Guest Post by Angela Rudolph (Education Reform Now Advocacy in conjunction with the Put Students 1st Campaign)
Today we were joined by parents, students, and concerned Chicagoans to celebrate a victory for Chicago students. Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union came to an agreement which will finally give our students the full school day they need to succeed.
Instead of asking teachers to work longer hours, the agreement reached will include the hiring of nearly 500 additional teachers to cover the added class time. With the extra time and support, students will have more opportunity for enrichment classes like art and music, more time for gym and recess, and more time for one-on-one instruction. The added time will also provide educators with additonal time for collaboration and support.
With the institution of a longer school day and more supports for teachers, Chicago Public Schools is now on track to become one of the nation’s top school systems.