Number of half-empty Chicago public schools doubles, yet lawmakers want to extend school closing moratorium – Wirepoints
April 19, 2024
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A set of state lawmakers want to extend CPS’ current school closing moratorium to February 1, 2027 – the same year CPS is set to transition to a fully-elected school board. That means schools like Manley High School, with capacity for more than 1,000 students but enrollment of just 78, can’t be closed for anther three years. The school spends $45,000 per student, but just 2.4% of students read at grade level.
Hopefully, all media will get the message, in Illinois, too.
Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation property taxes, why lawmakers don’t want to touch the tax’s cost drivers, just how much Illinoisans’ tax burden has grown over the decades, why Gov. Pritzker failed to meet his promise to reform property taxes, and more.
With Rahm at his absolute lowest point and CPS under inept and/or corrupt management possible, a strike is inevitable. From a bureaucratic perspective, there hasn’t been a better time for CTU to strike. How the citizens react is another thing, but considering how much money CTU has been pumping into local neighborhood organizations (KOCO, Brighton, etc) lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if the most vocal groups were pro-union, despite the pain felt by those parents. But lucky for them, I solved their problem for free. Here are the equitable terms for the next CPS 3-year contract: – 1% yearly raises… Read more »
Sounds good, but here’s what Rahm really should say: “You’re all fired. Most of you hate the economic system into which you are supposed to be teaching kids to succeed. The old CPS is gone — reconstituted and in bankruptcy if necessary. We will rehire those of you who are any good, on terms we can afford and on which you can rely.”