Chicago schools are at a milestone today that Mayor Richard Daley laid out six years ago.

DALEY: Today we’re announcing a major new commitment to turn around Chicago‘s most troubled schools by creating at least 100 new schools in neighborhoods across Chicago over the next six years.

Today, the district opens its 100th Renaissance 2010 school. But there’s no fanfare from the mayor’s office, and not a mention from the school district about the accomplishment.

Nearly 45,000 students go to the new schools. But Renaissance 2010 has also faced bitter opposition. WBEZ documents the hopes and fears these schools bring out at one of seven Renaissance schools opening today.

A week ago, principal Thomas Anderson still had to put on a hard hat to walk through this new charter school, known as Larry Hawkins.

ANDERSON: Band room is here, chorus room is right up here. Some science rooms that have all been re-done. Beautiful rooms.

This building, in Chicago‘s Altgeld Gardens housing project, was originally a high school, then a middle school, and then it was boarded up, like many of the housing units here.

Now there are new floors, new doors, smart boards replacing blackboards. Today, 7th through 12th graders are filling up the building’s big, sunny classrooms again.

Larry Hawkins will be run not by the school district, but by the Chicago International Charter School, which has opened seven schools under Renaissance 2010.

Arbra Gray is teaching middle school math here.

GRAY: I’m excited, I’m encouraged. You got choices now. You have a choice! You come here, it’s right here. You can walk to the school. We’ll have activities for you to do after school. And you’re getting an excellent curriculum.

Marlan Dixon starts 9^th grade today at Larry Hawkins. He says the same thing as other kids playing basketball on a little court in the Gardens: They’d rather not go to Fenger High School, four and a half miles away—especially not after Derrion Albert’s beating death last year.

DIXON: I grew up out here, in Block 6. I was gonna go to Fenger, but my momma said we couldn’t go ‘cause it’s too much going on. It makes her know we’re safer. Ain’t nothing got to happen to us or nothing.

Daquan Harris flags me over to his mom’s van to tell me he thought about going to Larry Hawkins…

DAQUAN HARRIS. But they didn’t have no football team for the first year. So, this is my junior year. I can’t risk sitting out a season.

DaQuan’s mom did sign up his younger brother at Larry Hawkins.

LaToya HARRIS: That’s ‘cause he’s real smart though. I wanted to put him in the charter school, I don’t want him to go to…

DAQUAN: So what are you saying—I’m not smart?

LATOYA: I didn’t say he wasn’t smart, but… my other son is smarter.

About two-thirds of the new Renaissance schools are charters, and the perception that they’re better schools definitely draws parents.

Melvina Grace thanks God that her kids got into Larry Hawkins and another nearby charter. She’ll have to drive them here every day, but she’s happy to have an alternative to her neighborhood school.

GRACE: They have been in that school since kindergarten all the way up. But I’ll just have to explain to them: better academics, I’m sorry.

Grace may not know this, but the charter school she’s transferring her younger kids into scored about the same on standardized tests as the traditional school she’s leaving.

But it’s hard to make generalizations about the Renaissance 2010 schools’ performance. In addition to charters, there are new magnet schools, small schools, schools where the entire staff has been fired and an outside group is now running things.

It’s all part of Renaissance 2010’s promise—to give parents choices. But that’s not what all parents are looking for.

CLAY: My name is Mrs. Clay. I go by that, and that’s it.

Mrs Clay wants one good high school close to home where her eighth grader will be guaranteed a seat next year. Currently, his only sure seat is two city bus rides away.

Schools like Larry Hawkins admit kids by lottery from across the city. Clay admits she’ll likely apply for her son to go there.

CLAY: But if they don’t accept him, what am I to do? You see? You don’t have a choice. They have a choice. You’re only accepted if they allow you to. But if you live in the area—the public school, they take you.

Ambi: telephone dialing

LUCAS: Good afternoon this is Deloris Lucas with CICS- Larry Hawkins School.

