>>> CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ON SUMMER BREAK FOR ABOUT A WEEK, BUT IT WAS AT THIS TIME ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT SOME STUDENTS WALKED OUT OF THEIR SCHOOLS.

AT THE TIME, FORMER MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL DECIDED TO CLOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS MAINLY ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES OF THE CITY.

THIS WAS AGAINST THE PROTESTS OF TEACHERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS.

FROM THIS WEEK SAID IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERIOUS REVISIT TWO COMMUNITIES THAT WERE IMPACTED.

BRANDIS FRIEDMAN ALONG WITH OUR PRODUCERS SPENT SOME TIME THERE THE OTHER DAY.

WE START OFF WITH BRANDIS, WHO IS IN AUSTIN.

BRANDIS?

>> Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT, PARIS .

YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WE WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT SHORTLY, BUT CPS HAD SLATED THE SCHOOL FOR CLOSURE, CITING THE 34% DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT OVER 10 YEARS AND ABOUT $11 MILLION IN NEEDED MAINTENANCE AND UPDATES THAT ARE NEEDED AS WELL AS LACKING A.D.A.

ACCESSIBILITY.

IT'S THAT BACON FOR 10 YEARS UNTIL JUST LAST MONTH WHEN CONSTRUCTION BEGAN TO TURN THIS INTO A NEW WORKFORCE TRAINING HUB.

WE WILL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT COMING UP AS WELL, BUT IT IS ONE OF FOUR SCHOOLS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ALONE AT FACE CLOSURE AND ONE OF MANY MORE ACROSS THE WEST SIDE.

THIS CREATES CONFLICT FOR STUDENTS BETWEEN THE MERGING SCHOOLS.

>> THERE WAS LACK OF ATTENDANCE BREAKING OUT.

>> Reporter: TODAY IT IS HOME TO ANOTHER CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL .

HE SAYS THAT HIS ORGANIZATION HAD TO STEP IN TO HELP MEDIATE.

>> I HAD TO TAKE THESE TWO SCHOOLS.

NORMALLY THEY REPRESENT TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

>> Reporter: AND RICARDO WAS A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR AT THE SCHOOL.

HE ALSO HAD A GRANDCHILD WHO WAS A STUDENT THERE.

>> THEY DON'T TRUST THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN WHAT IS GOING ON, AND THEY KIND OF GIVE UP.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS THAT THE SCHOOL CLOSURES FAILED TO CONSIDER THE CONNECTIONS THAT FAMILIES HAVE WHEN THEY MOVE SCHOOLS.

>> THEY WERE WILLING TO SEVER THE CONNECTION AND THEY ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF COMMUNITY.

MAYBE THERE IS A REASON WHY STUDENTS ON THIS BLOCK CANNOT GO TWO BLOCKS THAT WAY.

>> Reporter: JUST A COUPLE MILES DOWN THE STREET, FOUR OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS CLOSED IN THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD.

ARMSTRONG, EMMETT, KEY AND MAY.

>> THE LANDSCAPE WAS VERY TENSE.

I THINK THIS TAKES A LOT OF TIME FOR US TO HEAL.

>> Reporter: 10 YEARS LATER, ARMSTRONG REMAINS VACANT.

THE MAIN BUILDING WAS TAKEN OVER BY A PROCEEDING SCHOOL, AND IN JUST THE LAST YEAR IT REOPENED AS A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN ELEMENTARY.

THERE ARE PLANS ALSO FOR A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HUB.

>> THIS IS A NEW CONCEPT THAT LOOKS AT WAYS THAT WE CAN INCLUDE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE NEW ECONOMY.

>> Reporter: SHE SAYS THE WEST SIDE OF ELEMENT AUTHORITY COMMUNICATED FEEDBACK AND IS PLANNING THE ASPIRE CENTER, AN ON-SITE SERVICE FOR EDUCATIONAL TRAINING.

OFFICIALS BROKE GROUND LAST MONTH, ANNOUNCING $42 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR THE PROJECT.

THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AUSTIN COME TOGETHER IS AMONG THE PARTNERS.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DARNELL SHIELDS SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT THIS AS A MODEL TO BOOST OTHER SCHOOLS.

>> TO SEE THIS NOT AS A PLACE OF DESOLATION BUT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMETHING THEY CAN GO INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT CAN HELP TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE AND START TO BUILD US BACK FROM WHAT WE LOST WITH THAT DECISION BEING MADE.

RANEXA BACK IN 2013, EMMETT STUDENTS WERE REDIRECTED TO THE SCHOOLS NOT FAR FROM WHERE WE