District Administration - October 2006 - (Page 47)
COVER STORY Distributed leadership, nontraditional partnerships and
innovative alternatives are transforming the Chicago Public Schools HICAGO
TEAM By Ron Schachter and private backing, and piling up beating national
norms for the fi rst The willingness to try new and impressive numbers
along the way. time ever, and student mobility and innovative approaches
character- Du nca n now in his sixth year dropout rates are at all-time
lows. izes how the Chicago district and its as CEO since succeeding
current He adds that only 24 percent of CEO Arne Duncan have been moving
Philadelphia schools CEO Paul students rank in the bottom quartile toward
school reform over the past Vallas ticks off Chicago's gains: nationally,
down from 80 percent, five years, in what could be dubbed Attendance rates
are at all-time and growing numbers of high school No Good Idea Left
Behind. The highs. Graduation rates are at students are taking and passing
huge urban district with 630 schools, all-time highs. High school and
Advanced Placement tests. 430,000 students and a $4.7 billion elementary
school test scores are at Du nca n also expects more good budget is
continually pushing the edu- all-time highs. Eighth-graders are news from
the city's Renaissance cational envelope, harnessing public October 2006
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