Mayor Brandon Johnson’s sprint to remake Chicago’s public schools

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A time-worn phrase has dominated Chicago’s education scene for the past decade — “fully fund neighborhood schools.” Yet it hasn’t translated into policy.

Former Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said it in her fiery speeches. Parents shout it when fighting the closure of an unprecedented 50 public schools. Community groups chant it when schools face budget cuts.

Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson is declaring it from City Hall’s fifth floor. But he now represents the progressive education movement’s first chance at following through with those demands.

Read more from the Chicago Sun-Times.

Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick
Matt Zalaznick is the managing editor of District Administration, covering K-12 public school leadership, teaching and learning, student achievement, education technology, and federal education policy. A journalist since 1996, Zalaznick has reported on politics, law enforcement, and breaking news for newspapers and websites across the U.S. Virgin Islands, the San Francisco Bay Area, Colorado, and the New York City suburbs. He holds a B.A. in English from Tufts University.

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