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The following audio clips include City Voices radio segments hosted by Deputy Editor Lorraine Forte, as well as a variety of speeches, including those from the Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon Series that Catalyst co-sponsors. City Voices is a public affairs program that has been broadcast weekly on WNUA, 95.5 FM since January 1995. Catalyst Chicago produces an education segment for the program that airs the second Sunday of each month. Other City Voices partners are The Chicago Reporter, which like Catalyst is published by the Community Renewal Society; Community Media Workshop and journalist and teacher Stan West. Unless otherwise indicated, the audio selections below are from City Voices
Audio Archives
City Voices, April 2008: Local school council elections Local school council elections are coming up, and LSCs are under fire. Recruiting candidates is tough, financial support for recruitment from private foundations and from the district is down, and CPS makes no secret of wanting to curb LSC powers. Meanwhile, several small schools have filed a lawsuit charging that the district illegally made their councils into advisory bodies. Guests: Steve Ross, president of the board for Parents United for Responsible Education; and Rev. Charlie Walker, LSC community rep at Mose Vines on the Orr Campus.
Download City Voices, April 2008: Local school council elections (City Voices 04-08.mp3) (22.15 MB)
Allan Alson on High School Transformation Allan Alson, head of CPS' Office of High School Transformation, talks with Catalyst Chicago reporter Sarah Karp about the district's multi-faceted approach to turning around failing high schools. In this audio clip, he discusses IDS (Instructional Development Systems), designed to help schools improve in many ways, such as raising student expectations, supporting good teachers and providing additional supports. He also mentions GEAR UP resources, dropout prevention labs and involving the community via community schools that offer extended day programs as other pieces of the puzzle for improving schools.
Download Allan Alson on High School Transformation (alson.mp3) (3.94 MB)
City Voices, February 2008: School 'turnarounds' Six schools are slated for overhauls next year, under the district's 'turnaround' strategy that will put the Academy for Urban School Leadership in charge of Orr High and two feeder elementary schools; and the district in charge of Harper High and two of its feeders. What will it take to make failing schools succeed? Guests: Donald Feinstein, executive director of the Academy; Josh Edelman, head of CPS Office of New Schools.
Download City Voices, February 2008: School 'turnarounds' (City Voices 02-08.mp3) (21.28 MB)
City Voices, December 2007: Teaching in two languages A report from a CPS-led commission says bilingual education programs are shortchanging English learners, leaving them without high-level literacy skills in either their native language or English. The commission recommends a new approach called dual language: Students would learn English while retaining their native language. Guest: Bertha Magaņa, Latino Education Alliance.
Download City Voices, December 2007: Teaching in two languages (City Voices 12-07.mp3) (18.63 MB)
City Voices, Oct. 28, 2007: Access to preschool Children in African American and Latino neighborhoods are going with the benefit of preschool services, but for very different reasons. In African American communities, slots are going begging because parents don't always understand the benefits of preschool. In Latino communities, lack of space keeps kids away. Guests: Rosazlia Grillier, Community Organizing and Family Issues; Jane Garza, El Hogar del Nino Child Care Center.
Download City Voices, Oct. 28, 2007: Access to preschool (City Voices 10-07b.mp3) (16.92 MB)
City Voices, Oct. 8, 2007: Curbing school violence While Chicago's media spotlight has focused on the killings of students outside schools, less attention has been focused on what happens inside schools. Despite a districtwide decline of 10 percent, the rate of violent incidents rose last year in a third of schools. Students and advocates of alternative approaches to discipline say the district needs strategies that will do more than impose surface calm, not more metal detectors and security guards. Guests: Andres Durbak, Chief of Safety and Security, and Christine Agaiby, Alternatives Inc.
Download City Voices, Oct. 8, 2007: Curbing school violence (City Voices 10-07a.mp3) (16.55 MB)
Charter schools and unions Steve Barr is trying to instigate reform of the Los Angeles school district and teachers union with his Green Dot charter schools, which have their own teacher contract. Jo Anderson, executive director of the Illinois Education Assocation, also sees charters as an avenue to contract reform. Marilyn Stewart, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, is eyeing Chicago's charter schools. Michael Klonsky, founder of the Small Schools Workshop, moderates a discussion among the three at an Aug. 15, 2007 program co-sponsored by the Workshop, National-Louis University and Catalyst Chicago. For more information about Green Dot, go to www.greendot.org.
