The recent announcement of Ron Huberman’s resignation during the school year illuminates well the dysfunction in how leaders are chosen to lead our education system at Chicago Public Schools.
The recent announcement of Ron Huberman’s resignation during the school year illuminates well the dysfunction in how leaders are chosen to lead our education system at Chicago Public Schools.
As of November 29, students who attend Chicago Public Schools will be without a chief executive officer and chief education officer. Students and parents simply deserve better. Higher standards, higher expectations are insistently demanded of principals, teachers and students, but far lower standards seemingly apply to those who are in charge of the third largest school district in the nation. Seemingly, only in an urban school district could it be reasoned that our children are being appropriately educated without a chief education officer for almost seven months.
The absence of a chief education officer should draw outrage and massive protests from our community. Outrage and concern should also be heightened by the replacement of the current CEO with another non-educator. Providing a high-quality education for all children is by far the preeminent civil rights issue of our era. Every year, more than one million students in this country drop out of high school never earning their diploma, and are subsequently not prepared for work or postsecondary education. More specifically in CPS where approximately 408,000 students attend, nearly 85 percent of these students come from communities of color and low-income homes, and about 15 percent have proficiency in English; thus, the need for transformative and superior leadership to be at the helm of this system is imperative.
In fact, 40 percent of Chicago’s elementary students fall below the state standards set for the Illinois Standards Achievement Test, while 69 percent of our students are below the standards set for the Prairie State Achievement Examination. Even more disturbing, these testing standards as seen on a more rigorous national test—the National Assessment of Educational Progress—have been shown to lack academic rigor.
Furthermore, 70 percent of 11th grade students fail to meet state standards, and graduation rates are near 50 percent. Within one year after graduation from CPS high schools, 34 percent of those graduates go on to four-year colleges, and only 22 percent go on to two-year colleges. Shockingly, 6 percent of CPS alumni who go to college are able to graduate, which proves that even those who pursue higher education are ultimately ill-prepared.
We are in a state of emergency concerning the future of our children. Closing the achievement gap that divides students among economic and racial lines should be a priority. We cannot close achievement gaps or compete globally without educators in place to ensure that a high-quality education is given to Chicago public school students. It is obvious from the statistics of CPS that we need more than mere management oversight; what we truly need is a superintendent with a background in school/municipal finance, curriculum and instruction, knowledge in educational system laws and regulations, a master’s degree or doctorate degree in education and a proven track record in school administration.
Our kids are our most precious commodity; we cannot continue to allow them to be led by inexperienced and noncommittal leaders. If we are to truly combat the 50 percent high school drop out rate at CPS and the achievement gap, the board of CPS should conduct a national search for a permanent Chief Education Officer. And the next mayor of Chicago should conduct a national search for a superintendent in lieu of a CEO. If not now, when? Now, is the time.
Bonita M. Carr Ed.D., is the executive director and national director of education for PUSH Excel, the education affiliate of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.