Jamal Cornelious

Manager of Civic Engagement, Citizen Schools Illinois

Citizen Schools partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for children in low-income communities. We are promoting student achievement, transforming schools and re-imagining education in America.

Amy B. Dean

Fellow of the Century Foundation and co-author, 'A New New Deal: How Regional Activism Will Reshape the American Labor Movement'; President and founder, ABD Ventures

If we're serious about fixing the long-term problems in the schools, we should take a careful look at each of these, determining how they should shape the roles of all players in the system -- be they administrators, teachers, parents, or politicians.

Lisa Guisbond

FairTest

Sometimes classroom educators must use their "Teacher Voice" to restore sanity. That's what is happening in Chicago, where striking public school teachers are shouting "enough is enough" to test-driven school reform schemes.

Alyssa Granacki

Teach For America corps member

As the Chicago Teachers Union begins their strike, I can empathize with some of their demands. However, I do not believe the solution is to abandon our responsbility to our children.

Jacqueline Edelberg

Author, community activist, social entrepreneur

I'm not the only parent who believes that a fair share of the fault lies with the CTU for it's unyielding defense of a broken system

Julie Woestehoff

Contributor, Educational Courage

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has just announced another set of interventions which will potentially affect dozens of schools and tens of thousands of children and adults.

Julie Woestehoff

Contributor, Educational Courage

Now that they've had some success destroying public education, the school reform privateers are setting their sights on something even more precious and fundamental to our nation -- our democracy.

Julie Woestehoff

Contributor, Educational Courage

From the way Illinois politicians have been preening the past couple of days, you'd think they had cured cancer. Nope, it's what they and the media have been relentlessly calling a "historic" new education reform law.

Julie Woestehoff

Contributor, Educational Courage

Mayor Emanuel, welcome! It's great to have a new mayor who says that improving our schools is his number one priority. That's a great place to start.

Julie Woestehoff

Contributor, Educational Courage

I say that we -- and our children -- can't afford to risk so much on the promises of "better tests."

Julie Woestehoff

Contributor, Educational Courage

Back in February, a group of CPS high-schoolers busted Rahm Emanuel's chops for making false statements about charter schools on the campaign trail. That didn't stop Rahm, though.

Lorraine Forte

Editor in Chief, Catalyst Chicago

While media eyes have been focused on Meeks' school boycott, another plan from the legislator/mega-church pastor has gotten little publicity: His proposal to allow kids to enroll in any school in the state, without paying tuition.