The president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools is again speaking out against a proposed merger between the CTU and the Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff, which could be finalized next week.

(Namaste Charter School / Facebook)

Staf at the McKinley Park-area charter school filed their intent to unionize on Tuesday with the National Labor Relations Board.

A day before Chicago Public Schools is expected to unveil its action plan following a five-year neighborhood school closing moratorium, the district announced it will move to shutter one charter school and authorize another.

Were children put in danger when Chicago Public Schools charter schools hired 163 former CPS employees on a “do not hire” list? Chicago Board of Education Inspector General Nicholas Schuler joins us.

Under its accountability guidelines, the Board of Education can opt to revoke or not renew charters that have been placed on an academic warning list.

(Chicago Tonight)

One of Chicago’s largest charter school networks is rebranding itself for the coming school year and rolling out new names for five of its campuses as it awaits approval for the changes from Chicago Public Schools.

(Matt Masterson / Chicago Tonight)

Who wins and who loses if a local charter teachers union merges with CTU? Local labor education professor Robert Bruno takes a look at the proposed merger—and the possible impact on CPS.

A group of students who participated in the M.U.S.I.C. Inc. program. (Courtesy of Sarah Dupuis)

Can the violin lower student dropout rates? A classically trained musician and a social worker think music lessons have the power to inspire change.

If signed by the governor, a Senate-approved bill would leave authority over charter closures with local school boards.

Becomes third Chicago charter network to avoid strike this school year

Following a “marathon” bargaining session Wednesday night, educators at Passages Charter School announced they have reached a tentative three-year contract agreement with school management. 

(Courtesy of Noble Network of Charter Schools)

A Chicago charter school looking to expand its building size and enrollment will have to hold off on those plans after an alderwoman refused to support the project.

Nearly all of the 46 teachers, paraprofessionals and teacher assistants at the Passages Charter School in Edgewater say they are in favor of going on strike.

With the immediate future of new charter school openings in Chicago already up in the air, a new study now suggests halting charter growth in the city to avoid saturating low-demand neighborhoods with too many schools.

(Chicago Tonight)

Educators say management interfering in unionization process

Noble teachers announced Friday they have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, citing administration's “use of surveillance” to interfere with their rights granted by the National Labor Relations Act.

(Courtesy of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools)

Dozens of charter school advocates and parents gathered outside Will Guzzardi’s Logan Square office Wednesday to protest a bill from the state representative that would limit charter growth in financially struggling Illinois school districts.

(Matt Masterson / Chicago Tonight)

“If your district is broke, take care of the schools that you have before you open new schools. We think it’s a pretty straightforward idea,” said state Rep. Will Guzzardi, who introduced the legislation.