To listen to the conversation, click the link below. To read the transcript, go to Updates in the August 2007 web issue.
Download Charter schools and unions (Steve_Barr-0807.mp3) (51.88 MB)
City Voices, August 2007: Aiming for the top CPS has been under mayoral control for 12 years, and the district is now halfway through its signature initiative, Renaissance 2010. Achievement is on the rise, but how do top leaders plan to motivate teachers, principals, parents and the wider school community to get kids to the next level of learning? Guests: CEO Arne Duncan and Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins.
Download City Voices, August 2007: Aiming for the top (City_Voices_08-07.mp3) (17.53 MB)
City Voices, June 2007: School funding deja vu? Once again, lawmakers are in overtime crafting a budget and have yet to tackle the major overhaul of school funding that education advocates have been clamoring for. Peter Cunningham, strategic consultant to Chicago Public Schools, and Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability talk about what's going on behind the scenes in Springfield.
Download City Voices, June 2007: School funding deja vu? (City_Voices_06-07.mp3) (17.02 MB)
Linda Lenz on the history of Chicago school reform In a whirlwind 10 minutes, Catalyst founder Linda Lenz traces the politics of reform beginning in the mid-1980s. She then answers questions about charter schools, teacher preparation and other topics. She spoke Sept. 20, 2006 to Princeton and Northwestern university fellows working in Chicago nonprofits.
Download Linda Lenz on the history of Chicago school reform (lenz_reform.mp3) (18.92 MB)
Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 1 of 2] The late G. Alfred Hess Jr. studied Chicago schools for more than 25 years, first as a post-doctoral fellow at Northwestern University, then as executive director of the Chicago Panel on Public School Policy and Finance and then as director of Northwestern's Center on Urban School Policy. Before his death on Jan. 27, 2006, he shared his insights on school reform under Mayor Richard M. Daley with Catalyst Publisher Linda Lenz. Topics included how he would have shaped high school reform, the role of local school councils, the soft spot in small schools and the impact of race and class. He also spoke about Evanston's efforts to close the racial achievement gap, which he also studied.
Download Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 1 of 2] (Hess1.mp3) (5.47 MB)
Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 2 of 2] A continuation of the interview.
Download Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 2 of 2] (Hess2.mp3) (37.52 MB)
City Voices May 2007: New schools get first bite at capital dollars A Catalyst analysis confirms what critics of Renaissance 2010 have suspected: New schools are at the head of the line for spending on building repairs. Yet charter advocates say they need more help with facilities, not less. What do those in the school community say? What help do charters need? Guests: Valencia Rias, Designs for Change; Jill Levine, Illinois Facilities Fund.
Download City Voices May 2007: New schools get first bite at capital dollars (City_Voices_05-07.mp3) (13.65 MB)
City Voices April 2007: Children of the Incarcerated One school social worker calls it the 'taboo subject' that can deeply affect a child's ability to learn: the incarceration of a parent. As prison and jail populations soar, so too does the number of schoolchildren who must deal with the emotional trauma of a parent's imprisonment. How widespread is the problem? What can schools do to help these children? Guests: Sarah Karp, associate editor of Catalyst; Deidra Wilson, Sankofa Safe Child Initiative
Download City Voices April 2007: Children of the Incarcerated (City_Voices_04-07.mp3) (17.41 MB)
Chicago Schools Policy Lunch: April 10, 2007 Dennis Doyle, an assistant superintendent in California's largest K-6 school district, and David Vitale, formerly chief administrative officer for the Chicago Public Schools, described their respective districts' efforts to empower and support schools to do what is best for their students and communities. The Chula Vista (Calif.) Elementary School District is noteworthy for its decentralization and use of charters as R&D for districtwide improvements.
Download Chicago Schools Policy Lunch: April 10, 2007 (2007_policy_lunch3.mp3) (30.43 MB)
Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: March 20, 2007 Leslie Jacobs and Shenita Johnson Garrard describe how New Orleans is striving to convert a failed, corrupt school system into a decentralized system of schools. With some 60 percent of its public school students enrolled in charter schools, New Orleans has the most school autonomy and competition of any district in the country.
