WHEREAS, the Chicago Public Schools is the third largest school district in the country; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Public Schools serve over 400,000 children in over 600 schools; and
WHEREAS, students within CPS attend over 100 charter schools; and
WHEREAS, the population of Latino students within CPS makes up nearly 47%; and
WHEREAS, 17% of Chicago Public School students require English language assistance and nearly 60,000 of these students are Spanish speakers; and
WHEREAS, Chicago Public Schools receive $14 million in Title 111 federal funding, which is used to help student learn English; and
WHEREAS; the City of Chicago has the highest enrollment rate of ELL students in the state; and
WHEREAS, nearly 12% of those students who did not leave ELL classes by third grade were more likely to fall behind and they are more likely to be enrolled in special education; and
WHEREAS, nearly one-third of all students who attend one of the 16 UNO schools require ELL classes; and
WHEREAS, CPS determined that UNO employed only 11 teachers with proper credentials to teach ELL classes but needed over 100; and
WHEREAS, CPS has called for an audit of all schools including charters to ensure that schools are properly spending federal resources;
BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council, through its Committee on Education, conduct
one or more public hearings on the lack of ELL program compliance in charter
schools. ^ X
