Strip the Charter School Commission of its authority!

A bill (HB397) to strip the Charter School Commission of its authority--will be heard in The Senate Education Committee tomorrow at 2pm!

We need to contact the Senate Education Committee members and inform them that the State Charter School Commission usurps local control.

The Commission often makes decisions about adding schools to a district without proper consideration of the district's ability to assume that responsibility. In Chicago, it means that resources at neighborhood schools have been marginalized because the Commission has forced the district to absorb more charter operations than it can afford to administer.

Passing this bill is especially important as the district is threatening budget cuts.

Charter operators have gone to the Commission to appeal the decision of the board successfully. There was no appeal function for the 50 neighborhood schools the district closed in 2013.

Please follow the link below to complete witness slip in support / (as a proponent) of HB397.

http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/84753?committeeHearingId=13919&LegislationId=84753&SCommittees5/30/2016-page=1&committeeid=0&chamber=S&nodays=7&_=1464061677531

7th Annual Youth Summit

Congratulations to the BPNC Youth Leadership Council for organizing another successful youth summit. We would like to thank everyone that participated in the youth summit. 450 seventh and eighth grade students from Brighton Park Elementary School, Burroughs Elementary, Columbia Explorers Academy, Davis Elementary, Evergreen Academy Middle School, Gunsaulus Scholastic Academy, and Shields Middle School participated in the event.

Thank you to Commissioner Jesus Chuy Garcia for your support and special thanks to Alderman Raymond Lopez (15th ward) and candidate for State Representative Theresa Mah (2nd District) for participating in the event.

Thanks to our funders that make all this great work possible. McDougal Family foundation, Generation All, United Way, and the UIC CHANCE Program.

Big thanks to all our supporters!