IN A MAJOR DEPARTURE FROM PAST POLICY.

CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ANNOUNCES IT INTENDS TO MOVE AWAY FROM SCHOOL CHOICE IN CHICAGO.

FAMILIES CAN APPLY TO ATTEND SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY VERSUS BEING REQUIRED TO ATTEND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.

CRITICS SAY THAT MEANS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS LOSE OUT TO BETTER FUNDED COMPETITORS AS A RESULT.

HERE'S CPS BOARD.

VICE PRESIDENT ELIZABETH TODD BREELAND AT A MEETING EXPLAINING THE REASONING BEHIND THE PLANNED SHIFT.

>> DESPITE A MYRIAD OF EDUCATION REFORMS OF THE COURSE OF MANY CPS, STRATEGIC PLANS, WE HAVE CHALLENGES AND GAPS THAT HAVE PERSISTED.

OUR SCHOOL CHOICE SYSTEM THAT WE OPERATE WAS BUILT ON FOUNDATION THAT EXISTED ALREADY OF STRUCTURAL RACISM AND SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITY.

AND IT HAS PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME.

BUT OUR DATA IS SHOWING THAT IT HAS ALSO EXACERBATED INEQUITIES.

>> BUT NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE THE CURRENT SYSTEM DISMANTLED WITH SOME SAYING THAT GIVING PARENTS CHOICE HAS LED TO BETTER STUDENT OUTCOMES.

JOINING US NOW TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS ON THIS ARE ANDREW BREWING PRESIDENT OF THE ILLINOIS NETWORK OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.

CASSANDRA BOARD PRESIDENT AT RAISE YOUR HAND.

TARA STAMPS, COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND ADMINISTRATOR OF NEW TEACHER DEVELOPMENT AT THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION AND DANIEL ANELLO, CEO OF KIDS FIRST CHICAGO.

AND WE SHOULD MENTION WE DID INVITE SOMEONE FROM THE CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION TO JOIN US, BUT THEY DECLINED.

THANKS TO THE 4 OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M ANDREW CASSANDRA.

WANT TO START WITH YOU, PLEASE FIRST, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION?

NOT ONLY TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BUT ALSO THE PROCESS THAT THE BOARD HAS UNDERTAKEN SO FAR.

>> NATION REPRESENTS CHARTER SCHOOLS IN CHICAGO.

WE HAVE 122 CAMPUSES.

CITYWIDE THAT COLLECTIVE.

EDUCATE 58,000 CPS STUDENTS.

97% OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE BLACK AND BROWN.

HAD GREAT SUCCESS ON THE WEST AND SOUTH THE CITY.

INCREASING GRADUATION RATES.

SO WE DON'T THINK IT'S SMART.

TOP TAKEAWAYS POLICY THAT'S GIVEN SUCH GREAT GAINS.

AS FOR THE PROCESS, THIS IS DONE IN A SHROUD OF SECRECY.

THERE'S NO PUBLIC BETTING ON THIS.

NO COMMUNITY INPUT, NO DRAFT RELEASED.

WE'VE GOT TO FIX THAT GOING FORWARD BECAUSE RIGHT NOW POLICY MADE IN THE DARK DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

>> CASSANDRA JOHNSON QUESTION TO YOU.

YOUR REACTION SO YEAH.

RAISE YOUR HAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA THAT EVERY CHILD IN CHICAGO SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, GET HIGH QUALITY HIGH, REALLY RESOURCED PUBLIC EDUCATION.

SO WE WELCOME THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

WHILE THE ANNOUNCEMENT WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU MENTIONED, WE DO EXPECT THAT THE NEXT STEP IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THAT WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT DETAILS LOOK LIKE.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S A VISION.

IT'S NOT A DETAILED PLAN AND THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, ACCORDING TO THE BOARD.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT ELIZABETH TIME BREELAND SAID IN THAT BOARD MEETING, THEY SEE >> THE THIS IS JUST THE START OF THE PLOT PROCESS.

THEY'RE PLANNING A LOT MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOING FORWARD.

DOES THAT RESPONSE?

DOES THAT ANSWER SATISFY YOU, DANIEL?

>> NO, I STRUGGLE WITH THAT.

I ACTUALLY THINK WHEN YOU PUT OUT A RESOLUTION LIKE THIS AND YOU SET A DIRECTION AND COULD HER CHICAGO IS REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE WE'RE ELEVATING, I THINK DOING AUTHENTIC PARENT ENGAGEMENT.

THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING, HEY, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING.

AND THEN THE ONLY CHOICE THAT PARENTS REALLY HAVE IN THIS CASE IS HOW WE GET TO WHATEVER THAT DESTINATION IS.

