Chicago Public Schools has allotted nearly $47 million so far to plan and launch its transformation project in 25 schools. The district plans to spend another $35 million to expand the effort in 2008, adding as many as 20 schools to the mix and extending the effort into the upper grades in participating schools. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is footing much of the bill, giving CPS nearly $28 million to date. Next year’s investments will include:
| Human capital: $15.9 million | ||
| Curriculum providers | ||
| 60 instruction coaches | $7.6 million | |
| 8 managers | $1 million | |
| Chicago Public Schools | ||
| Prep periods for 135 lead teachers | $1.9 million | |
| Staff professional development | $4 million | |
| Leadership support | $1.4 million | |
| Materials: $14.1 million | ||
| New books and materials | $10.9 million | |
| Computers and technology | $3.2 million | |
| Other costs : $5.4 million | ||
| Student assessments | $3 million | |
| Curriculum development | $2.4 million | |
| TOTAL FY09: $35.4 million | ||
| Source: Chicago Public Schools | ||
Pinching schools
Schools participating in transformation earmark $300 per student from their discretionary funds to help pay for the initiative. Schools pick from eight different curriculum packages in English, math and science, and then roll out the new materials in freshman classes. In the second and third years, schools expand the effort into 10th and 11th grades, nearly tripling their per-pupil costs in the process.
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Total cost to schools
|
Average cost per school
|
|
| 14 Transformation schools in 2007 |
$900,000
|
$64,286
|
| 25 Transformation schools in 2008 |
$2,700,000
|
$108,000
|
| 45 Transformation schools in 2009 |
$7,300,000
|
$162,222
|
|
Note: Estimate used for 2009 costs |
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