Englewood Closing
"We have a culture of failure at Englewood that we must break, and the only way is with a fresh start -- new leadership, new staff and new educational approaches," CEO Arne Duncan said at a press conference, with Board of Education President Michael Scott signaling agreement at his side.
Last week, officials said a whopping 19 elementary and eight high schools deserved to be shut for chronic low performance, but only four would be closed quickly and "reborn" as Renaissance 2010 schools under new criteria that considered factors other than scores.
"By every measure, these four schools have struggled -- from test scores over time to student gains. While so many other schools in the system are improving, these schools have shown little if any progress," Duncan said.
'It's about gentrification' But school reform groups and the Chicago Teachers Union, which has 90 teaching and staff positions affected by the closings, accused CPS of catering to gentrification. The 107-year-old Englewood is the alma mater of CTU President Marilyn Stewart.
"This is really about gentrification and moving out poor people," said CTU Vice President Ted Dallas. "Take Englewood. You're going to have low-performing, low-income students going to these other schools. What's going to make them be successful at Robeson or Hyde Park, unless they put programs in place at those schools? Why don't they put those same programs in place at Englewood? We know why. Because they want to put different kids in there."
At Englewood, which has struggled on probation for nine years and undergone various attempts at reform under both Duncan and former schools CEO Paul Vallas, fewer than 5 percent of students meet state standards -- the lowest of any CPS high school. And the dropout rate over the past four years has been twice the city average.
Only a quarter of students in the Englewood attendance area choose to go there, making it a "school of last resort,'' Duncan said.
Englewood students said gang territories would prohibit many of their peers from attending Hyde Park, Robeson, Hirsch or Dyett, identified by CPS as school alternatives for eighth-graders from the Englewood neighborhood.
"Our dropout rate is probably going to be higher than it already is because of this," said Mark Blakely, 17, a sophomore at Englewood, 6201 S. Stewart. "I think it's a shame."
Englewood's current freshman class would be the last to graduate from the school, under Duncan's proposal.
If approved by the Board, Englewood will stop accepting freshmen next fall and the old school will phase out. Using an approach similar to the model used at Flower, DuSable, Austin, and Calumet, new schools would be developed for Englewood with the help of the community and would be phased in after two years.
Less than 5 percent of Englewood students meet state standards, making it the lowest performing Chicago public high school. The citywide average is 32.1 percent. The average dropout rate over the last four years has been 24.4 percent, compared to the city average of 11.6 percent. Almost 1,300 students in Englewood's attendance area go to school elsewhere.
"That doesn't mean there isn't a lot of pride in that building ( Englewood) and a lot of potential," Duncan said. "There is, and there always will be, but we can't bring it out under the current environment, even with all the extra supports it has received." The board will consider Duncan's recommendations at its Feb. 23 meeting.
ENGLEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL 850 students, 9 years on probation
Percent meeting standards on Prairie State Achievement Exam: 2004 composite: 4.7%
Alternative schools A. Dyett B. Hirsch C. Hyde Park D. Robeson

ENGLEWOOD ALUMNUS WEBSITE