Download Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: March 20, 2007 (2007_policy_lunch2.mp3) (44.41 MB)
Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: Feb. 22, 2007 Andrew Rotherham of the Education Sector and Joseph Palumbo of Focus on Results talk about "Making School Autonomy Work for Children." Their presentations kicked off the 2007 Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon Series. Kim Zalent of Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI) made the introductions. Catalyst, BPI and the Illinois Network of Charter Schools organized the 2007 series.
Download Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: Feb. 22, 2007 (2007_policy_lunch.mp3) (32.73 MB)
City Voices March 2007: Paying for public schools Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants to pump $1.5 billion in new funding into schools next year, including $300 million to CPS. Senate President Emil Jones, CEO Arne Duncan and others back the plan. But how likely is it to pass? How much more will the plan raise per-pupil funding. And what do education advocates, who have been lobbying for years for a structural overhaul of school funding that would include property tax relief, think of the governor's proposal. Guest: Mary Ellen Guest, campaign manager for A+ Illinois, a coalition of funding reform advocates.
Download City Voices March 2007: Paying for public schools (City_Voices_03-07.mp3) (17.89 MB)
City Voices February 2007: Giving principals more power Under its Autonomous Management and Performance Schools program, Chicago Public Schools is giving its top principals more freedom from district bureaucracy. But will the freedoms schools get help them improve education for kids who need it most? Guest: Melissa Megliola, AMPS director, Chicago Public Schools.
Download City Voices February 2007: Giving principals more power (City_Voices_02-07.mp3) (18.89 MB)
City Voices January 2007: Helping the district's lowest-performing schools Last year, Chicago Public Schools hired the first area instructional officer from outside the district and put him in charge of raising achievement in schools in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods, Englewood. Guest: Jose Torres, Area 14 instructional officer.
Download City Voices January 2007: Helping the district's lowest-performing schools (City_Voices_01-07.mp3) (18.88 MB)
City Voices December 2006: Merit pay coming to a school near you? Chicago Public Schools recently won a $27 million grant to pilot a merit pay program that would pay teachers, in part, based on student improvement in test scores. Chicago will become the biggest district in the country to experiment with performance-based pay, in up to 40 schools over the next five years. Guests: Marilyn Stewart, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, and Carmita Vaughan, a director with CPS.
Download City Voices December 2006: Merit pay coming to a school near you? (City_Voices_12-06.mp3) (19.71 MB)
City Voices November 2006: Curbing the dropout problem Gov. Rod Blagojevich recently announced the formation of a new task force on dropouts. The group is focusing on finding kids who have left school and getting them to re-enroll, collecting up-to-date statistics on the number of dropouts and developing programs to serve them. Guest: Jack Wuest, executive director of the Alternative Schools Network.
Download City Voices November 2006: Curbing the dropout problem (City_Voices_11-06.mp3) (18.41 MB)
City Voices October 2006: Special education Only one in six special education students is performing at grade level in Chicago Public Schools. Meanwhile, staffing cuts hit hard at several hundred schools, while others schools gained staff through the district?s effort to distribute special ed teachers and aides more equitably. Guests: Rodney Estvan of Access Living and Mary Ann Pollett of Montefiore Elementary.
Download City Voices October 2006: Special education (city_voices_10-06.mp3) (17.73 MB)
City Voices September 2006: A new school year CEO Arne Duncan is entering his sixth year as head of the district. He talked with Consulting Editor Lorraine Forte about the district's budget crisis, school closings, goals for Renaissance 2010, plans to transform failing high schools and how long he plans to stay on the job.
Download City Voices September 2006: A new school year (01 City Voices 09-06.mp3) (18.56 MB)
City Voices August 2006: 'Not Like Running Starbucks or IBM' This year, more than 70 Chicago Public Schools principals?over 10 percent of the total?retired. The district predicts that over the next three years, half of principals will be new to the job. Running a school takes a special set of interpersonal and managerial skills. Guests: John Potocki, retired principal of Clay Elementary, and Joan Dameron Crisler, former principal of Dixon Elementary and the new managing director of LAUNCH.
