Illinois Becomes First State to Answer President Obama's Call
CHICAGO, July 30, 2009 — Today, following the grassroots movement created by Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS), Illinois will be the first state in the nation to answer President Obama's challenge to create more charter public schools. Governor Pat Quinn will sign Senate Bill 612 (Charter School Reform Act of 2009), that will raise the number of charter schools allowed to operate from 60 to 120, with 45 new charter schools allocated to Chicago, five allocated for drop-out recovery, and 15 for downstate Illinois. Today's event will mark a watershed moment for the future of thousands of Illinois families and a nation's call to action. The signing of the bill will take place at Alain Locke Charter Academy, a program of the Inner-City Teaching Corps, which has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of seven schools nationwide that are closing the achievement gap.
The INCS organization has led the statewide effort for the past four years to increase the number of charter public schools available in Illinois. "Having Governor Quinn sign SB 612 is a first of many triumphs to come in academic achievement and a narrowing of Illinois' educational achievement gap," said Sylvia Ewing, INCS' Interim Executive Director. "This bill gives an immediate hope to the 13,000 families currently on waiting lists to get into a charter school. This remarkable feat could not have been accomplished without the support of the Governor, Senator Kimberly Lightford, Senator Heather Steans, Representative Jerry Mitchell and the exemplary efforts of everyone in the charter school family."
Hard Work Pays Off
The signing ceremony makes Illinois the first state in the nation to respond to President Obama's recent call to eliminate barriers to access to charter schools. Last week, President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that states leading the way on school reform will be eligible to compete for Race to the Top grants to support education reform and innovation in classrooms. "In a world where countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow, the future belongs to the nation that best educates its people, period," said President Obama.
"For more than a decade, charter public schools have set the bar in public education by offering new opportunities for teachers and students, and driving greater achievements with improvements in attendance rates, graduation rates, college admissions, and student performance on state assessments," said Carlos Perez, INCS' Director of Public Policy. "For parents that are considering a charter public school, today is a day to celebrate because the barriers to more high-quality public school options are about to be removed."
Besides lifting the charter school cap, the bill also calls for a task force to examine independent charter school authorizing. The independent authorizer study commission has the opportunity to create a roadmap for pinpointing where in the state charter public schools can change more lives. INCS will continue to work with Governor Quinn and the commission to provide all students the opportunity to attend a great school, despite where they live or what challenges they face.
About the Illinois Network of Charter Schools
The Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) is dedicated to improving the quality of public education by promoting and invigorating the charter school concept. The voice of the state's charter schools, INCS advocates for legislation to strengthen charter schools, educates the public about the value of charter schools, and supports the dissemination of best practices throughout the system.
Contact:
Jenni Johnson
CGC Communications
312-733-0644
Email
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