Brizard: Chicago will open more selective enrollment high schools

April 5, 2012

The CPSObsessed switchboard is lighting up with the news!

I did NOT see this one coming.  I’ve been wanting to do a post on the IB programs lately as I’m not all that familiar with them and the CPS admissions information confused me a little bit.  Also, we continuously hear how rigorous these programs are (with a substantial attrition rate.)  Thanks to everyone who sent me the info as it was breaking and to HSObsessed for writing the info below.  She also says the video is “sweet.”  Rahm? Really.  I better take a look…

During a lunch time announcement at Curie, Rahm Emanuel announced that CPS will expand its high school IB program from serving 3,500 currently to serving 6,000 to 7,000 students, including five “wall-to-wall” IB high schools, and five new programs within other schools as well, all by “early 2013″. Emanuel said this is the first expansion of IB in Chicago in 15 years. He spoke about how parents are taking their families to the suburbs instead of staying in the city for high school due to the perceived lack of options, and that this will serve that need. He spoke about how the new all-IB high schools will be another option in addition to charters, the STEM programs, and the SE high schools.

Lots of questions remain: They didn’t say where the high schools will be, and it may not be determined yet, because they said they would work with aldermen and principals to see where the need is greatest. Not sure if they will phase out the neighborhood programs and phase in all-IB. Not sure if entry will be all-competitive, or if neighborhood kids have automatic entry but must be in the IB program. Not sure if these 10 initiatives are in addition to or instead of the existing programs.

 Hopefully CPS will post documents with details soon.

 Video of the news conference is here.

 http://www.livestream.com/chicagomayorsoffice/video?clipId=pla_7911f746-17f0-40b4-9a65-1a950605b88f&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

Sun Times story:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/11485529-418/cps-expanding-successful-ib-program.html

New research paper on CPS IB programs.  Beware, it’s 72 pages.  I am going to try to read it as it came to me, recommended by a CPS IB teacher.

http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/publications/12_CCSR_IB_Final.pdf

The PD handbook was supposed to have posted last night on cpsmagnet.org.  The application period will run March 9-23.

Continue to post high school admission info and questions here.

Please put any comments about the Tier debate here: http://cpsobsessed.com/2012/03/06/the-great-tier-debate/

FYI: Lake View High School is still taking applications this week and is having a community info session Weds 3/7 at 6:30.

Ok, here is my write-up of the interview.  Some of the comments are paraphrased, based on my recollection and messy notes.

Feel free to comment or share your conspiracy theories.

The chart above (thanks to the Sun Times!) shows the change in scores versus last year.  I highlighted differences of 20+ points in the Min and Mean scores.  I don’t know how to un-fuzzy it.  The actual scores are listed here: http://cpsmagnet.org/apps/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=235713&id=0

Interview with Katie Ellis

Director of the Office of Access and Enrollment

How would you explain the goal of the Tier system?

The goal is to promote socio-economic diversity in the schools.  There are certain neighborhoods “in isolation” within the city, both poor and wealthy.  The goal is to promote diversity, to bridge the gap, and bring students together.

The factors that go into the Tier definitions correlate with educational achievement.

Starting 29 years ago CPS used race to support diversity.  We build great, racially diverse schools.  Then the consent decree reversed that policy.  So the question was, should turn back on the success of these schools that were created for diversity?

The city of Chicago says “no,” that diversity is still important to use.  We’ve looked at what would happen without the impact of the tiers and it looks a lot like NYC does.

We understand that kids are disappointed when they don’t get their first choice but the goal of diversity is something that CPS really believes in.  We’re trying to strike a balance between social diversity AND giving the top kids a seat.  We’re striving to successfully balance that.

What was the reaction to the higher cutoff scores this year within the OAE office?

We immediately noticed that the scores when up across the Tiers. That was very apparent.

Why do you think that happened? I first thought it was the Tier 4 cutoffs, but when all the cutoffs were posted I saw that it was across Tiers.

There were more applications this year.  Around 14,000.  More competition.

FYI, there are around 30-35K kids per class.  Around 9-12% of the applications are from private school students.

There were also fewer seats this year.  This was based on the numbers to replace the current graduating class.

What is the story with 2^nd round offers?

The goal is not to make second round offers.  We make more offers than there are seats, so we try to anticipate how many kids will turn down offers.

