The Chicago Sun-Times (6/24, Spielman) reports that Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard on Thursday suggested that the district "could lengthen the school year - without paying teachers more money - by turning professional development days when schools are closed to students into teaching days." Teachers also would be urged to visit students homes to "build a 'better connection' to students' parents." The Sun-Times notes that the ideas are based on the policies of the United Neighborhood Organization, which operates nine charter schools in Chicago.
The Chicago Tribune (6/24, Mack, Ahmed-Ullah) reports that Brizard "expressed support today for the idea of teachers and staff visiting students at home, even in some of the city's toughest neighborhoods," adding that he "said he liked some of the charter network's ideas, including home visits. UNO teachers make two home visits per student during the course of a school year. Brizard said if teachers and administrators at Chicago Public Schools each took on 10 home visits, the public school system with 430,000 students could follow the charter network's lead in some of the city's most challenging communities."
The AP (6/24) adds that Brizard "wants teachers to visit students at home, even in violent neighborhoods." Brizard told reporters, "our students go there every day. Why can't we?"
Brizard's Contract Noted. The Chicago Tribune (6/24, Malone, Ahmed-Ullah) reports on the Chicago Public Schools having awarded Brizard an employment contract, noting that none of his recent predecessors, including Education Secretary Arne Duncan, have had one, stretching back to 1995. His contract "spells out specific year-by-year performance goals that Brizard must reach." Brizard "must improve everything from preschool enrollment to high school graduation rates during the next three years." The piece describes the interaction between Brizard's contract obligations and his compensation.
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