Less than two weeks before the school year, charter school leaders, parents and students had a message Wednesday morning for the Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools officials.
“Hey hey, he he,” chanted former student and current North Lawndale College Prep behavior specialist Kobey Lofton, 22. “Charter schools are best for me.”
Lofton led the group of charter school supporters in cheers at a rally outside Jones College Prep before a scheduled agenda review Board of Education meeting. CPS officials are expected to unveil a five-year plan as soon as this month.
But advocates of publicly funded, privately managed charters have feared all year that their schools will face more scrutiny under this iteration of CPS leadership.
The school board in December announced its intent to prioritize traditional neighborhood schools, which have long drawn the short end of the stick when it came to funding. Many felt that meant district selective enrollment and magnet schools, as well as charters, would feature less prominently in CPS’ plans.
The Board of Education renewed contracts for dozens of charter operators in January, but most for shorter terms than they sought. Charter leaders said they lack clarity on their future.
Johnson and his board have said they don’t intend to close charters. But they have placed stricter standards on operators to ensure compliance on special education services, academic achievement, financial stability and other factors.
Traditional public school advocates have long argued that the proliferation of charter schools has result in neighborhood public schools losing funding and enrollment.
Some operators have also faced scrutiny over past high expulsion rates and for charging students for demerits, though those problems have improved over the years.
Around 10 charter schools were represented at the morning rally, including Noble Schools Montessori of Englewood, North Lawndale, Catalyst, Chicago International Charter School and the Illinois Network of Charter Schools.
“This silence is not just an oversight, it’s a deliberate attempt to undermine the very schools that have given so much hope and opportunity to thousands across the city,” Noble Schools CEO Constance Jones said at the rally. “It is a political effort to dismantle school choice in Chicago.”
Tawana Watts, who sends two of her children to North Lawndale College Prep, said she’s afraid that the school may close, shutting the door on programs that have benefited her family. When Watts’ family had to move unexpectedly and lost their winter clothing, the administration at North Lawndale College Prep gave her gift cards to buy her kids warm coats.
“With the charter schools that my daughters attend, they have support for the parents if you need it,” she said.
Lofton has been in charter schools since the fourth grade.
“I feel like my first four years at (another) school, and then going into charter schools… there’s more chances, chances for opportunity and experience, because the restrictions aren’t as extensive,” he said.
Parents and leaders said they want CPS to recognize their voice and include a clear path for charter schools in its strategic plan.
“We demand that charter schools be fully included at the district’s five-year strategic plan,” Jones said to the crowd of parents and students. “This board needs to stop playing political games with the futures of our children.”