandon Johnsons. Now shut up and pay.
I get your point but how many principals or teachers WOULD like to be another Joe Clark? I think more than we think but they are afraid of some sort of reprisal. I posted this before. https://www.wrex.com/news/13-investigates/13-investigates-rps-205-teachers-say-failing-students-still-get-moved-on-to-next-grade/article_8b8b9850-7042-52d4-8301-530f0b8293c2.html If you look at close to the end of the article many teachers chose not to do the survey for fear of backlash. What do they mean by Backlash? Very difficult to fire a teacher as per their contract. So kids keep getting passed on. Holding back lots of kids would not look good for the super or the district. Too many parents… Read more »
I’m sure there are quite a few who don’t like what the system has become.
The sad fact is that NOTHING will change until those inside the system (teachers and admin) are willing to stand up. The education system is one of the most insular institutions in our society. It cannot be fixed from the outside.
When Randi Weingarten loses a union election, or people like Stacy Davis-Gates and Brandon Johnson do not have union support, I will believe that teachers want to change things. Until then, I hear only whining about how tough they have it.
This is a very conservative, some might say right wing viewpoint, I fully agree. Parents, teachers and students who care make a school, not a damn union.
Just another policy in a long line of policies where the Democrats continue to tell their voters in no uncertain terms that they hate them. All that matters to the Democratic Socialists is raw power. The Dem radicals will institute any new policy at their whim to make clear to the citizens that they are the ones with all the power and you had better go along with whatever they say. Or else. Oh, and keep voting Democrat if you know what’s good for you. Chicago and Illinois residents need to learn one big lesson from the illegals taking over… Read more »
I don’t care what they think. They’re outnumbered significantly. How about a little team spirit and less doom?
You’re missing the point. The Democrat Party machinery has been hijacked by progressives. They run the show. This is an intra-party Democrat problem and we’re not invited to be a part of the solution. The only way to ‘fix’ this problem is for the centrist Democrats to take it back from the progressives, which has proven extremely difficult. And don’t give me that nonsense that disaffected voters will vote Republican. Just wait until inner-city lifelong Democrat voters find out Republican positions on abortion, reparations and affirmative action! At best, these voters will hold their Democrat party leaders accountable, which has… Read more »
Give me a break. I don’t care about long winded excuses. Fixing the problem is as simple as getting off your butt and doing something. Not somebody else, YOU! Morale, cohesion, drive, realistic goals, and communication are what we need. We have plenty of resources to fix the problem. I’m not pulling this out of my ass either. I’ve done my homework and the majority of crisis management experts over the last 100 years agree. You really should take a trip to your local library. Below is something you might find interesting from WWII. There were literally thousands of different… Read more »
This is full of everything you could possibly imagine. Enlightenment quotes, public participation suggestions, instructions on what you can do to help out, freedom eagles, inspiring words from prominent social figures, etc.
I wish that the things you are suggesting resonated with Illinois voters, but unfortunately they don’t anymore. The majority of the citizenry now asks what their country can do for them. It’s the politics of envy, i.e., social justice.
I left Illinois when DuPage County started electing Democrat US congressmen. Why did that happen? Because as more wealthy Chicagoans moved to DuPage County to raise their children in a safe environment, they kept voting for Democrats! And these wealthy people supposedly have high IQs. That’s when I knew that Illinois was utterly hopeless.
We won the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced with high morale and teamwork inspired by pamphlets like the one above. I have no idea where you’re coming from with some insignificant anecdotal perspective on Illinois voting habits.
It’s not insignificant when DuPage County, a long time Republican county, elects Democrats. It’s a clear sign of the direction that Illinois is going in when the Republicans lose a county where they have an established Republican Party structure, unlike Cook County.
Illinois cannot be turned around when the Republicans cannot even hold onto the largest county they controlled for decades. The voters have spoken, they want more of the societal destruction that Democrats are selling.
