To support learning acceleration post-pandemic, and ensure all teachers have access to high-quality instructional materials, Chicago Public Schools developed an all-inclusive system of online curricular resources, called Skyline, as well as related professional learning (PL). The Consortium is conducting a three-year mixed-methods study examining the ongoing implementation of Skyline+PL.

The number of principals in Chicago Public Schools and across the state resigning from their jobs increased dramatically last year, records show, as the pressures of leading schools intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing burnout among educators.

As a Research Analyst I at the UChicago Consortium, Kaitlyn provides data and analytic support across Consortium projects by cleaning and building large-scale databases. She is currently working to identify key indicators of student success and academic attainment for English Learners in Chicago Public Schools. Before joining the Consortium, Kaitlyn served as the Education Policy intern for Clarke County School District in Athens, Georgia.

What do successful marriages, sports teams and businesses have in common? A strong willingness to collaborate, listen to each other, even when there are disagreements, and value the input of others to come up with a plan that works for the whole.

When it comes to racial diversity among principals, CPS does a better job than many other urban school systems, per a new UChicago report analyzing data in the district.

Why it matters: Research suggests principals can affect student achievement nearly as much as teachers do, increasing pupils' learning by up to 3 months...

Jasmine Juarez took over as principal of Pilsen Community Academy on March 16, 2020. She was eager to meet her new staff and start forging relationships with them.

The next day, COVID shut down campuses across the state, including the Southwest Side elementary school.

Two new studies released by the University of Chicago explore the diversity of Chicago Public Schools principals and the critical skills and experiences they need to lead effectively.

In his second inaugural address this month, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised to “make preschool available to every family throughout the state” — a feat that will require solutions to staffing shortfalls, school capacity limitations and an increase to the state’s nearly $600 million early childhood education block grant program.

Key Findings

• If 2021 rates hold over the next decade, of 100 current CPS ninth-graders, 82 would graduate from high school within four years; 37 would enroll immediately in a four-year college; 13 would enroll immediately in a two-year college; and 27 would complete any college credential within 10 years of starting high school.
• The CPS high school graduation rate declined for the first time in recent history: Among 2017–18 first-time ninth-graders, the high school graduation rate was 81.8% in 2021 vs.