In its fifth call for new school proposals under Renaissance 2010, district officials for the first time are seeking plans from school operators to overhaul low-performing schools. But CPS has set three additional priorities for this latest round: relieve overcrowding, reinvent high schools and launch schools in long underserved communities. Here are the details:
Overcrowding
Overcrowding is a major issue in parts of the city. CPS will look favorably on school operators that can purchase or rent their own buildings, especially in these areas:
- Northwest Side: Edison Park, Norwood Park, Forest Glen, Jefferson Park, Portage Park, Dunning
- Southwest Side: Garfield Ridge, West Elsdon, Gage Park, West Lawn, Clearing
- Far South Side: East Side, Hegewisch
Rethink high schools
With performance still lagging in most neighborhood high schools, CPS hopes to reverse the trend with a variety of options, including:
- College preps
- Career preps
- Single-sex schools
- Residential/boarding schools
- Alternative/dropout prevention schools
Priority Communities
In 2004, the Illinois Facilities Fund identified 25 communities that had few good school options. CPS has launched or will launch new schools in 15 of these neighborhoods by September. For this new round, CPS officials have identified four communities that they say have room in CPS buildings for new schools:
- East Garfield Park
- West Garfield Park
- South Chicago
- South Shore