A suite of five new studies examines the Chicago school district’s work to improve its high schools. It finds “a few hopeful signs,” but “no dramatic improvements.”
The studies, issued Aug. 19 by SRI International, based in Menlo Park, Calif., and the Consortium on Chicago School Research, discuss the district’s theory of change and several key strands of the work it undertook in support of that theory.
One report is an overview. Two detail the districts approach to curriculum and instruction systems in high schools. One takes a look at the district’s controversial “Renaissance 2010" initiative, which closed underperforming schools and reopened new ones in their place. The other report examines the district’s “autonomous management and performance schools,” which earn increased autonomy with good performance.