Download City Voices August 2006: 'Not Like Running Starbucks or IBM' (City Voices 08-06.mp3) (21.35 MB)
City Voices July 2006: Capital planning Mayor Daley?s sweeping plan to build two dozen new schools across the city will cost taxpayers $1 billion. While the mayor says the city?s children can?t wait for new, more modern schools, his plan drew swift criticism from one watchdog group that said the district needs to be more open about its capital planning process. Guests: Erin Lavin Cabonargi, managing architect, CPS Department of Operations; and Jacqueline Leavy, executive director of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group.
Download City Voices July 2006: Capital planning (City Voices 07-06.mp3) (21.99 MB)
City Voices May 2006: Private fundraising Since CEO Arne Duncan took over as head of CPS, private and government grants have skyrocketed from $2 million to $29 million. Duncan's steady leadership and a focus on crafting long-term improvements are paying off for the district. Corporate partnerships with new schools created under Renaissance 2010 are also on the rise. Guests: Alyson Cooke, director of external resources for CPS, and Connie McHugh, senior program officer for the Renaissance Schools Fund.
Download City Voices May 2006: Private fundraising (cityvoices05-06.mp3) (17.47 MB)
City Voices April 2006: Supporting new teachers Chicago Public Schools typically hires over 2,700 new teachers each year. Before the end of the year, nearly 200 usually quit. While attrition in teachers' second and third years has slowed somewhat, more new teachers are quitting before their first year is complete. Meanwhile, the district's main mentoring program needs more funding to live up to its potential. Alternative programs offer intensive help, such as weekly meetings and coaching, but are only available for small numbers of teachers. Guests: Amanda Rivera, head of GOLDEN mentoring program for CPS, and Lisa Vahey, co-founder of the New Teachers Network.
Download City Voices April 2006: Supporting new teachers (cityvoices04-30-06.mp3) (20.25 MB)
City Voices March 2006: School closings In February, demonstrators showed up at City Hall to protest the closing of Collins High School, one of several public schools slated to close under the district's Renaissance 2010 plan to close low-performing schools and open new ones in their place. According to a Catalyst report, the board is not living up to its promise that displaced kids would end up in better schools. Critics cite increased violence in high schools and overall safety risks as proof that the district's strategy isn't working. Guests: Gilda Walker of the Southwest Block Club Coalition, Shannon Bennett of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization and Jacqueline Leavy of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group.
Download City Voices March 2006: School closings (cityvoices04-06.mp3) (16.95 MB)
City Voices February 2006: Mayoral control Back in 1995, state legislators gave Mayor Richard M. Daley control over the city's school system, including the power to select its leader and directly appoint members of the school board. What progress has the district made since then, and what problems remain to be solved? Guests: Valencia Rias, former member of Jones High and Washington Elementary local school councils and an organizer with Designs for Change; Elaine Allensworth, researcher with the Consortium on Chicago School Research; Nancy Aardema, executive director of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association and parent of a Chicago public schools graduate.
Download City Voices February 2006: Mayoral control (City Voices 02-06.mp3) (19.85 MB)
City Voices January 2006: Reinventing high schools In September 2005, CEO Arne Duncan told a large gathering of the city's movers and shakers that the district had a long-term plan to improve public high schools. One project, a new high school score card with more information on test scores and other indicators, debuted in December. The district also plans to improve curriculum with the help of outside contractors. Guest: Maureen Kelleher, associate editor of Catalyst and former high school teacher.
Download City Voices January 2006: Reinventing high schools (City Voices 01-06.mp3) (19.19 MB)
City Voices November 2005: Class cutting and truancy The more a student misses class, the more likely he is to fail the course. The more courses she fails, the less likely she is to graduate on time. In spring 2004, half of all freshmen missed more than two weeks of class in major subject. Guests: Victor Harbison, principal intern, Jones College Prep; Bill Gerstein, principal of the School of Entrepreneurship, a small school at South Shore High.
Download City Voices November 2005: Class cutting and truancy (City Voices 11-05.mp3) (19.65 MB)
City Voices August 2005: In the trenches Two teachers talk about the impact of budget cuts and what it takes to educate young people. Guests: Kenneth Johnson of Mose Vines, a small school at Orr High; Sonia Barillas, Amundsen High.
Download City Voices August 2005: In the trenches (City Voices 08.05.mp3) (20.56 MB)
City Voices July 2005: Universities in the schools How universities can help improve K-12 education, and the University of Chicago's plans for launching new schools. Guest: Tim Knowles, Center for Urban School Improvement, University of Chicago.
