Well, That's Good to Know

CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett revealed that she is making sure that the children affected by the looming school closing will be taken care of with respect two a couple of issues.  She promised that all students transitioned to a new school will see airconditioning and that Educational Services students will be get the equipment, supplies, etc. on the first day of school.

Okay, those aren't bad things to address but two things come to my mind.  First, why aren't these two issues taken care of right now?  Also, what is the cost of assuring that these two initiatives are implemented by the start of the school year?  With respect to the latter concern, CPS official Tom Tyrell said that they will be "fully paid back in less than two years."

The first of the two issues dealing with the air conditioning and Educational Services students is a perplexing one.  As I said, why will they only be taken care of after the school closings, why not now?

What I learned about the Ed. Services issue is a rather large blunder by CPS, one they have admitted.  One of the criteria for closing the school is 'underutilization,' that is, empty seats.  There are a number of schools, on the closing list, which have a large population of Ed. Services students.  Of course these class sizes are smaller in order to appropriately handle the students. 

What we've learned from the Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force meeting is that CPS didn't account for small Special Education class sizes in its utilization formula.  Hence, a number of school with large Ed. Services populations are still on the 'hit' list.  BIG mistake!!