I get it. Instead of participating, helping, making positive suggestions or doing something to advance everyone’s best interests, you’re here, in an out of state forum, telling everyone they’re screwed and to run away! That says a lot about your sentiment and motives.
He’s Jeremiah preaching a warning to the masses. Jeremiah was called a doom and gloomer until the day he was carted off to Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces. \
I’m sure there were plenty of people in Detroit who said “Come on guys, let’s turn this ship around!” and eventually they were likely murdered in a home invasion for their three year old color tv.
Mr. Hardy, I admire your fighting spirit and wish you the best of luck.
You can either live in freedom or under tyrannical rule, and we each have chosen our respective paths.
More ridiculous comments about teamwork, esprit de corps, morale, without even dealing with realities. Your pamphlet is not going to work in this scenario. The situation will not get any better. Chicago elected a diehard Marxist and his eye for equity to “level the playing field” will be catastrophic for families and children. You may have voted for him. Many people supported this communist and voted for him. They will get what they deserve. Put away the brochures and get a U-haul, load it up and go to more politically viable locales. Don’t you ever think that people have their… Read more »
While I appreciate the sentiment, Chicago and Illinois are no different than Bolshevik Russia at this point. Hence the doom. The people who got out of Bolshevik Russia had infinitely better lives than those who stayed, who lived lives of despair. Anyone from an Eastern European family like mine gets this. It’s better to leave Illinois and work to make the new state you move to a better place to live. A place where your vote counts. A place where a politician has to earn your vote or they don’t get re-elected. Illinois is a lost cause, and while lesser… Read more »
The ‘selective’ CPS HS’s are rooted in racism and segregation. Look at class pics from just 50-40 years ago and you’ll quickly see that. I had a retired teacher from one of the large selective HS’s tell me 20 years ago they lowered the ‘selection standards’ for Black students because 1) They needed the headcount 2) The Black students would effectively be a ‘human shield’ against any criticism of the selective HS. The selective CPS HS’s are Liberal elitism on the taxpayer dime, whose fruit is poisoned by a racist past.
If you listen to what the most ardent supporters say, you can get some insight into why they are doing this. They repeatedly say that its not fair that smart kids get their own separate schools, because EVERY KID should be in a high performing school. They also say that it’s unfair and cruel that the best students have very stressful, high stakes testing to get into the top performing schools, while students who can’t perform – for whatever reason, trauma, limited English proficiency, etc – are left out of the magnet and selective placement system altogether. And honestly, they’re… Read more »
The double-standard of Liberals is astounding. When you look at the ‘selective’ CPS schools, the first impression is WTH? It is elitism for Liberals, on the taxpayers dime. The IKA was egalitarian, not elitist and was based on private donations and Pritzker and the Liberals didn’t like it. So the elitist ‘selective’ CPS schools need to go for they are much more obscene, if you wish to be consistent and not a hypocrite.
Neighborhood schools worked when parents were involved in their children’s school.
Now forget about it hold a parents night and
Listen to the crickets chirping.
Commies don’t care about the kids, do as we say or else the bogeyman,” teachers union,will come and take you away.
The union slugs have a reading and math proficiency of a piece of common granite.
The system will fail the kiddos but the unions cry “ we need more money” will continue
Deck chairs all in a row as the mighty ship
Goes down by the bow.
There’s only two ways that Democrats win elections:
The schools issue addresses number 2.
CTU socialism at it’s best (worst). SMH
Sadly, socialist misguided plight towards equity reminds me of the story about King Solomon and the two women who both claimed to be the mother of the same child. The (lying) socialist agreed that the baby should be cut in half!
When have progressives not gotten rid of something that worked in the name of equity?
There are so many unintended consequences in this proposal to enumerate.
Chicago is simply a place of evil. It doesn’t even care about its children.
This is what happens when you put lifelong underachievers in charge. This type of backwards thinking is what dooms civilizations. Is it guilt or arrogance that drives individuals to make such decisions? Keep putting morons in charge and eventually we’ll be back in caves.