Download City Voices July 2005: Universities in the schools (City Voices 07.05.mp3) (19.05 MB)
City Voices June 2005: No relief in sight Despite hundreds of millions in capital spending, the district is only treading water when it comes to solving the problem of overcrowding. Guests: Associate Editor Maureen Kelleher, Columbia Explorers School Principal Jose Barrera.
Download City Voices June 2005: No relief in sight (City Voices 06.05.mp3) (17.48 MB)
City Voices April 2005: Homeless kids Why the number of homeless students is on the rise, the rights of homeless students and services the district provides. Guests: Rene Heybach of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Pat Rivera of CPS.
Download City Voices April 2005: Homeless kids (City Voices 04_05.mp3) (20.52 MB)
Audio Archives
City Voices, April 2008: Local school council elections Local school council elections are coming up, and LSCs are under fire. Recruiting candidates is tough, financial support for recruitment from private foundations and from the district is down, and CPS makes no secret of wanting to curb LSC powers. Meanwhile, several small schools have filed a lawsuit charging that the district illegally made their councils into advisory bodies. Guests: Steve Ross, president of the board for Parents United for Responsible Education; and Rev. Charlie Walker, LSC community rep at Mose Vines on the Orr Campus.
Download City Voices, April 2008: Local school council elections (City Voices 04-08.mp3) (22.15 MB)
Allan Alson on High School Transformation Allan Alson, head of CPS' Office of High School Transformation, talks with Catalyst Chicago reporter Sarah Karp about the district's multi-faceted approach to turning around failing high schools. In this audio clip, he discusses IDS (Instructional Development Systems), designed to help schools improve in many ways, such as raising student expectations, supporting good teachers and providing additional supports. He also mentions GEAR UP resources, dropout prevention labs and involving the community via community schools that offer extended day programs as other pieces of the puzzle for improving schools.
Download Allan Alson on High School Transformation (alson.mp3) (3.94 MB)
City Voices, February 2008: School 'turnarounds' Six schools are slated for overhauls next year, under the district's 'turnaround' strategy that will put the Academy for Urban School Leadership in charge of Orr High and two feeder elementary schools; and the district in charge of Harper High and two of its feeders. What will it take to make failing schools succeed? Guests: Donald Feinstein, executive director of the Academy; Josh Edelman, head of CPS Office of New Schools.
Download City Voices, February 2008: School 'turnarounds' (City Voices 02-08.mp3) (21.28 MB)
City Voices, December 2007: Teaching in two languages A report from a CPS-led commission says bilingual education programs are shortchanging English learners, leaving them without high-level literacy skills in either their native language or English. The commission recommends a new approach called dual language: Students would learn English while retaining their native language. Guest: Bertha Magaņa, Latino Education Alliance.
Download City Voices, December 2007: Teaching in two languages (City Voices 12-07.mp3) (18.63 MB)
City Voices, Oct. 28, 2007: Access to preschool Children in African American and Latino neighborhoods are going with the benefit of preschool services, but for very different reasons. In African American communities, slots are going begging because parents don't always understand the benefits of preschool. In Latino communities, lack of space keeps kids away. Guests: Rosazlia Grillier, Community Organizing and Family Issues; Jane Garza, El Hogar del Nino Child Care Center.
Download City Voices, Oct. 28, 2007: Access to preschool (City Voices 10-07b.mp3) (16.92 MB)
City Voices, Oct. 8, 2007: Curbing school violence While Chicago's media spotlight has focused on the killings of students outside schools, less attention has been focused on what happens inside schools. Despite a districtwide decline of 10 percent, the rate of violent incidents rose last year in a third of schools. Students and advocates of alternative approaches to discipline say the district needs strategies that will do more than impose surface calm, not more metal detectors and security guards. Guests: Andres Durbak, Chief of Safety and Security, and Christine Agaiby, Alternatives Inc.
Download City Voices, Oct. 8, 2007: Curbing school violence (City Voices 10-07a.mp3) (16.55 MB)
Charter schools and unions Steve Barr is trying to instigate reform of the Los Angeles school district and teachers union with his Green Dot charter schools, which have their own teacher contract. Jo Anderson, executive director of the Illinois Education Assocation, also sees charters as an avenue to contract reform. Marilyn Stewart, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, is eyeing Chicago's charter schools. Michael Klonsky, founder of the Small Schools Workshop, moderates a discussion among the three at an Aug. 15, 2007 program co-sponsored by the Workshop, National-Louis University and Catalyst Chicago. For more information about Green Dot, go to www.greendot.org.
