CPS Chief Executive Officer Arne Duncan today unveiled 20 new-school proposals that are moving forward under the Renaissance 2010 initiative. Eighteen of the recommendations will be submitted to the Chicago Board of Education, which is expected to vote on the proposals at its Oct. 22 meeting. Two school proposals were approved by the Board at its September meeting.

“Back in April, we asked design teams to submit high-quality new school proposals, and they came through in a big way,” said Duncan. “We need to keep creating great new options for our families—especially high school options—across the city to allow our families to find the school that best fits their child’s needs.”

The 20 proposals include 15 high schools and five elementary schools, and 14 of the proposals were submitted by CPS teachers or existing schools. Fourteen schools are slated to open in the fall of 2009, and six schools are slated to open in the fall of 2010, pending approval from the Board of Education. Duncan also is recommending three organizations that would handle the turnaround of schools that are struggling academically.

The nine new high schools recommended to the board for a fall of 2009 opening are as follows:

• Alcott High School for the Humanities, a proposed performance school, would be one of two new “home-grown” high schools to expand from existing elementary schools—Alcott and Ogden. It would offer a small college prep environment with a curriculum grounded in the humanities. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• William B. Ogden High School, a proposed performance school, is the other “home-grown” high school. It would offer a college-prep curriculum with an international focus. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• Urban Prep Academy for Young Men East Garfield Park campus, a proposed contract school, would be the first new school based on the existing model at Urban Prep Charter Academy, the district’s first all-boys school. It would offer a college-prep environment through strong academic support and experiences that nurture the whole student. The school would be in East Garfield Park community, at a location yet to be determined.
• Career Academy for Advanced Technology, a proposed contract school submitted by the Center for Polytechnical Education, would offer both college-prep and career-prep tracks. Focus would be on majors and careers in advanced technology to better align workforce development with the needs of Chicago’s residents and communities. Four planned primary technology tracks would prepare students for entry-level positions in IT careers that typically have starting annual salaries averaging about $40,000. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• Chicago Talent Development High School, a proposed contract school, would feature a partnership between Union Park High Schools, a local non-profit collaborating with the Service Employees International Union Local 73, Illinois Federation of Teachers, and the educational model Talent Development, based at Johns Hopkins University and currently operating in several urban school districts, including Chicago. The school would be in the West Garfield Park community at a location yet to be determined.
• Chicago Hope Academy, a proposed contract school, would offer a curriculum that prepares students on the Near West Side for college and life. The school was originally founded in 2004 as a private school. If approved, the school would open in the fall of 2009 at 2189 W. Bowler St.
• The EPIC Academy, a proposed contract school submitted by current administrators and teachers at ACE Tech Charter, Dunbar and Corliss high schools, would offer an expeditionary learning curriculum that engages students in rigorous academic inquiry while using 21^st-century skills critical to employers, including the ability to work in teams. The curriculum also would have a service-learning component that allows students to take part in service projects that improve their school, local and global communities. If approved, the Expeditionary Path to Innovative Change (EPIC) Academy would open in the South Chicago community, at a location yet to be determined.
•  Noble Street Charter School, Bulls campus, a proposed charter school campus, is one of three Noble Street charter high school campuses to be recommended for approval this year. It would offer students throughout the city a rigorous college-prep environment, and the school would receive financial support from the Chicago Bulls. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• Noble Street Charter School, Muchin campus, a proposed charter school campus, would offer students throughout the city a rigorous college-prep environment. If approved, it would open in the fall of 2009 at a location yet to be determined.

The five elementary schools recommended to the board for a 2009 opening are as follows:

• Garfield Park Preparatory Academy, a proposed contract school, would serve grades K-8. Proposed by the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, it would focus on educating the whole child through state-of-the-art practices that support academic success. The school would also integrate a research-based approach to instruction known as Accelerated Independent Learner from Columbia University. The school would be located in the East Garfield Park community at a location yet to be determined.
• South Loop of South Shore, a proposed performance school, would serve students in grades K-8. Based on the successful model of the existing South Loop Elementary school, it would build partnerships with local businesses and include a robust fine-arts program. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• Noble Street Charter School Bain-NUSH campus, a proposed charter school campus, would serve grades K-8 and be the first elementary school campus for the Noble Network. Partnering with the Northwestern University Settlement House and Bain and Co., the school would start preparing its students for success in college at an early age. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• Chicago International Charter School, Altgeld Gardens campus, a proposed charter campus, would serve grades K-8 in the Altgeld Gardens area of Riverdale, a Renaissance 2010 priority community. If approved, it would be the 13^th charter campus for Chicago International Charter Schools and open at 13300 S. Langley.
• UNO Charter School, Gage Park Elementary, approved by the Chicago Board of Education at its September meeting, will serve grades K-8. It will offer students a structured academic and social environment to prepare them for success in high school and beyond. The campus will open in 2009 in Gage Park at a new facility being constructed by the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO).

The six high schools recommended to the board for a 2010 opening are:

• Social Justice High School, Pride Campus, a proposed performance school, seeks to duplicate the success at the Social Justice High School in Little Village, with a focus on tolerance and providing a supportive environment for students on sexual-orientation issues. The school would be open to all students and provide a college-prep environment. Its curriculum would include service learning, four years of English and mathematics, three years of science and foreign language, elective Advanced Placement classes. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• Urban Prep Academy for Young Men, a proposed contract school, would be the second CPS school to be based on the existing model at the all-boys Urban Prep Charter Academy. If approved, it would open in the fall of 2010 in South Shore at a location yet to be determined.
• Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy, a proposed contract school, would offer college-prep and career-prep tracks that focus on majors and careers in the health sciences. Students would have the opportunity to earn industry certification in nursing, health technology, or health administration. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• Noble Street Charter School, Osborn campus, a proposed charter school campus, is one of three Noble Street charter high school campuses proposed. It would offer students throughout the city a rigorous college-prep environment. The school’s location is yet to be determined.
• UNO Charter School, Charter Academy, approved by the board at their September 2008 meeting, will serve grades 9-12. Established in collaboration with Chicago LEADS, it will offer students a college-prep track and a career-prep track focusing on the hospitality industry. The campus will open in 2010 in Gage Park at a new facility being constructed by the United Neighborhood Organization.
• Transportation Academy of Chicago, a proposed performance school, would serve grades 9-12. It would be a career academy in partnership with the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA), other industry partners and Chicago LEADS. The school would prepare students for post-secondary education and careers in the transportation industry. The school’s location is yet to be determined.

 The three organizations recommended as turnaround providers are as follows:

• Academy for Urban School Leadership currently partners with CPS to manage 11 performance and teacher-training schools, including five turnaround schools.
• Victory Schools, Inc. currently partners with Chicago International Charter Schools (CICS) to manage two charter campuses in Chicago.
• Chicago RISE, a subsidiary of CICS, would be a new turnaround provider for CPS.

If approved, these three providers would turnaround up to six underperforming schools over the summer, allowing them open in the fall of 2009 with new leadership and serve the same community of students. The CPS Office of School Turnarounds is also expected to work on the same type of conversion at additional schools this summer.

Finally, KIPP Ascend Charter, an existing school serving grades 5-8, is proposing to expand and serve grades K-4. If approved, the expansion would take place in the fall of 2010.

Mayor Daley began the Renaissance 2010 initiative four years ago to create 100 new schools by 2010 to provide new educational options in underserved communities and relieve school overcrowding in communities experiencing rapid growth.  

To date, 75 new schools have been created under Renaissance 2010, including 20 new schools that opened this fall.