Now, students will be able to join the high school in their neighborhood automatically.
Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson and the city school board may be making big changes by taking away selective enrollment and magnet schools, ABC 7 Chicago reports. The change comes in hopes of focusing on equity and building up existing neighborhood schools.
The city’s board voted to approve a resolution that supports neighborhood schools, moving away from the existing school choice system — where students must be accepted into the enrollment schools — and some forced to travel long distances for their education. The change should come as no surprise to voters as Johnson promoted the proposed shift during his campaign. Now, students will be able to join the high school in their neighborhood automatically.
School Board Vice President Elizabeth Todd-Breland presented a challenge for the schools and their residents to create a “strong, high-quality pathway from pre-K to high school.” “It shouldn’t be a competition between schools, it should really be families, knowing that, ‘Hey, my child can walk to school and have a great option.,” Breland said, according to Daily Mail.
Board President Jianan Shi feels the plan should be guided and informed by the community. “The goal is that we’re able to change the current competition model so that students are not pitted against one another, schools are not pitted against one another.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
