Ten Things I'd Like To Know...

In no particular order:

1 -- Who's replacing Hosanna at New Schools, or who's in the running?
2 -- How that new Chief of Staff is doing?
3 -- How many AIO spots are open, and who's on the list to get the jobs?  Ditto for principal spots.
4 -- What's happening to LLTs next year, and what's happening with the Reading Initiative?
5 -- How many probationary teachers got clicked and are looking for work?
6 -- How many teachers are leaving their current schools and looking elsewhere? (Are you staying?)
7 -- How many tuition-based PK programs are going to turn into PK For All next year, and where?
8 -- What the SAT10 scores looked like, and how many kids got summer schooled or waivered this year?
9 -- Whether the list of kids who lottery into schools is public and can get matched to who enrolls in the fall?
10 -- Whether the residency change, LSC reform, or additional funding are going to happen during overtime in Springfield, and who to blame if they don't?

If you know something, let us know.  Let's see how long it takes to cross off all the questions. Or, if you've got questions of your own, post them and we'll see what we can do. 

Comments

1: I heard Beatriz Rendon (sp?) is running new schools right now...is that right?

heard many things about Beatriz.

[Victor]

I have an 11th question: When will NBCT's receive the bonus money?

Every year ISBE and CPS payroll screw around till the summer is half gone or longer.

(cross posted here: http://chicagoteachersspeakout.blogspot.com/2007/06/when-will-nbcts-get-bonus.html)

How about who is replacing Don Pittman at OHSP?

[LS]

I have a question? How can a LSC elect a new principal and the board refuse to sign their contract. I have heard five incoming principals have been hired by their LSC but have an unsigned contract. At this time they have been told the next board meeting in on June 27th. They are supposed to take over as principal on July 1st. Can the LSC’s decision be unapproved by the board?

[LS]

I have a question? How can a LSC elect a new principal and the board refuse to sign their contract. I have heard five incoming principals have been hired by their LSC but have an unsigned contract. At this time they have been told the next board meeting in on June 27th. They are supposed to take over as principal on July 1st. Can the LSC’s decision be unapproved by the board?

I was forced out because of the illegal residency policy.
Will it change any time soon? Did the bill die like some of you mentioned earlier?

I must be insane, but I would like to come back to CPS if it is possible.

It is not uncommon for principals to start pending board approval. The board has not refused to to approve a contract if it was not on the agenda for the board meeting. If the contracts have in fact been on the agenda for a board meeting that is a different matter.

I know of one PK- Tuition being turned into PK for all. (Now mind you this is going from a full day to 1/2 day program).

What about the AIO who gives his school's LSC members his list to choose principal candidates from?
And they do!

Wow! Another good reason to have LSCs!

[You want us to do your work?]

Media loves it. Help us first.

June 16 3:27AM

Why do you want to come back?

What would change or implement or continue?

[Julie Woestehoff]

The Board likes to think that it has to "approve" an LSC's principal selection decision but in fact they do not. This fact was been reaffirmed in court in the Gale School LSC case: "the board's signature is a mere formality such that if the LSC and the principal enter into an otherwise valid contract, the board is bound by it unless it can establish that it is void or otherwise illegal" (Board of Ed. v. Martin, 1998)

CPS does have the right to set eligibility criteria for principals and will at times appoint an LSC-selected principal to the position as an interim until all of CPS's requirements are met.

[Burnham Plan]

Item #12 on this week’s state board agenda is a discussion of "The Burnham Plan for a World-Class Education: Reforming School Quality and Accountability in Illinois."

It looks like potential legislation.

The complete plan is at:
http://www.isbe.net/board/meetings/june07/burnham_plan.pdf

LSC Authority
“Empowers the Local School Councils to serve as leaders in principal improvement and oversee principal development by creating, administering and reporting on principal achievement.

Amends: 105 ILCS 5/34-2.3

"Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the local school council may not retain a principal who fails to obtain a rating of ‘meets expectations’ in the general superintendent’s evaluation.”

[George Schmidt]

Beatriz Rendon has been in charge of New Schools since January 2007 (at the latest). In the current Position File, her title is "Chief Officer" New Schools. I don't remember a Board Report from Arne making this happen, but that would just mean her promotion was like dozens of others he's been doing without waiting for the Board. Matching the job titles and top paid people from this time last year (end of the FY 2006 budget) with this year's budget files was made more difficult because Arne changed the names of most jobs (e.g., there are no "attorney" designations in the Law Dept. anymore; they all now have titles like "Senior Manager").

Whether that sleight of hand required a Board Report or was just OK with the Board because it approved Arne's "Merit Pay" administrative plan last fall is another question no one has asked.

But what difference do a few laws and some facts make in the face of an ongoing miracle?

Same thing with head of special ed; got raise and promotion to chief officer in the midst of service cuts and closings throughout the department, and more that happened last week.

The lawyer's title thing happened with the merit plan, put in to give raises to the people who put everyone on flat rate, and were now chafing under it themselves and wanting raises.

The 'salary bands' and bonuses also instituted now assure that again, no one knows what anyone is making.

Sorry (again) Julie--cannot be an interim principal unless that person meets the CPS principal requirements first.

hot off the presses.

officer - joshua edelman

[Educator]

Where is Josh Edelman the officer?

[Does anyone know about the investigation of the principal at McKay School?]

It was on the suntimes, last Saturday and the Tribune.

Anyone know what is happening at McKay located in the 18th Ward?

Office of New Schools
New Officer is....Joshua Edelman.

and OHSP now Gilligan's Island.