Last year, a study from Stanford University showed that over the last two decades, Chicago’s students have learned at a faster rate than 96 percent of all school districts in the country, including its wealthier and more well-resourced peers. Students’ average test scores also improved more than 20 percent and the city’s schools currently boast an all-time high graduation rate of 77.3 percent.
U.S. News recently interviewed Chicago Public Schools(CPS) CEO, Janice Jackson, who took the reins in December 2017 and has already made waves in her short tenure. Among other things, she has supported a requirement that all graduating students from Chicago schools must have a postsecondary plan in place. This includes a job or enrolment in college, the military, or a technical programme.
According to Ms. Jackson, part of the reason why CPS has been thriving in recent times is because of a focus on prioritising students’ growth and preparing them for multiple pathways after they graduate from secondary school.
Preparing students for multiple pathways seems to be a global trend I have observed these days. Schools all over the world are making more targeted efforts to ensure that they have holistic programmes in place to build all-rounded students. With frequent disruptions in every sector, the status quo is never stable. Thus, students will definitely need to be all-rounded to be prepared for the fast-changing world they will be entering when they leave school.
If you want to read more about CEO Jackson’s insights on the CPS, click the following link:
https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2018-04-13/the-secret-to-chicagos-school-improvement