Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Janice Jackson announced on Wednesday (8/5) that CPS would complete at least the first quarter of the school year (through 11/6) online. This comes a few weeks after CPS announced a possible hybrid learning plan where students would attend school for at least two days a week. However, as COVID-19 cases have begun to rise in Chicago again, Jackson said they were “not comfortable with the state of the pandemic and the national response,” and that they intended to revisit their hybrid model when it felt safe enough to do so.
The announcement also came a short two days after the Chicago Teachers Union made plans to potentially call its House of Delegates together to vote on a possible strike. However, Mayor Lightfoot contended the news of the CTU did not influence the city’s decision to go fully remote stating, “As we have now repeatedly said about every decision we’ve made in the context of this pandemic, we have to be guided by the science, period.”
This decision also came to light after weeks of CPS sending surveys and holding town halls to get the general consensus of the needs of the many families who will be impacted by moving to a remote learning model. For families of essential workers as well as other families who will not be able to stay home with their kids, the City of Chicago is looking into providing free childcare opportunities. Mayor Lightfoot also mentioned that free school meals would be offered around the city just as they were in the spring. CPS will also provide devices as well as free internet access for any family who needs them.
In addition, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced plans to move forward with reopening Chicago Catholic and parochial schools despite CPS’s announcement to go fully remote for the first quarter, stating that it is in the “best interests of children.” They will offer an e-learning component for students who want to opt-out, and more information for that will be released in the coming weeks.
CPS has not yet released any information regarding making up the NWEA MAP test for students testing into Academic Centers and Selective Enrollment high schools. Moreover, they haven’t released information on SEHS testing, and if the pandemic will affect these procedures in any way. Test Prep Chicago will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as CPS makes it available. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our website’s homepage to receive email updates about selective enrollment admissions in Chicago.
Lauren Lynch, Tutoring Coordinator
lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266