Illinois Lawmakers: Call SB 620!
SB 620 protects our children and is about good and fair government of our students and schools.
Let our schools in need, get repairs.
CPS has neglected repairs in many of our needy schools. Some schools have been waiti ng for crowding relief or critical repairs since before 1995, wwhile some schools in good repair received millions in renovations and upgrades.
Don’t let CPS close our schools that are working.
CPS closes schools with a controversial utilization rate that does not include other program space like science labs, music rooms, and special education rooms. Many of the schools CPS closed for “under-utilization” were performing academically.
Help our cash-strapped schools save money.
Not having a master facility plan means that CPS wastes money by putting off repairs that just get more expensive; closing schools that did get repairs; or having to spend millions to convert grade schools to high schools. CPS has no long term plan to save money through steady maintenance, reining in cost overruns, or energy efficiency. CPS needs oversight and accountability for facility decisions to prevent inequitable spending and politics overriding what’s best for students.
Chicago is way behind other cities in better planning for schools.
Most major school districts, even districts larger than ours, have Master Facility Plans and oversight measures.
CPS school closures & other “school actions” are harming our students.
Tens of thousands of our children are being left behind in schools in disrepair, with inadequate education resources. CPS has no safety plan and provides no resources when merging schools, and violence often spikes. Students are forced to walk further from their homes, and CPS doesn’t help support special education and homeless students during or after closures. CPS allows no time for effective community and educational planning.
Put laws in place to prevent CPS from harming our children and families.
Community members and parents are not a part of the process for identifying needed educational improvements in our schools, planning facility improvements, or making decisions on boundary changes, closures, consolidations, co-locations, turn-arounds or new school openings. For years CPS has promised to change , but the system has NOT - Just look at the last meeting of the CPS school board.
Senate Bill 620 is good for our children, all of our public schools, and CPS! If you are against the bill, you are not for our schools and community. CALL SB 620!
SB 620 creates an oversight body to ensure CPS establishes a master plan for facilities that deliver high quality instruction; opens up school action decisions to be sure they are in the best interests of students ; gives CPS and the public time to weigh school actions and make better plans for our children; ensures resources are provided when CPS does close a school or takes other actions; and ensures that CPS will create a capital investment program that addresses our neediest schools first. SB 620 is about protecting all our kids and improving our public education system through fiscal accountability and common-sense planning for OUR publicly owned and funded school buildings. It’s NOT about taking away Mayoral control, or CPS Board responsibilities.