The SE test seems to allow for a lot of kids to get 300 points which ends up with a lot of kids having very high scores (which leads to frustration.)  Can’t we have a test that discriminates better?

**REVISED:  To clarify, CPS gives points based on the percentile. The percentile tells a prospective student where he or she fared based on everyone else who took the test.  When we look at the actual scaled scores, we see a large range of scores. Therefore, just because a student scored better than 99% of people taking the test, that doesn’t mean he or she got a perfect score on the test.  Also, this doesn’t mean that we are not grading the full test.

Three hundred points does not necessarily equal a perfect score on the test, and when we look at the actual scale scores, you can see that. It’s harder to give points based on a scale score because every year, depending on the competition level, the number of points you would give would have to change. Percentiles are an easier way to convey to parents how students are actually doing.

Why can’t the SE test happen earlier so kids can know their whole 900 point score BEFORE applying to schools?  This would help frame their expectations and be more efficient for touring schools.

We have to allow time in the fall for kids to take the ISATs if they missed them.   These scores are used to see who qualifies for the SE test.  So once it is all scheduled, we end up with the SE test happening when it does.  The other option would be to allow everyone to take the test earlier, but this is a big expense for the district (since all kids could take the test, but roughly only half would qualify for application to the SE schools based on their ISAT scores.)

Why do the letter mail out late every year?!

We do the best we can, trying to make sure everything is accurate.  We worked that weekend to get them out on Monday.

Why does it take the whole week to post the cutoff scores?

There are a few kids who experience calculation errors each year.  We work to resolve those and post only the final cutoffs.  We don’t want to post anything inaccurate so we wait until those issues are resolved.

What is the story about birthdate being used as a tiebreaker?

That is the 6^th criteria after other test-based criteria and has never actually been used.  But it exists, just in case.

What are parents supposed to do who have kids who have very good scores, but not good enough to place into an SE high school?  Where does CPS see as a place for these kids?  The neighborhood schools still look pretty scary.

The portfolio office is analyzing this.  The goal is to have a good option for everyone.  We know we’re not there yet, but that is the goal.  We encourage parents to be open minded about their options and be thorough about seeking options.

What is the selection process for out-of-neighborhood kids at neighborhood high schools such as Lake View?

It is lottery based, with no Tier impact.  Last year LVHS had 1200 applicants outside of their area.

Is there a department or person in CPS who can help parents who are trying to improve their neighborhood high school?

(Sounds like not really.)  The portfolio office might be a place to start.

***THIS THREAD IS CLOSED.  PLEASE SEE PART 3****

As of Tuesday, Feb 28th, the Selective Enrollment High School letters have started to arrive.

In the interest of helping parents learn the admission criterion, please post your child’s score and Tier along with the schools accepted (and any other interesting info, your thoughts about it, back-up plans, etc.)

Your email address will not show up, so you can post anonymously.

Good luck to everyone, especially the students posting here.  Remember, a lot of smart, hard-working, talented kids may not get their top choice because there are SO very few seats in the city.  And there will still be a lot of placements over the next month as more offers go out.

Ok guys, you can start the ball rolling with news about high school admissions here.

Please keep in mind that the best way for people to learn about the requirements for admission is for parents to openly share information (anonymously) on scores and other pertinent achievements (or lack of) that their child has made.  Please don’t jump on anyone for bragging.  The kids who DO get into the SE schools are going to be some kick-ass achievers.

And please, no comments about “your child is so luck to be in Tier 1 because they got in with a low score.”  That kid overcame some good odds to make it in, most likely.

In the spirit of “knowledge is power,” let’s share information without fear of judgement.

Based on info posted here, some letters have mailed out on Monday, but there may be 18,000 going out.  Does that even make sense that 18,000 kids applied?  I think each grade has about 28K students (still boggles my mind!!!) but I guess there are the private school kids too.

Good luck to everyone.  I can’t imagine the weird sensation of waiting for the letter.  I remember it from Kindergarten only the stakes are so different for high school.

Based on the most recent postings about the efforts it would take to make some of the highschools in the Tier 3/4 neighborhoods into an option that more parents would consider, I thought that might be a good topic.  Someone suggested it might take more fundraising than it does for elementary schools.  Do you guys agree with this?  It might take some discussion to figure that out.

