The Chicago school district announced an initiative last week to improve the city’s high schools that will include three new instructional models for core subjects.
Mayor Richard M. Daley said the 10-year effort, expected to cost $50 million to $100 million, would have at its heart “instructional supports” aimed at aligning what is taught in secondary schools with state standards and college-entrance requirements.
The district issued a request for proposals for comprehensive packages in English, mathematics, and science that would include learning materials, teacher-training programs, and intensive classroom coaching. Starting next fall, 15 high schools will be invited to join the new instructional program each year.
Chicago high schools now teach dozens of different curricula, few of which are aligned with Illinois state standards or with one another, the mayor said.
The high school strategies, which were developed with money from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, also include making “scorecards” for schools with a range of indicators; expanding the number of high schools and students’ choices among them; and efforts to improve teacher and principal quality, Mr. Daley said.
