Difficult Choices: My Charter School Job Hunt
I’m a self-proclaimed education news addict, but I have to confess that, until recently, I knew very little about school choice, as it relates to charter schools. “School choice?” I thought. “Sure, sounds like a fine idea.” Almost a year ago, however, when I decided to move to Chicago, school choice began to take on a whole new meaning for me.
Having taught in an urban public school in Atlanta, applying to the Chicago Public School system seemed like an obvious decision. However, I quickly discovered that CPS was not going to be hiring anytime in the near future, given the education budget crisis. After doing some Internet browsing, however, I discovered that CPS had been providing funds to the Renaissance 2010 movement, through which nearly 100 charter schools had been opened to serve urban students. “Aha!” I thought. “More choices!”
More choices was correct, though at that point in time, it was still early in the hiring season, and I wasn’t receiving responses to my emailed cover letters and resumes. On a whim, I filled out a lengthy application to a charter school on the southwest side of the city, writing nine pages to answer the essay questions. I had little hope of receiving a response, since I surmised that the school, with its rigorous application process, must be highly selective. Plus, while most other charter schools advertised strong academics and discipline, this school looked strangely different—students ate only organic food at school, practiced yoga, and played outside in a school garden. I sent off my enormous application packet and didn’t...
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