Obviously a first step is having a group of parents start learning about the school and report back on what they find.

What would YOU want to have in place to feel good about sending your child to Lake View, Amundsen, Mathers?  How can the school convince you that it’s “safe?”  (FYI, a parent I know from Evanston Township High School just reported to me that basically every kid in that school gets high.  Yes, many kids there also excel at academics, but just so we know it’s not something that is absent in “good” suburban schools.)  Do you need the “gentrified parents’ stamp of approval” that is partially what helped turn around many of the north side elem schools?

I know Lake View has lots of AP classes.  Amundsen has an IB program.  What do you need to know to determine if these are academic enough for your child?

Can 3 or more northside high schools ALL make a shift to draw more Tier 3/4 students?  Or does it make sense to concentrate efforts on one school?

Should these schools even CARE about attracting more local kids when they already have plenty of students?

These are all questions I have and I need help getting my head around them so I’d love some opinions.  Looks like I will officially be in the Amundsen zone now so I do plan to check out the school once I’m setting into my new home.  It is about 2 block from where I’ll live and would be amazing to have my son be able to walk there.  I think I’ll avoid looking at the school’s current test scores for a while just so I can keep up some hope.

I’ll answer outstanding emails this week too.  Sorry for the delay!

But since Lindblom (SE high school and AC) was noted for their strong rise in the Sun Times’ new High School ranking AND because the principal is a reader and poster here, I figured they’re a good candidate to go first.

For the SE schools, I’m not going to get into the nuances of test scores.  It’s selective.  Is there coursework that will challenge your child? Yes.

Here is some info on the school (frequent readers will have seen this already.)

Lindblom Math & Science Academy

http://lindblomeagles.org/

6130 S. Wolcott Avenue

Grades 7-12
724 students
Track E school (they go more year-round rather than 3 months off in summer)
Shuttle service is provided from the nearby El lines.  AC has busing within the typical CPS boundaries.

High School Open House 11am-1pm Saturday Nov 5
Academic Center Open House 2-4pm Saturday Nov 5

In the 2011 Sun Times’ top 50 high schools ranking Lindblom shot up to #39 from #114.

Principal’s Message from the school web site:
Welcome to Lindblom Math & Science Academy, the most exciting learning community in Chicago!

Lindblom is a unique place. We like to call Lindblom a new school with a rich history. For years, Lindblom was a jewel on the south side of Chicago, turning out Chicago’s top graduates. It fell on hard times in the 90′s and went through a series of changes. In 2003, the Chicago Board of Education decided to close LIndblom and invest heavily in infrastructure. In 2005, I was given the opportunity to reopen Lindblom, hiring outstanding faculty and initiating new and exciting programs.

We boast some incredible programs and partnerships: We have the largest Arabic and Chinese language programs in Chicago. We offer the only biotechnology classes in CPS because of our powerful relationship with Baxter International. Our arts program has a four-year partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art that has our students working with Genius Award Winner Mark Bradford.

We have the most engaged and supportive alumni of any school I know. Our annual career day has had over 60 alumni returning to share their stories of high school and life after with our current Eagles. It is always a powerful day.

Lindblom is a great school for many reasons; these are just a few. I hope you will come by and see what Lindblom has to offer!

Go Eagles!

Alan Mather, Principal

Parent Review:

“I would definitely +1 Lindblom here (our daughter is in the AC program.) Great experience so far. Very strong academics coupled with an inclusive culture. (As a little, white Hyde Park-er, her fit socially was our first concern, but she has found real friendships with kids from a variety of backgrounds that I suspect she wouldn’t have found in many other schools.)

ps-Also a huge fan of Alan.”

Note from the principal, Alan Mather that he wrote on CPSObsessed:

Our support colloquia work this way: If a student has a grade lower than a C in any course, s/he is place in content area colloquia classes with the teachers they have. This gives the student extra time with the teacher in an area s/he may be struggling in.

For example, a student has a D in Arabic, a C in English, and a series of Bs. The students will definitely be placed in the Arabic colloquium with his/her teacher to get the extra help to be successful. Since each student is given three colloquium classes, s/he will also be placed in two other content area classes. Ideally, the placement would be in English and another course.

