Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Chicago School Closings Give Way to Turnarounds

November 09, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

To the Editor:

We’re not surprised that findings from a recently released study by the University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research indicate that while school closings displace students, they bring little positive effect on academic achievement (“Closing Schools in Chicago Found to Yield Few Gains,” Nov. 4, 2009). But the study does not mean, as some insist, that the reform strategies enacted by the Chicago public schools are not working.

It’s important to emphasize what the study itself clearly points out, that closings are not the strategy now being used to transform Chicago’s worst-performing schools. The district moved in 2006 to a focus on turnarounds rather than school closings. Since then, Chicago has brought in the group I head, the Academy for Urban School Leadership, to turn around eight schools where test scores, attendance, discipline issues, and graduation rates indicated that students were not getting the education they needed.

The top-to-bottom-transformation approach that the academy employs is like hitting a reset button for these schools. More important, there is no disruption to students, who return in the fall to their neighborhood school, transformed with renovated facilities, a new principal, new teachers, a new curriculum, and new expectations for their success.

We not only have the data to show that this method is successful, but also the support of the students, parents, and teachers who have participated in the process. Many of the most vocal of these supporters are parents and community members who were once among our loudest critics.

We advocate school turnaround because we see it work for students at some of our city’s most troubled schools.

Donald Feinstein

Executive Director

Academy for Urban School Leadership

Chicago, Ill.

Related Tags:
Opinion

A version of this article appeared in the November 11, 2009 edition of Education Week as Chicago School Closings Give Way to Turnarounds

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz News Quiz: Feb. 6, 2025: Reading Scores | Curriculum | Trump 'Indoctrination' Order | and More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Image of books on a shelf.
Illustration by Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
Education Briefly Stated: February 5, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz News Quiz: Jan. 30, 2025: Interim Ed. Dept. Leader | Navigating Immigration Policies | Teacher Evaluations | And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
Al Drago/AP
Education Briefly Stated: January 29, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read