Chicago Board of Education approves CPS strategic 5-year plan
CHICAGO (CBS)—The Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday approved its five-year strategic plan to address inequality and even the playing field across all Chicago Public Schools.
The plan includes changes such as schools no longer being ranked. CPS will measure student success holistically and focus on learning and overall well-being.
Also, CPS will invest in existing schools instead of creating new schools to address failures.
The plan hopes to decrease absenteeism, increase language skills, and increase the percentage of students getting college credit.
This comes as the board makes internal cuts to save money.
CPS Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez said the district is relying on grants and donations at the federal level.
"One of the silver linings of the pandemic is we receive a record in-flow of resources from the federal government," he said. "We've been able to smooth out those resources; this will be the last year we'll have those resources. So, really for us, it's a question of sustainability."
The Chicago Teachers Union criticized the plan, saying parts of the plan are, "Taken right from our contract proposals. The same proposals the district is actually fighting at the bargaining table."
The board's vote was unanimous, according to CPS.