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School & District Management Opinion

Restructuring Works In Chicago...But Teachers Pay The Price

By Alexander Russo — September 04, 2007 1 min read
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While everyone in Washington debates NCLB changes, back in the real world teachers and principals and districts are trying to figure out what to do to make things better. Check out Stephanie Banchero’s three-part account in the Chicago Tribune of what happened at one Chicago school where they brought in new teachers rather than closing the school or converting it to a charter. Part 1: They needed a lifeline and found a teacher. Part 2: Teacher, kids connect, but pressure takes toll. Part 3: Sweating out final days. Some folks will like it for the storytelling, which includes vivid characters and lots of ups and downs. Others will like what it says about NCLB and school restructuring. The school does better on the annual tests than ever before, and some kids thrive, but the pressure on the teachers is tremendous, the out of school issues are never-ending, and by year’s end nearly a third of the newly-arrived teachers leave.

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