CEO Byrd-Bennettt: CPS schools will benefit from consolidation
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CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
The deadline on school consolidation in Chicago is less than two weeks away.
Schools Chief Barbara Byrd Bennett is promising safety upgrades, science labs and air conditioning at all schools that receive students from closed schools – and that these changes would contribute to a better work environment.
She said the funding for the upgrades will come from the savings achieved by closing under-utilized schools. Some parents remain skeptical.
Bennett also said there will be individualized teaching plans for all special education students being moved to new schools. But some parents of special education students said that's simply not enough.
"You can't transition autistic children," Lasharr Wilson said. "They don't take well to change. So changing them is going to create behavioral problems in the classroom and at home."
Wilson and other parents of special needs students brought their concerns to school board headquarters on Tuesday.
They said 6,000 special needs children are attending schools on the list of potential closings and called the CPS consolidation plan flawed, because the district has failed to properly assess their children's needs.
CPS CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett joined Good Day Chicago Wednesday morning to talk about the impact school closures would have on special education students and student safety.
CPS officials say they will save $16 million on student transportation for the year beginning July 1.
Byrd-Bennett said the savings will come from changing bus schedules and routes, and the money will be spent on classrooms.
The bulk of the savings will come from adjusting the times school bells ring and a reduction in the number buses the district uses. Other savings will be achieved by reducing the system's 2,000 daily bus routes.
Officials also plan to reduce costs by using vans instead of standard-sized buses to transport special education students. The district buses 5% of its students and most of them attend selective enrollment programs or have special needs.
Some districts have already closed schools to save money. But according to a 2011 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the average savings in the short run for those districts were well under 1 million per school.
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Even a fire hydrant is feeling the Blackhawks spirit, especially after Chicago's midnight victory over the Boston Bruins at the United Center in triple overtime.
Even a fire hydrant is feeling the Blackhawks spirit, especially after Chicago's midnight victory over the Boston Bruins at the United Center in triple overtime.
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Forecasters say hot weather could give way to violent storms across parts of Illinois and are warning residents to be prepared for strong winds, hail and even tornadoes.
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Tuesday, June 18 2013 10:12 PM EDT2013-06-19 02:12:41 GMT
Chicago Public Schools wrap up classes this week, and that means some of the schools will only be open for a few more days before they are closed as part of the CPS 5-year reorganization plan.
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Tuesday, June 18 2013 6:27 PM EDT2013-06-18 22:27:58 GMT
A southwest suburban teen pleaded guilty to being drunk when he fatally struck a 4-year-old girl chasing a ball in the street has been sentenced to probation and community service.
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Police ask the Albany Park/Mayfair community to be vigilant, walk in pairs and avoid strangers, after a woman was sexually assaulted Monday night near the entrance to a CTA Blue Line station.
Police ask the Albany Park/Mayfair community to be vigilant, walk in pairs and avoid strangers, after a woman was sexually assaulted Monday night near the entrance to a CTA Blue Line station.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 10:12 PM EDT2013-06-19 02:12:41 GMT
Chicago Public Schools wrap up classes this week, and that means some of the schools will only be open for a few more days before they are closed as part of the CPS 5-year reorganization plan.
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While the school year is winding down for Chicago Public Schools students, police and other city departments are preparing Safe Passage routes for the fall.
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About 850 teachers and staffers at schools doomed to either close this month or to reboot their staffs were handed pink slips Friday afternoon, according to Chicago Public Schools.
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For now, Chicago Public Schools has legally left the door open to the possibility of halting 10 of its 50 historic school closings, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
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Baseball legend and Cubs Hall of Famer Andre "The Hawk" Dawson works with Citi Cub Kids, a program that partners with the Jackie Robinson Foundation. He's visiting Polaris Charter Academy to send a positive message!
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