IF YOU ARE DOING AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IF THE RESOLUTION WAS LIVING IN TO THE ANTIRACISM CO DESIGN, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT KIND OF BUZZ WORDS THAT I FELT WERE LADEN THROUGHOUT.

THIS ENGAGEMENT PROCESS STARTS FIRST AND FOR US, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHERE WE END UP.

WE FEEL LIKE THE MOST PEOPLE ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED.

PARENTS ACROSS THE CITY NEED TO HAVE A CHANCE TO VOICE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.

BUT THEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE.

IT WAS THE SHROUD OF SECRECY.

S I LINE CLOSED DOORS AND DECISIONS ARE MADE FROM OUT DEFERENCE TO IDEOLOGY RATHER THAN DEFERENCE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY IT.

>> DURING THE BOARD MEETING, A BOARD MEMBERS DID SAY THAT A LOT OF THIS WAS THE RESULT OF WHAT THEY HAVE CONTINUOUSLY BEEN HEARING FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IF THEY MEANT, YOU KNOW, AT BOARD MEETINGS, TURN PUBLIC COMMENT, SECTIONS OR OTHER MEETINGS THAT THEY'VE STARTED TO ADD TO THE COMMISSIONER STAMPS.

HOW DO YOU THINK THIS TRANSITION SHOULD BE MANAGED?

>> I THINK THE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, OUR FOLK WHO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSATION AROUND EDUCATION FOR DECADES ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST.

>> A BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN WHO ARE OFTEN THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS.

WHAT I DEEM AS A AS A FALSE CHOICE AS A VETERAN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, I WAS IN FRONT OF BABIES FOR 25 YEARS OF MY AND I AS AS A MOTHER AS A GRANDMOTHER.

WHAT I SEE IS THIS IS IT.

WHAT I SEE IS THEIR VISION IS THE SAME THING THAT EVERY PARENT WANTS.

>> IS WHICH IS THE OPPORTUNITY.

THAT THE SCHOOL CLOSEST TO THEIR HOME IS THE BEST SCHOOL FOR THEIR CHILD.

I OPERATE.

I AM THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS REALLY LIKE A TALE OF 2 CITIES ON ONE KNEE AND YOU PARK.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE AUSTIN.

PARK FAMILIES CAN WALK CHILDREN.

SCHOOLCHILDREN CAN BIKE TO SCHOOL.

THEY OFTEN RAVE ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OAK PARK BUT AUSTIN, THAT'S NOT THE SAME CHOICE.

BABIES PUT ON BUSES AND VERY EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING TRAVERSING THIS CITY, PUTTING THEM SOMETIMES IN HARM'S WAY SEARCH OF A QUALITY EDUCATION.

AND WHAT, WHAT?

WHAT?

WHAT'S STRIKING TO ME?

IS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT, WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF YOUNG PEOPLE, OFTEN BLACK AND BROWN, YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT A QUALITY EDUCATION IS ALWAYS AT THE DETRIMENT.

MY CHILDREN THAT WE ARE HAVING TO PUT OUR CHILDREN MUCH LIKE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHEN WE HAD TO PUT OUR CHILDREN INTO SCHOOLS THAT ARE HOSTILE AND VIOLENT BECAUSE WE SOUGHT TO HAVE A JUST AND QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS PROMISED TO US UNDER THE LAW.

>> SOME MIGHT ARGUE, ANDREW, THAT, YOU THIS AWAY FROM SCHOOL CHOICE.

IT'S BECAUSE SCHOOL CHOICES HAD NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES TOWARDS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND SOME THAT THEY HAVE ABILITY TO HAVE A CHOICE IS PERPETUATED THE INEQUITIES.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO ARGUMENT?

BUT I THINK IT'S A FALSE CHOICE.

I THINK YOU CAN HAVE A FULLY RESOURCED NEIGHBORHOODS.

OWN SCHOOLS THRIVING.

>> AND A HIGH QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOL AND PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE REGIME INSIDE THE CITY AS WELL.

KEEP IN MIND.

WHAT'S TONE DEAF ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF CPS STUDENTS ATTEND A SCHOOL.

THAT'S NOT THEIR ZONE SCHOOL.

HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL 77%.

AND MOST OF THAT'S NOT CHARTER, NOT SELECTED.

MOST OF THAT IS DISTRICT SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL.

SO PARENTS ARE MAKING CHOICES AND HAVE AGENCY.

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT 25 YEARS AGO STARTED THIS THE GRADUATION RATE AND CPS 50%, MEANING ONE OUT OF 2 STUDENTS WHEN A 9TH GRADE DIDN'T GRADUATE TODAY, IT'S 84%.

AND THAT'S NOT JUST DATA POINTS.