To listen to the conversation, click the link below. To read the transcript, go to Updates in the August 2007 web issue.
Download Charter schools and unions (Steve_Barr-0807.mp3) (51.88 MB)
City Voices, August 2007: Aiming for the top CPS has been under mayoral control for 12 years, and the district is now halfway through its signature initiative, Renaissance 2010. Achievement is on the rise, but how do top leaders plan to motivate teachers, principals, parents and the wider school community to get kids to the next level of learning? Guests: CEO Arne Duncan and Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins.
Download City Voices, August 2007: Aiming for the top (City_Voices_08-07.mp3) (17.53 MB)
City Voices, June 2007: School funding deja vu? Once again, lawmakers are in overtime crafting a budget and have yet to tackle the major overhaul of school funding that education advocates have been clamoring for. Peter Cunningham, strategic consultant to Chicago Public Schools, and Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability talk about what's going on behind the scenes in Springfield.
Download City Voices, June 2007: School funding deja vu? (City_Voices_06-07.mp3) (17.02 MB)
Linda Lenz on the history of Chicago school reform In a whirlwind 10 minutes, Catalyst founder Linda Lenz traces the politics of reform beginning in the mid-1980s. She then answers questions about charter schools, teacher preparation and other topics. She spoke Sept. 20, 2006 to Princeton and Northwestern university fellows working in Chicago nonprofits.
Download Linda Lenz on the history of Chicago school reform (lenz_reform.mp3) (18.92 MB)
Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 1 of 2] The late G. Alfred Hess Jr. studied Chicago schools for more than 25 years, first as a post-doctoral fellow at Northwestern University, then as executive director of the Chicago Panel on Public School Policy and Finance and then as director of Northwestern's Center on Urban School Policy. Before his death on Jan. 27, 2006, he shared his insights on school reform under Mayor Richard M. Daley with Catalyst Publisher Linda Lenz. Topics included how he would have shaped high school reform, the role of local school councils, the soft spot in small schools and the impact of race and class. He also spoke about Evanston's efforts to close the racial achievement gap, which he also studied.
Download Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 1 of 2] (Hess1.mp3) (5.47 MB)
Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 2 of 2] A continuation of the interview.
Download Q&A with G. Alfred Hess Jr. [Part 2 of 2] (Hess2.mp3) (37.52 MB)
City Voices May 2007: New schools get first bite at capital dollars A Catalyst analysis confirms what critics of Renaissance 2010 have suspected: New schools are at the head of the line for spending on building repairs. Yet charter advocates say they need more help with facilities, not less. What do those in the school community say? What help do charters need? Guests: Valencia Rias, Designs for Change; Jill Levine, Illinois Facilities Fund.
Download City Voices May 2007: New schools get first bite at capital dollars (City_Voices_05-07.mp3) (13.65 MB)
City Voices April 2007: Children of the Incarcerated One school social worker calls it the 'taboo subject' that can deeply affect a child's ability to learn: the incarceration of a parent. As prison and jail populations soar, so too does the number of schoolchildren who must deal with the emotional trauma of a parent's imprisonment. How widespread is the problem? What can schools do to help these children? Guests: Sarah Karp, associate editor of Catalyst; Deidra Wilson, Sankofa Safe Child Initiative
Download City Voices April 2007: Children of the Incarcerated (City_Voices_04-07.mp3) (17.41 MB)
Chicago Schools Policy Lunch: April 10, 2007 Dennis Doyle, an assistant superintendent in California's largest K-6 school district, and David Vitale, formerly chief administrative officer for the Chicago Public Schools, described their respective districts' efforts to empower and support schools to do what is best for their students and communities. The Chula Vista (Calif.) Elementary School District is noteworthy for its decentralization and use of charters as R&D for districtwide improvements.
