Great news for the state, and from Washington

Governor Pat Quinn is set to sign Senate Bill 612 (Charter School Reform Act of 2009) tomorrow, expanding the number of charter schools from 60 to 120, with 45 new charter schools allowed in Chicago, five of those schools allocated for drop-out recovery, and 15 for downstate Illinois. We'd like to congratulate INCS staff, our members and the family of volunteers, who worked tirelessly over the course of five years to achieve this victory. The signing will take place at Alain Locke Charter Academy. For details, read INCS' Press Release.

Great News from Washington
The President has announced plans for the Race to the Top Fund to support states leading the way in education reform and innovation in classrooms, and the charter sector should benefit from these resources. We will keep you apprised of upcoming news as draft regulations will be shared in the next few weeks. You can read the release from the U.S. Department of Education.

Charter Schools in the News

Photo by Anna Bonick

Court: Virtual charter school can receive public funds Chi-Town Daily News
The Chicago Teachers Union challenged the Chicago Virtual Charter School's legality and tried to block its public funding. A judge ruled the school's public ...

Charter schools are on the ball Illinois Times
Even though politicians and education reformers have been singing the praises of charter schools for a number of years now, the concept has been slow to catch on outside of America’s big inner cities. This is especially true in Illinois, where only nine of the state’s 39 charter schools are located outside of the city of Chicago.

Use Stimulus Funds to Expand Charter Schools Huffington Post - New York
By UNO’s Juan Rangel. Through this funding strategy, Illinois is creating a new public/private partnership model for public school construction. This model will focus on school ...

Legislation would loosen cap on new charter schools Chi-Town Daily News
Jesse Ruiz, who chairs the State Board of Education, disagrees. He says programs such as the Illinois Network's Charter Up! help educators at traditional public schools learn how to implement successful programs from charter schools. They are an answer to concerns from policymakers who think charters are too insulated, he says.

Area charter schools see honors for their programming Medill Reports
Charter school supporters, students and leaders gathered at the Garfield Park Conservatory on Tuesday to celebrate innovative programming at five Chicago charters. Jesse Ruiz congratulated the audience on the bill's passage and stressed the importance of having charter schools in Illinois to provide alternatives in education ...

District paves way for new academy Peoria Journal Star
Highlights school board vote for requesting applications for a Math, Science, Tech Charter School. Great quote from David Gorenz, School Board President.

Illinois lifts cap on charter schools Rockford Register Star
That means 15 charter schools can be licensed in downstate Illinois, which includes Rockford. In Chicago, 40 new schools can be added, and in the state five allocated for drop-out recovery.

Bill allows 120 state charter schools Chicago Sun-Times
The number of charter schools allowed in Illinois would double to 120 under a bill that passed both chambers amid a swirl of legislative activity late Monday. The bill's passage comes after U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan warned that Illinois...

Lawmakers pave the way to double the number of charters Catalyst
A bill that doubles the statewide charter cap from 60 to 120. Senate Bill 612, now awaiting Governor Quinn's signature, would allow up to 45 additional charters in Chicago, including up to five new charters aimed at dropout recovery.

2009 Charter Up! Video

Watch the video on this year's Charter Up! Honorees. And be sure to check out the Roadmaps to Innovation initiative!

Charter schools in the news

(students from the Noble Network participate in Earth Hour)

If you're tired of reading about the dreaded swine flu, then look no further. Take a peek at this week's charter school news stories, from Illinois and beyond:

Parents, schools must work together Chicago Tribune
Parents of more than 15,000 students are signed up on the waiting list for charter public schools, which produce higher graduation rates, higher achievement levels and higher attendance than comparison schools. Yet the cap on charters remains in place. These startling statistics declare loudly that we are failing terribly at educating our students in Illinois, which Duncan knows all too well.

Teacher earns award with recycling project Chi-Town Daily News
Other Kohl McCormick award winners in Chicago were Elizabeth Goss, a second-grade teacher at Legacy Charter School; Camia Hoard, first-grade teacher at Frazier Preparatory Academy; and Lourdes Molina, a bilingual-preschool teacher at Belmont Cragin Early Childhood Center.

Charter school cap, safety measures top lawmaker’s talk Rockford Register Star
Rockford recently had three charter proposals approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, and two more are pending. Only five more charter licenses remain for the state. School Board member David Kelley said he would like to see the state raise the cap, if not remove it…

State Should Meet Demand For Charter Schools Worcester Business Journal
Having appointed Chicago's top educator and charter school champion Arne Duncan as his Secretary of Education, the president is putting his money where his ...