Three charter schools that the Chicago district wanted to close because of poor performance will be allowed to stay open after a state commission overruled local officials.
WFLD-TV reports that the Illinois State Charter Commission decided that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) acted unfairly and did not provide due process when officials decided to close the three campuses.
The affected schools: Bronzeville Lighthouse Charter Elementary School, Betty Shabazz' Sizemore campus, and Amandla Charter High School.
State commission members conceded that the schools have serious academic problems, but voted to keep them open with state oversight and some recommended conditions.
"After a rigorous and thorough review of the appeals filed by all three schools, the Commission determined that CPS violated state law by changing its charter school standards after the deadlines when schools must be notified," says Commission Chair DeRonda Williams. "It is not only the Commission's mission to ensure a quality education for Illinois students, but also to see that all policies and contracts with charter schools are enforced and honored."
CPS CEO Forrest Claypool released a statement on the issue, saying in part: "By putting politics ahead of the interests of our children, the state is ensuring charters will not be held accountable, no matter how poorly they serve our students."
Video from WFLD-TV:
