December 21st 2024.
After months of protests and finger-pointing, the Chicago Public Schools finally made a decision on Friday regarding the seven school closures announced by charter operator Acero Schools back in October. The closures, which mainly affect Latino students, sparked outrage and concern among the community. In a unanimous 6-0 vote, the Chicago Board of Education passed a resolution to provide support for the approximately 2,000 students impacted by the closures.
The resolution includes a bailout plan that will allow Acero to keep all seven of its locations open next year, instead of shutting them down as originally planned. As a result, five of the schools will be converted into district-managed schools, with CPS taking over operations starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The decision was met with occasional bursts of applause from the crowd, as speakers urged the board to pass the resolution.
During the meeting, board members discussed the district's response to the planned closures while CPS CEO Pedro Martinez sat quietly in his usual spot on stage. Many public speakers, some speaking in Spanish, emotionally addressed the board members, including Anayeli Salgado, a parent from Octavio Paz Elementary School. Salgado expressed the community's frustration and distress, stating, "We will not accept being erased from the map. We are a family that demands quality education for our children."
Two of the Acero locations, including Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz in West Ridge, will still close at the end of next school year, unless there is future intervention. However, the Board's resolution also directs CPS to evaluate the possibility of absorbing these schools as well. According to a district presentation, an estimated $3.2 million will be needed to keep all schools open next year, with up to $28 million required for the subsequent conversion and operation of the seven locations as district-run schools.
Caroline Rutherford, vice chair of the Chicago Teachers Union's charter division, joined families in calling on the Board to pass the resolution and demanded that Acero utilize its reserve funds to cover the costs CPS will incur to keep the schools open. "Our students cannot wait any longer," Rutherford emphasized, also calling out Acero leadership for their absence at the meeting.
Elected officials and other speakers weighed in on the significance of the Board's decision, particularly in light of the upcoming January meeting when a partially elected Board of 21 members will be seated. "You are setting us up to make some of the hardest decisions that CPS will ever face," said Jennifer Custer, a CPS parent who will join the Board in January. Jackson Potter, Vice President of the Chicago Teachers Union, stressed the urgency of the situation, stating, "Anyone who sits on their hands increases the likelihood that the seven Acero schools will close." He also commended the Board for taking on these critical decisions during difficult times.
After the vote, Chief Portfolio Officer Alfonso Carmona sent a letter to the Acero community, acknowledging the uncertainty and anxiety that the past few months have brought. He thanked families for making their voices heard and noted that both Acero and the Board will have to come to an agreement on a memorandum of understanding to cover Acero's financial deficits and allow the charter operator to maintain the seven campuses until the end of next school year.
For the two schools that are not currently slated to be absorbed by the district, CPS will provide updates as they evaluate the viability of doing so. They will also hold virtual office hours to support the Acero community. The news was met with tears and cheers from parents and students, who celebrated the victory. "This fight was for today," declared Gloria Miranda, a parent of two children who graduated from an Acero school. "I know the board members are with us. They want improvement for us."
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