Download Chicago Schools Policy Lunch: April 10, 2007 (2007_policy_lunch3.mp3) (30.43 MB)
Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: March 20, 2007 Leslie Jacobs and Shenita Johnson Garrard describe how New Orleans is striving to convert a failed, corrupt school system into a decentralized system of schools. With some 60 percent of its public school students enrolled in charter schools, New Orleans has the most school autonomy and competition of any district in the country.
Download Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: March 20, 2007 (2007_policy_lunch2.mp3) (44.41 MB)
Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: Feb. 22, 2007 Andrew Rotherham of the Education Sector and Joseph Palumbo of Focus on Results talk about "Making School Autonomy Work for Children." Their presentations kicked off the 2007 Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon Series. Kim Zalent of Business and Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI) made the introductions. Catalyst, BPI and the Illinois Network of Charter Schools organized the 2007 series.
Download Chicago Schools Policy Luncheon: Feb. 22, 2007 (2007_policy_lunch.mp3) (32.73 MB)
City Voices March 2007: Paying for public schools Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants to pump $1.5 billion in new funding into schools next year, including $300 million to CPS. Senate President Emil Jones, CEO Arne Duncan and others back the plan. But how likely is it to pass? How much more will the plan raise per-pupil funding. And what do education advocates, who have been lobbying for years for a structural overhaul of school funding that would include property tax relief, think of the governor's proposal. Guest: Mary Ellen Guest, campaign manager for A+ Illinois, a coalition of funding reform advocates.
Download City Voices March 2007: Paying for public schools (City_Voices_03-07.mp3) (17.89 MB)
City Voices February 2007: Giving principals more power Under its Autonomous Management and Performance Schools program, Chicago Public Schools is giving its top principals more freedom from district bureaucracy. But will the freedoms schools get help them improve education for kids who need it most? Guest: Melissa Megliola, AMPS director, Chicago Public Schools.
Download City Voices February 2007: Giving principals more power (City_Voices_02-07.mp3) (18.89 MB)
City Voices January 2007: Helping the district's lowest-performing schools Last year, Chicago Public Schools hired the first area instructional officer from outside the district and put him in charge of raising achievement in schools in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods, Englewood. Guest: Jose Torres, Area 14 instructional officer.
Download City Voices January 2007: Helping the district's lowest-performing schools (City_Voices_01-07.mp3) (18.88 MB)
City Voices December 2006: Merit pay coming to a school near you? Chicago Public Schools recently won a $27 million grant to pilot a merit pay program that would pay teachers, in part, based on student improvement in test scores. Chicago will become the biggest district in the country to experiment with performance-based pay, in up to 40 schools over the next five years. Guests: Marilyn Stewart, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, and Carmita Vaughan, a director with CPS.
Download City Voices December 2006: Merit pay coming to a school near you? (City_Voices_12-06.mp3) (19.71 MB)
City Voices November 2006: Curbing the dropout problem Gov. Rod Blagojevich recently announced the formation of a new task force on dropouts. The group is focusing on finding kids who have left school and getting them to re-enroll, collecting up-to-date statistics on the number of dropouts and developing programs to serve them. Guest: Jack Wuest, executive director of the Alternative Schools Network.
Download City Voices November 2006: Curbing the dropout problem (City_Voices_11-06.mp3) (18.41 MB)
City Voices October 2006: Special education Only one in six special education students is performing at grade level in Chicago Public Schools. Meanwhile, staffing cuts hit hard at several hundred schools, while others schools gained staff through the district?s effort to distribute special ed teachers and aides more equitably. Guests: Rodney Estvan of Access Living and Mary Ann Pollett of Montefiore Elementary.
Download City Voices October 2006: Special education (city_voices_10-06.mp3) (17.73 MB)
City Voices September 2006: A new school year CEO Arne Duncan is entering his sixth year as head of the district. He talked with Consulting Editor Lorraine Forte about the district's budget crisis, school closings, goals for Renaissance 2010, plans to transform failing high schools and how long he plans to stay on the job.
Download City Voices September 2006: A new school year (01 City Voices 09-06.mp3) (18.56 MB)
City Voices August 2006: 'Not Like Running Starbucks or IBM' This year, more than 70 Chicago Public Schools principals?over 10 percent of the total?retired. The district predicts that over the next three years, half of principals will be new to the job. Running a school takes a special set of interpersonal and managerial skills. Guests: John Potocki, retired principal of Clay Elementary, and Joan Dameron Crisler, former principal of Dixon Elementary and the new managing director of LAUNCH.
