HJ0071

LRB095 12395 KBJ 37406 r






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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Local School Councils were established under the 
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Chicago School Reform Act of 1988, as a vehicle for parent, 
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community, teacher and student empowerment in Chicago Public 
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Schools; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Local School Councils are part of the late Mayor 
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Harold Washington's legacy of accessibility and accountability 
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to the public; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Local School Councils members are publicly 
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elected, and Local School Councils stand as a national model 
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for local site management and democracy in public education; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, Research by Designs for Change on 144 schools that 
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have made consistent improvement over the past 15 years 
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indicates that Local School Councils have been a critical 
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component to school improvement in the city of Chicago; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Research by the Consortium on Chicago School 
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Research summarized that "the vast majority of LSC's are viable 
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governance organizations that responsibly carry out their 
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mandated duties and are active in building school and community 
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partnerships."; and
 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, There is no research that suggests that Local 
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School Councils are not effective vehicles for local school 
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leadership; and
 
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    WHEREAS, There is significant public sentiment that there 
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is insufficient institutional support for Local School Council 
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support and development; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Research by the University of Illinois at Chicago 
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and the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization chronicles the 
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negative impact of central office decisions on the education of 
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low-income children when community wisdom is ignored; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Recommendations from 2 major studies have called 
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for more support for Local School Councils; and
 
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    WHEREAS, There are major initiatives sponsored by 
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community-based and non-CPS organizations that provide models 
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for support and training of Local School Councils; therefore, 
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be it

 

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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we support the empowerment of 
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Local School Councils as effective local, publicly-elected 
 


 






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decision-making bodies in the city of Chicago and will sponsor 
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subject-matter hearings on the needs of Local School Councils 
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to ensure their continued success.