Education

Chicago District Puts Hold on Approving New Charter Schools This Fall

By Arianna Prothero — October 03, 2014 1 min read
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Cross posted from the Charters & Choice blog.

Chicago public schools officials will not be approving any new charter or contract schools this fall for the first time in 10 years, according to Catalyst Chicago, a newsmagazine dedicated to covering urban education in the city.

The decision will not affect the schools already approved and scheduled to open next year.

There’s been some speculation the move to put a moratorium on charters was a political one—Mayor Rahm Emanuel is running for reelection in February while the head of the Chicago Teachers Union, Karen Lewis, is considering a run for the same office. Last year, Emanuel was heavily criticized for allowing new charters to open after shuttering 50 traditional public schools.

A spokesperson for the Chicago district told Catalyst Chicago that a request for proposals has not been posted yet in order to allow potential candidates more time to go through the vetting process. CPS will post a request for charter school proposals in December for the 2016 school year, the magazine reports.

For more reaction in Chicago to the decision, here’s the full Catalyst Chicago story.

RELATED: Closing Schools While Opening Charters: Lessons Learned From Philly, Chicago

A version of this news article first appeared in the District Dossier blog.