As job prospects across the state and nation remain bleak for new and laid-off teachers — more than 8,800 Illinois teachers received pink slips in 2010, according to officials — many are finding welcome work as nannies and baby sitters, according to a story in the Chicago Tribune.
About 40 students each from Schaumburg High School in the northwestern suburbs and Thornton Township High School in south Cook County participated in an exchange program that succeeded in setting aside stereotypes to focus on commonalities, forge new friendships and, most of all, broaden the world. (Tribune)
Mayor Rahm Emanuel met with leaders and partners of the Chicago Public Education Fund last week to applaud the organization’s new investments, which, according to a press release, are aligned with Emanuel's "key priorities around creating new school models, improving leadership and developing teacher talent through stronger evaluation."
IN THE NATION
If teachers approve a tentative three-year pact with Los Angeles Unified School District this week, the district would no longer hand over campuses to charter schools or other outside nonprofits. (Los Angeles Times)
The State of New Jersey took over Newark public schools in 1995, but with an influx of money from prominent donors that include Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, some parents and officials have begun to seek more local control. (The New York Times)
In the latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, schools on the nation’s military bases again outperformed public schools. At the military base schools, 39 percent of fourth graders were scored as proficient in reading, compared with 32 percent of all public school students. (The New York Times)