In the course where the student in more successful, s/he may be able to assist others, bringing other students up.

Register here:

http://www.selectiveprep.com/algebra-program-overview/register-for-alegbra-program?page=shop.browse&category_id=9

http://www.roscoeviewjournal.com/news/meet-lake-view-high-schools-new-principal

The RoscoeView Journal has an interesting interview with the new principal at Lake View High School.  (Thanks to another wonderful and well-read blog reader for sending me the link!)  It is fairly long-ish, but worth a read.  I’m pulling in some of the key points.

Overall, I think Dr. Werner, gives “good talk” for a principal.  I admit that I’m a sucker for that.  I don’t believe I’ve ever seen “proof” or research that a good-talking principal (or even a good principal for that matter) is directly correlated with Results.  Perhaps my corporate and marketing background influences me.  But I like a principal who sounds intelligent, well spoken, and strategic.  It’s what won me over years ago at Alcott (wrote a check for Tuition Based PreK that day – but ended up getting a TBPK going at our local school) and excited me at Bell (never got in) and at Coonley when the Options program was starting.

I’m excited that getting LVHS to be a neighborhood high school with a really good reputation is a real possibility.  And depressed that she (accurately) thinks it will take 5-6 years.  And excited that she wants (NEEDS!) parent involvement.  And depressed that it takes a hell of a lot to mobilize it.  And excited that she has faith in the staff.  And depressed that I don’t actually live in the neighborhood.  Oh, the ups and downs of CPS.

From the Roscoe View Journal:

Werner, who signed a four-year contract, understands there are no quick fixes or short cuts. While her ultimate goal may be to burnish Lake View’s reputation among residents who currently dismiss the school as a choice for their children, she realizes progress will come incrementally.

“Typically it takes three to five years to transform an elementary school,” Werner said. “It takes five to eight years to transform a high school. They’re enormous institutions and it will take a lot of groundwork to make [Lake View] a viable option.”

Part of the problem, which Werner experienced first hand in her previous position as principal of Marconi Elementary on the city’s West Side, is that few students enter high school with the skills needed to succeed. “Illinois has done a disservice with the ISAT test,” she said of the measurement used to gauge student achievement at the elementary level. “The ISAT has very base levels of passing. You could get a 35 percent on ISAT and ‘meet standards.’” According to Werner, it takes an “exceeds standards” score to indicate a student is remotely ready to handle the rigors of high school, any high school.

Though a movement is underway to link core curriculum in grades K-12 and align elementary testing with the ACT and PSAE standards, for the time being, students are entering Lake View and its peers ill prepared, often through no fault of their own, with a huge disconnect between their presumed abilities (ie, meets standards) and their actual performance.

To help bridge that gap, Werner hopes to engage many of the same neighborhood residents who turned Blaine Elementary, a Lake View feeder school, into a CPS gem. “I think traditionally parents are much more involved in elementary schools and let go, in terms of being involved at the school level, in high school,” she says. Werner would like to see some of that same grassroots enthusiasm channeled toward Lake View, with residents taking ownership of the high school in the same way they invest in the neighborhood by opting to shop at local businesses or eat at local restaurants. All Werner needs is a handful of parents willing to take a chance on Lake View with their “exceeds standards” students rather than sending them to Lane or Whitney Young or Northside College Prep. “Some parents are going to have to take the plunge, make a leap of faith,” Werner said. “There have to be some brave local parents.”

Her greatest selling point, Werner said, is her staff. “I believe in the fact that all students can learn, but the system measures apples to oranges. All students have a baseline, where you can take that student. We have enough talent in the building to remediate, enhance or accelerate an individual student’s learning experience,” she said. “Our teachers are so committed to our students. They’re dedicated and hard working and set high expectations for themselves.”

Developing partnerships between parents and educators will be a top priority for Werner. “Parents are the primary educators,” she says. “It can create a world of difference when that student knows the parent supports the teacher. The student will try harder or alter their behavior.”

So what would true reform of the U.S. education system look like? “You’d have to blow it up,” Werner said. Her dream curriculum would include a move toward symposia, block schedules, project-based assignments and interdisciplinary instruction. More realistically, Werner aims to be “a pebble in the river, to take a stand and fight for students and see if other pebbles follow. Together, we can create a dam to keep events and policies from rushing over us.”