Chicago school officials this week are planning to announce about two-dozen schools to be consolidated or closed later this year. The district says its chief aim is improving academic performance. But some community groups are organizing to block the plan.

A tentative plan has come to light through district briefings with parent and teacher groups. Five schools would merge into others, six would close altogether, five would begin to phase-out, and at nine schools the district would fire all the teachers. The district says new charter and contract schools would takeover some of the buildings.

Some parents, teachers and students are coalescing in opposition. About 500 gathered at Malcolm X College this weekend.

BROWN: There is a national movement to privatize education.

That’s Jitu Brown of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization.

BROWN: Where is the national movement to guarantee that our children can go across the street to a world-class school?

The school board could vote on the closings January 28. The opponents are planning a protest outside that meeting.

Chip Mitchell, WBEZ.

View locations of schools the Chicago district is tentatively planning to close or change.

CLOSING
* Carpenter: Students will go to Ogden, Talcott and Lozano.
* Las Casas Occup. High School: Students will go to neighborhood schools.
* Nia Foundation: Students go to neighborhood schools.
* Peabody: Students will go to Ogden, Talcott and Lozano.
* Princeton: Students will go to neighborhood schools.
* South Chicago: Students will go to neighborhood schools.

CONSOLIDATING
* Abbott: Merged into Hendrix.
* Davis Developmental Center: Merged with Hughes in a new building.
* Global Vision High School: Merged into New Millennium.
* Medill: Merged into Smith-Joyner.
* Schiller: Merged into Jenner.

PHASING OUT
* Key: Students will go to Ellington.
* Lathrop: Students will go to Johnson and Lawndale.
* Hamilton: Students will go to Blaine, Burley and Audubon.
* Reed: Students will go to Banneker, Parker and Nicholson.
* Best Practice High School.

TURNING AROUND (staff to be replaced)
* Bethune.
* Curtis.
* Dulles.
* Fenger High School.
* Holmes.
* Johnson.
* Lavizzo.
* Ross.
* Yale.