CPS Board of Education Approves New Charter Schools

At their meeting yesterday, their first since the death of board president Michael Scott, the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education moved forward with business, approving five new charter schools that will open across the next two school years. CPS had originally proposed six but withdrew one: the Chicago International Charter School.

Opening in 2010:

• Noble Street Charter School - Englewood campus, Grades 9 through 12, proposed location: Reed Elementary School, 6350 S. Stewart Ave.
• LEARN Charter School - South Chicago campus, Kindergarten through Grade 8, proposed location: a shared space with James N. Thorp Elementary School, 8914 S. Buffalo Ave.

Opening in 2011:

• LEARN Charter School - South Shore campus, Kindergarten through Grade 8, proposed location: 7110 S. Coles Ave.
• Roseland Preparatory Academy, Kindergarten through Grade 8, proposed location: 11400 S. Edbrook.
• UNO Charter School, Kindergarten through Grade 8, proposed location: TBD.

But as Chicago Current reported from the meeting, there's plenty of opposition to the plan. One man said, "It looks like that this Renaissance 2010 is really just a big business plan. Our children are not commodities." Others added to the voiced frustration with Renaissance 2010:

Mark Carter, of Voices of the Ex-Offenders, or VOTE, said Renaissance 2010 isn't helping the at-risk population of the inner city. He called for schools chief Ron Huberman to resign over the plan.

"Just as your people have the right to exist, black children have the right to exist in their community," Carter said.