CHICAGO – A candid Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged the rocky highway he traveled that led to a tentative contract settlement in an unique one-on-one interview Wednesday afternoon.
He touted new investments in struggling neighborhood faculties—however will they flip round their fortunes?
What we all know:
The mayor praised the $1.5 billion, four-year contract deal that features 4-5% raises for academics, smaller classroom sizes, and extra classroom prep time.
“I introduced folks collectively. Now we have labor peace, we’ve got some actual wins for Black historical past. It protects Black historical past, it protects LGBTQ college students, it protects veteran academics—overwhelmingly girls,” the mayor mentioned in an unique interview with FOX 32 Chicago political editor Paris Schutz.
However he singled out one different provision: an funding to broaden the variety of “sustainable group faculties” that present wraparound social companies, from 20 to 50.
“That is the place faculties work with the neighborhood to safe further assets to reply to the distinctive wants of that specific college,” Johnson mentioned.
The opposite aspect:
These faculties have been among the poorest performing within the district, in response to a research by the libertarian-leaning Illinois Coverage Institute, based mostly on knowledge from the State Board of Training.
“On common, they’ve the worst studying scores, the worst math scores, the best absenteeism charge, the bottom commencement charges, the best drop charges, and so they price extra per pupil,” mentioned Illinois Coverage Institute senior director Mailee Smith.
Mayor Johnson touted the South Aspect’s Dyett Excessive College as a sustainable group college success story, particularly contemplating its current boys’ basketball state championship. However the IPI’s research exhibits Dyett has one of many poorest outcomes of all CPS excessive faculties, with solely 4.5% of scholars studying at grade stage and fewer than 1% at grade stage in math. Moreover, 70% of scholars expertise continual absenteeism. Johnson says the research is unsuitable.
“In fact, you’re going to have a right-wing excessive group that desires to reduce the progress for poor youngsters. Right here’s what I’m dedicated to doing: to make it that each youngster has entry to a area people college,” Johnson mentioned.
However Smith worries the expanded funding in sustainable group faculties exhibits little promise of paying off.
“That is including companies, including employees, it’s including companies, and that’s going to drive up the prices of those faculties with out Chicagoans getting one thing in return,” Smith mentioned.
What’s subsequent:
Chicago Lecturers Union members are anticipated to finish their vote to ratify the brand new contract by subsequent Monday.
See the full interview with Mayor Johnson and Paris Schutz right here.
