DFER:Illinois

Anyone who says potentially losing $1.4 billion in Federal dollars for our schools would have been worth it - to send a political message - can please pass along some of what they've been smoking...

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150302/BLOGS02/150309984/cps-caves-to-1-4-billion-federal-threat-over-common-core-test

CPS caves to $1.4 billion federal threat over Common Core test Facing the loss of $1.4 billion in state and federal funds, Chicago Public Schools agrees to administer the national PARCC test this year. Was the standoff avoidable?

Ald. Thompson is fighting for education opportunity for ALL students. We're proud to support her re-election.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-education-group-aldermanic-campaigns-met-20150202-story.html

Education group gets involved in aldermanic races Residents in two wards with hard-fought aldermanic races will begin getting mailers Monday from an education group that favors charter school expansion in Chicago and opposes many of the Chicago Teachers Union's positions.

Our state director sounds off on DFER's naughty and nice list for this year. Particularly deserving of Santa's coal this year are those Aldermen more willing to put their personal politcal agendas before helping more than 2,600 low-income kids go to pre-school...

"[W]e feel that Mayor Emanuel’s plan to expand pre-K to 2,600 low-income Chicago kids by issuing social impact bonds is excellent public policy that all Chicagoans should support — and a fitting holiday gift to our city’s most vulnerable yet most important population."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/31714782-452/great-holiday-gift-more-preschool-slots-in-chicago.html #.VJNEk2TF8mU

Great holiday gift: more preschool slots in Chicago BY REBECA NIEVES-HUFFMAN: Mayor Emanuel’s plan to expand pre-K to 2,600 low-income Chicago kids by issuing social impact bonds is excellent public policy that all Chicagoans should support — and a fitting holiday gift to our city’s most vulnerable yet most important population.