THOSE ARE THOUSANDS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WHO BENEFITED FROM HAVING A CHOICE.

WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR CHILD?

NOT EVERY PARENT WANTS.

WE SUPPORT.

>> CASSANDRA, WHAT MIGHT A SHIFT LIKE THIS LOOK LIKE THE SHIFT AWAY FROM SCHOOL CHOICE AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.

YEAH, I HOPE THAT THE SHIFT AWAY LOOKS LIKE RESOURCES IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

LOOKS LIKE EVERY SCHOOL HAVING THE BASICS AND NOT A LIBRARY, A NURSE, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SUBURBS IN THE SCHOOLS WHERE PARENTS JUST MOVED THERE AND THEIR KID GOES THERE, THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE.

THEY LOOK AT A SCHOOL AND THEY SAY THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A SCHOOL.

GET THAT WE DON'T SEE THAT.

WE PARENTS MAKING CHOICES AND SENDING THEIR KIDS ON BUSES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL AT THE END OF MY STREET DOESN'T HAVE THE BASIC THINGS MY CHILD NEEDS.

CHILD IS SPECIAL EDUCATION.

NOT EVERY SCHOOL CAN MEET HIS NEEDS AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE HIS NEEDS ARE SO GREAT.

IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE MADE A CHOICE TO NOT CREATE EVERY SCHOOL IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD EQUALLY.

GO.

JUST DISINVESTED FROM NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.

>> YES, WE KNOW HOW TO DO SCHOOLS RIGHT IN CHICAGO.

THAT'S WHAT'S AMAZINGLY KNOW HOW TO DO SCHOOLS.

WAIT.

I WAS I ATTENDED FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS NOW FRANKLIN FINE ARTS ACADEMY.

IT WAS DOWN THE STREET FROM MY SCHOOL.

BUT BY THE TIME MY DAUGHTER HAD CHILDREN, MY GRANDSON COULDN'T ATTEND THAT SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY BOUNDARIES.

THAT EVEN THOUGH HE COULD WALK TO THAT SCHOOL BECAUSE OF SELECTIVE ENROLLMENT BECAUSE OF MAGNET SCHOOLS, HE COULD NOT GO TO THAT SCHOOL.

HOWEVER, CHILDREN THAT DID NOT LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY WERE BUSED INTO THAT COMMUNITY.

MY COMMUNITY THAT COULD ACCESS THAT SCHOOL SO CPS, KNOWS HOW TO DO SCHOOL.

WELL, WE HAVE COUNTLESS AND COUNTLESS EXAMPLES.

WALTER PAYTON, NORTEL, COLLEGE PREP.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS ONCE THEY GET THAT THE DESCENT DEGREE, EVEN FOR THAT WHERE THERE WAS TRYING TO CREATE A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE ECO SYSTEM IN A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT WHEN THOSE MANDATES ARE LIFTED, PEOPLE DID NOT DO THE RIGHT THING BY CHILDREN OF COLOR.

SO WHY CHILDREN INCREASINGLY BECAME ENROLLED IN SELECTIVE ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS WHERE THEY ONLY MAKE UP 9% OF CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT MAKE UP WELL OVER 40% OF SELECTIVE ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS FOR ABOUT THAT, DANIEL, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT OF THE LIKE THIS HAVE ON BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS IN CBS?

I THINK IT'S A MASSIVE IMPACT AND I THINK WE'RE HAVING THE WRONG DEBATE.

>> I THINK WE CONTINUE TO SENATOR INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOOLS AS THOSE INSTITUTIONS AND WE'RE NOT CENTERING THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES.

WHAT WE WANT FROM FROM ALL OF IS >> FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHO'S GOING TO BE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY.

THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH AND ENGAGING WITH ON THE WEST AND SOUTH WEST NORTHWEST SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY AND AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WHERE WE BRING THEM TO THE TABLE.

FIRST ON DECISION LIKE THIS ACTUALLY DECIDE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE MADE THAT DECISION FOR THEM.

AND NOW WE'RE SAYING FALSELY THAT, OK, NOW YOU HAVE TO PICK HOW YOU WANT TO GET THERE.

THAT IS NOT REAL AUTHENTIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

THAT IS NOT GOING TO RIVER STRUCTURAL RACISM.

IN FACT, WE'RE COMPARED TO A HARMED BY DOING THAT.

WE NEED TO REWIND AND GO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THEN LET THEM TAKE US WHERE THEY WANT.

OF COURSE, THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ALL EXPECTING A LOT AS FAR AS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOES OUT TO CPS.

>> COMING IN 2024, OF COURSE, I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE BEFORE BACK TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

BUT THERE'S THERE'S A LOT MORE TO GO OVER.

OF COURSE, ANDREW