Download City Voices August 2006: 'Not Like Running Starbucks or IBM' (City Voices 08-06.mp3) (21.35 MB)
City Voices July 2006: Capital planning Mayor Daley?s sweeping plan to build two dozen new schools across the city will cost taxpayers $1 billion. While the mayor says the city?s children can?t wait for new, more modern schools, his plan drew swift criticism from one watchdog group that said the district needs to be more open about its capital planning process. Guests: Erin Lavin Cabonargi, managing architect, CPS Department of Operations; and Jacqueline Leavy, executive director of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group.
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City Voices May 2006: Private fundraising Since CEO Arne Duncan took over as head of CPS, private and government grants have skyrocketed from $2 million to $29 million. Duncan's steady leadership and a focus on crafting long-term improvements are paying off for the district. Corporate partnerships with new schools created under Renaissance 2010 are also on the rise. Guests: Alyson Cooke, director of external resources for CPS, and Connie McHugh, senior program officer for the Renaissance Schools Fund.
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City Voices April 2006: Supporting new teachers Chicago Public Schools typically hires over 2,700 new teachers each year. Before the end of the year, nearly 200 usually quit. While attrition in teachers' second and third years has slowed somewhat, more new teachers are quitting before their first year is complete. Meanwhile, the district's main mentoring program needs more funding to live up to its potential. Alternative programs offer intensive help, such as weekly meetings and coaching, but are only available for small numbers of teachers. Guests: Amanda Rivera, head of GOLDEN mentoring program for CPS, and Lisa Vahey, co-founder of the New Teachers Network.
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City Voices March 2006: School closings In February, demonstrators showed up at City Hall to protest the closing of Collins High School, one of several public schools slated to close under the district's Renaissance 2010 plan to close low-performing schools and open new ones in their place. According to a Catalyst report, the board is not living up to its promise that displaced kids would end up in better schools. Critics cite increased violence in high schools and overall safety risks as proof that the district's strategy isn't working. Guests: Gilda Walker of the Southwest Block Club Coalition, Shannon Bennett of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization and Jacqueline Leavy of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group.
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City Voices February 2006: Mayoral control Back in 1995, state legislators gave Mayor Richard M. Daley control over the city's school system, including the power to select its leader and directly appoint members of the school board. What progress has the district made since then, and what problems remain to be solved? Guests: Valencia Rias, former member of Jones High and Washington Elementary local school councils and an organizer with Designs for Change; Elaine Allensworth, researcher with the Consortium on Chicago School Research; Nancy Aardema, executive director of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association and parent of a Chicago public schools graduate.
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City Voices January 2006: Reinventing high schools In September 2005, CEO Arne Duncan told a large gathering of the city's movers and shakers that the district had a long-term plan to improve public high schools. One project, a new high school score card with more information on test scores and other indicators, debuted in December. The district also plans to improve curriculum with the help of outside contractors. Guest: Maureen Kelleher, associate editor of Catalyst and former high school teacher.
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City Voices November 2005: Class cutting and truancy The more a student misses class, the more likely he is to fail the course. The more courses she fails, the less likely she is to graduate on time. In spring 2004, half of all freshmen missed more than two weeks of class in major subject. Guests: Victor Harbison, principal intern, Jones College Prep; Bill Gerstein, principal of the School of Entrepreneurship, a small school at South Shore High.
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City Voices August 2005: In the trenches Two teachers talk about the impact of budget cuts and what it takes to educate young people. Guests: Kenneth Johnson of Mose Vines, a small school at Orr High; Sonia Barillas, Amundsen High.
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City Voices July 2005: Universities in the schools How universities can help improve K-12 education, and the University of Chicago's plans for launching new schools. Guest: Tim Knowles, Center for Urban School Improvement, University of Chicago.
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City Voices June 2005: No relief in sight Despite hundreds of millions in capital spending, the district is only treading water when it comes to solving the problem of overcrowding. Guests: Associate Editor Maureen Kelleher, Columbia Explorers School Principal Jose Barrera.
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City Voices April 2005: Homeless kids Why the number of homeless students is on the rise, the rights of homeless students and services the district provides. Guests: Rene Heybach of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Pat Rivera of CPS.
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