CPS Proposes One School Action For 2020-21 School Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, November 27, 2019

CHICAGO - Chicago Public Schools today announced one school action proposal for the 2020-21 school year. The proposal, which must be published by December 1 in accordance with state law, recommends the closure of Hope High School, which currently has zero enrolled students. Prior to a potential vote by the Chicago Board of Education, CPS will hold two community meetings and a hearing to gather public feedback on the proposal.

Attracting Students Back to Englewood

In 2017, CPS announced a proposal to strengthen high school options in Englewood by investing in a brand new, state-of-the-art high school, closing Robeson High School and voting for the delayed closure of three other highly under-enrolled high schools (Harper, Hope and TEAM). That proposal was approved by the Board of Education in February 2018, and earlier this school year the new, $85 million Englewood STEM High School opened its doors for more than 420 freshman students.

Prior to the opening of Englewood STEM, the Englewood area had the highest rate of students traveling to other neighborhoods for high school. The new Englewood STEM High School has successfully reversed that trend, and the neighborhood school now supports nearly as many students in the freshman class as were enrolled in all grade levels at all four Englewood High Schools during the 2017-18 school year.

Proposed Closure of Hope Due to Zero Enrollment

As part of the school actions approved in February 2018, the district established transition plans to allow students at Harper, Hope and TEAM High Schools to remain at their schools through graduation or transfer to another high school by the end of the 2020-21 school year. TEAM High School was approved for closure in February 2019 as a result of having zero students enrolled, and today the district is proposing the closure of Hope High school for the same reason at the conclusion of the 2019-20 school year.

At the end of last school year, Hope High School had 20 students enrolled, all of whom have successfully transitioned to other high schools prior to the beginning of the 2019-20 school year. Each high school receiving transfer students are receiving $6,100 per student in supplemental funding to provide academic, social and emotional, and other supports to these students during SY19-20 and SY20-21 based on their specific needs. CPS continues to support former Hope High School students who recently transitioned as well as those who transitioned after the initial school action was announced.

Upcoming Community Meetings

Before the Board’s vote, the following community meetings and public hearing will be held to allow members of the public to provide additional feedback for consideration:

The earliest potential vote by the Board of Education on this proposal would occur in February following the two community meetings and the public hearing.

For additional information on the proposal, including detailed draft transition plans, please visit cps.edu/Transitions.

Chicago Public Schools serves 355,000 students in 642 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.

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