Chicago Finds its Schools Are Failing

Each year, Chicago public school officials assign every school in their jurisdiction with a grade, from A to F. According to the system’s report, more than 40 percent of public schools are failing, reported The Chicago Tribune. Many of the schools have failed to meet the Federal standards set by No Child Left Behind.
The grades of individual schools have not been released by the district. School Chef Ron Huberman said that he doesn’t feel the grades are wrong, just that they don’t show the whole picture. “It’s not that I think it’s flawed, but I think it can be better and more nuanced,” he said. Others agree that a single letter grade cannot account for the intricacy of problems faced by the Chicago schools. Huberman further said that he wants to wait to release the full report, so that it can be accompanied by a plan to make improvements.
Many feel that the poor grades are proof that money raised from high city property taxes is being wasted. The grades take dropout rates, attendance, and test scores into account. They also consider the change in test scores over time. On the whole, elementary schools performed better than high schools. City officials say the grades allow schools to have a fair chance to improve their performance before being closed.
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