Last week I became a candidate for the Local School Council at the York Alternative School, located in the Cook County Jail. I decided to run because I am convinced that the only hope for these young people is a world-class education–and for that we need to create a world-class school.
Today, I am asking the residents of Chicago to join me in participating in this round of Local School Council elections by becoming candidates for their LSCs. The deadline is 3 p.m. March 7.
When I was in the City Council, Chicago’s schools were in deep crisis. Mayor Harold Washington brought together the entire Chicago community: parents, reformers, businesses, educators, religious leaders, civic and community organizations to address the crisis and restore our schools. The solution was local control, to make our schools accountable, to put the power over the future of our children in our hands.
School reform was a bold experiment. It created a wave of civic activism that swept through the city. Principals were held accountable, schools that had been languishing for years began to come alive, and children began to learn. New programs and approaches proliferated, and there was optimism in the air.
The work was hard, and much remains to be done. Over time we began to take for granted the responsibility and privilege of serving on local school councils. The number of candidates has fallen from more than 17,000 to an average of 8,000 candidates a year. Local School Councils can make all the difference. The parents, community members, teachers and high school students who make up the council make critical decisions about the school’s budget, and about the hiring and evaluation of the principal. They set improvement plans–road maps for the future of education in Chicago.
Research has shown that when a Local School Council succeeds, the school succeeds. The reason? The people who live in a local community are in a unique position to find solutions to the challenges schools face. The parents and community members who care the most about their local schools are, rightfully, placed in a position to have the most impact on their school.
Last week, the deadline to register to run for local school council came and went, with only 3,500 candidates registered for about 5,600 available positions. Fortunately, CPS heard the call of school reform organizations, community groups and principals, and extended the deadline by one week. Organizers have been working hard to make the most of this time, and concerned parents and community members have stepped up. I am glad to report that the numbers are up, but we still need more concerned parents and community members to join us.
When I talk about the shortage of candidates I am often asked, “Do parents and community members care less about local schools?” Certainly not. I know from conversations with my constituents that education is a burning issue. And common sense tells us that the more involved we are with our schools, the more likely it is that our schools will succeed.
Despite the work of dedicated election organizers across the city many parents are unaware of the local school council elections.
More information is available at 877-VOTE-LSC.
