Low-performing Illinois high schools that are part of the federal School Improvement Grant program are seeing some positive results, a new study says.
The Illinois schools received $168 million from the federal government during the 2010-11 academic year. Dropout and truancy rates at the schools fell, and ACT scores improved, according to Catalyst Chicago. However, two of the Chicago schools saw the number of freshman on-track to graduate decline.
Despite growing concern about the prepared foods served to school children, the Chicago Public Schools are in the process of replacing many full kitchens with "warming kitchens," equipped only to reheat frozen meals. Staff members say they are concerned about their jobs, and about the quality of food served to students.
The Chicago Teachers Union Tuesday afternoon applauded the mayor’s shift in his longer school day stance — cutting back his demand from 7.5 to 7 hours for elementary schools — but asserted the mayor has far to go on compromising.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel blinked Tuesday in his signature drive for a longer school day. Instead of requiring elementary schools to shift from the current 5.75-hour day to a 7.5-hour day, the mayor backed off and ordered a 7-hour day for elementary schools.
The Chicago High School for the Arts will get a new home in 2015 — the old Malcolm X College — when the college moves into its new, $251 million home next door.
