The sigh of relief that ricocheted through Chicago Public Schools (CPS) last month was audible beyond district boundaries. New Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced she would retain CEO Janice Jackson, whose 18-month tenure had earned her widespread support. Her December 2017 appointment came on the heels of years of brutal battles over school closures, sex abuse allegations, and bitter budgetary and teacher contract disputes.
Having spent both her childhood and her career in CPS, Jackson is the first district teacher to be elevated to the top job since 1995, which gave her the relationships and the credibility to build on ongoing efforts that were just beginning to attract national notice for pushing up graduation rates and college attainment. Key among them, a partnership in which University of Chicago researchers analyzed district data and made specific — sometimes basic — recommendations, such as identifying ninth-graders at risk of dropping out...