Chicago Public Schools students’ reading scores are recovering faster since the pandemic than most school districts across the country, according to a new national report. 

The district’s surprising rebound, documented by researchers at Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University and The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University, also found the state of Illinois led the nation in reading growth between 2022 and 2023 and is one of just four states to return to pre-pandemic achievement levels...

There's a difference between feeling like you belong in a space and that that space belongs to you. Dr. Shanette Porter has studied schools that have created that sense of belonging, and found that not only are strictly academic measures improved (test scores, etc), but other benefits come as well. From increased graduation rates, to decreased disciplinary incidents, to increased attendance, schools that focus on creating a sense of belonging do better for the whole child. Dr. Porter joins us to share some of her findings, as well as a powerful definition of belonging...

Jinqing Xu (Jean) utilizes strong data manipulation, quantitative research, programming, and writing skills to provide ongoing support across Consortium studies, including the English Learner and Teach Chicago projects. She serves as a key member of a team of Consortium researchers, offering data and analytic assistance throughout the project lifecycle. This includes cleaning and documenting data sources, creating large-scale databases, and applying various statistical approaches and causal designs.

A study released this January by research group Opportunity Insights found that standardized test scores — such as SAT and ACT scores — are more predictive of academic success at Ivy Plus colleges than high school grades.

The study — led by Professor and Chair of Economics John Friedman — suggested that ACT and SAT scores “may have more value for admissions processes than previously understood” and comes as the University’s Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions Policies reconsiders Brown’s test-optional admissions, legacy and early decision policies...

Clarice is an AM/PhD student at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. Clarice is an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Fellow and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Research Scholar (HPRS). Before beginning her PhD, Clarice worked as an educator for five years in various areas, including teaching preschool-aged children in rural Arkansas through Teach for America and teaching English to middle school students in Madrid, Spain.

About the Unit

UChicago Consortium is seeking a Senior Research Analyst with strong quantitative research skills that will inform policy and practice and a passion for doing meaningful work to help schools become more equitable. This position may work on both ELDG and other Consortium projects. The Senior Research Analyst will be able to serve as principal investigator on studies, developing research plans, carrying them out, working with a team, writing results, and presenting findings.

Grades and standardized test scores provide information about whether students are prepared for their future goals, but misperceptions and uncertainties can lead people to use them in ways that are counterproductive. This project provides evidence about these measures of student achievement.

This study examines the trends in teacher retention in Chicago Public Schools before, during and post-pandemic years. This work will also explore what teacher, students and school characteristics are related to teacher retention.

To address the teacher shortage, CPS developed Teach Chicago, a collection of targeted strategies to develop, recruit, and retain teachers in high-need schools. The Consortium is leading a two-year, mixed method study of these strategies, their efficacy, and the conditions that support successful implementation.