By George N. Schmidt
 Despite a growing body of nationally reviewed research evidence that charter schools have failed to produce the “achievement gains” once promised by their supporters, the Chicago Board of Education on November 16 approved 15 new charters for Chicago, bringing the total to more than 40 charter schools and “campuses.”
After the board’s action, Chicago had more than 85 percent of the charter schools in the entire state. Protests from numerous community groups and the teachers union were ignored. The board voted unanimously and without discussion for the latest addition to Mayor Richard M. Daley’s “Renaissance 2010” privatization plan.
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Chicago charter school owners and supporters packed the November 16, 2005, meeting of the Chicago Board of Education after a media event, hosted by schools CEO Arne Duncan, announced the latest expansion of charters at the expense of the city’s public schools. One of the most controversial of the charters was awarded to Paul Adams (above, third from left) and Providence-St. Mel’s, a Catholic school that has told Duncan it will impose an admissions requirement (based on test scores) at its new charter school. The Providence-St. Mel’s charter school is also controversial because it will be housed in the Ralph Bunche Elementary School at 6550 S. Ashland Ave. Duncan closed the Bunche school last June despite overwhelming evidence challenging Duncan’s claim that the school was “underperforming.” The Bunche building had undergone more than $4 million in rehabilitation just prior to its closing. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt. |
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