Local News

CHICAGO (STNG) ― The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Chicago Public Schools a $5.2 million grant for the creation of Smaller Learning Communities, or schools-within-a-school, in four large CPS high schools over the next five years, according to CPS.

The Smaller Learning Communities work to prepare more students for success in postsecondary education and careers, CPS says.

Grants administered by the federal Smaller Learning Communities Program support the formation of these schools-within-a-school in public high schools with enrollments of 1,000 students or more, according to a release from CPS. CPS has received 10 Smaller Learning Communities grants, totaling $18.7 million, since 2000.

"Focused and personalized instruction is what works for our students, in our smaller learning communities," CPS Chief Executive Officer Arne Duncan said. "We're thrilled that beginning this fall, we'll be adding more schools-within-a-school, which provide this kind of student learning environment."

In the 2007-08 school year, there were 18 smaller schools within large CPS high schools. With the latest $5.2 million award, that number will increase to 22 in the 2008-09 school year. Schools implement Smaller Learning Communities one grade level at a time, so the four new schools-within-a-school will start their respective freshman academies this fall.

The four high schools that will get Smaller Learning Communities are:

• Foreman High School, 3235 N. Leclaire Ave. (population: 1,948)
• Kelvyn Park High School, 4343 W. Wrightwood Ave. (population: 1,559)
• Manley Career Academy High School, 2935 W. Polk St. (population: 1,221)
• Schurz High School, 3601 N. Milwaukee Ave. (population: 2,034)

CPS says Smaller Learning Communities allow high schools to independently transform themselves, promote a culture of high academic achievement, create supportive learning environments, focus on getting all freshman students on-track, and improve school climate and culture.

CPS Smaller Learning Communities have teacher teams that share a cohort of no more than 140 students, the release said. The teams closely monitor student progress and attendance, pool observations on student performance, identify high risk behaviors and academic problems early, and develop and implement collaborative intervention strategies.

CPS high schools with 1,000 or more students, which want to create Smaller Learning Communities in their buildings, must complete an internal CPS application process. Key factors for Smaller Learning Communities selection include a school's leadership stability, instructional foundation, physical layout, and understanding and support of the Smaller Learning Communities model.

Each of the new Smaller Learning Communities will have a unique name that expresses its identity or theme, and some schools have three to six Smaller Learning Communities per school, depending on the school's student population, CPS says. Examples of themes include business, technology, public service and leadership.

The original five CPS Smaller Learning Communities were at Gage Park, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Marshall and Tilden high schools. Additional Smaller Learning Communities now are in Amundsen, Crane, CVCA, Clemente, Corliss, Farragut, Fenger, Harlan, Morgan Park, Robeson, Steinmetz, Washington, and Wells high schools.

(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

---