So far, Larry Hawkins has been focusing on recruitment, not rejections. In a makeshift office, about a week before the start of school, tables are crowded with plastic tubs full of student files. Staffers are finalizing registrations and scrambling for students.

LUCAS: We need you to come in and register Kadidra. We’re interested in having her as a student, joining us for the 10^th grade…

Many of the new Renaissance 2010 schools are funded based on how many students they enroll. Larry Hawkins is offering parents $50 gift cards for every additional student they refer to the school.

CPS has taken heat for spending money on these new schools when there are a lot of needy neighborhood schools out there. The rehab at Larry Hawkins cost CPS around $5 million, and the district will also give the school a half million in start-up funds. 

Chicago‘s business community has given $30 million total to the new schools.

To activist Cheryl Johnson, a lifelong resident of this neighborhood, Renaissance 2010 is the privatization of public education, plain and simple.

JOHNSON: You know when you see things privatized, it don’t become about the education. It comes down about the dollar. It becomes this money-making machine. Your child is not a student—it’s a profit margin.

Johnson points out that Larry Hawkins teachers don’t need to be certified, and she worries many may not have enough experience. The principal is an employee of a for-profit company—EdisonLearning.

Elizabeth Purvis oversees all Chicago International Charter Schools. She says who runs the school is not the most important question.

PURVIS: Why does it matter? If the outcomes are good or better, that’s all that should matter.

Larry Hawkins starts working on those outcomes today.


Renaissance 2010 Schools:

SCHOOL	ADDRESS	ZIP	SCHOOL TYPE	2010-11 ENROLLMENT	AT-CAPACITY ENROLLMENT	2010-11 GRADES	AT-CAPACITY GRADES	YEAR OPENED
Academy for Global Citizenship	4647 W. 47th St.	60632	Charter	200	350	K - 3rd	K - 8th	2008
Air Force Academy	1301 W. 14th St.	60608	Performance	209	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Alcott High School for the Humanities Program	2957 N. Hoyne Ave.	60618	Performance	176	600	9th - 10th	9th-12th	2009
Amandla	6800 S. Stewart Ave.	60621	Charter	360	600	5th - 7th	5th - 12th	2008
ASPIRA Early College HS	3986 W. Barry Ave.	60618	Charter	600	600	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Aspira Haugen Charter	3729 W. Leland Ave.	60625	Charter	600	650	6th - 8th	6th - 8th	2005
Austin Business Contract School	231 N. Pine Ave.	60644	Charter	500	600	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2006
Austin Polytechnical Academy	231 N. Pine Ave.	60644	Performance	342	560	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Barbara A. Sizemore Academy of Betty Shabazz International Charter	6936 S. Hermitage Ave.	60636	Charter	254	400	K - 6th & 8th	K - 8th	2005
Bethune	3030 W. Arthington St.	60612	Performance-AUSL	350	531	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2009
Bronzeville Lighthouse	8 W. Root St.	60609	Charter	465	496	K - 8th	K - 8th	2006
Bronzeville Scholastic Institute (at DuSable)	4934 S. Wabash Ave.	60615	Performance	565	565	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2005
Catalyst Circle Rock	5608 W. Washington Blvd.	60644	Charter	336	270	K - 8th	K - 8th	2007
Catalyst Howland	1616 S. Spaulding Ave.	60623	Charter	392	540	K - 8th	K - 8th	2006
Charles S Deneen Elementary School	7240 S Wabash Ave.	60619	Performance-AUSL	459	627	PreK-8th	PreK-8th	2010
Chicago Academy for Advanced Tech.	1301 W. 14th St.	60608	Charter	298	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Chicago High School for the Arts	3200 S. Calumet Ave.	60616	Charter	300	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Chicago International Charter School - Avalon Shore	1501 E. 83rd Pl.	60619	Charter	423	426	K - 8th	K - 8th	2005
Chicago International Charter School - Irving Park	3820 N. Spaulding Ave.	60618	Charter	472	536	K - 7th	K - 8th	2007
Chicago International Charter School - Larry Hawkins Campus	801 East 133rd Pl.	60827	Charter	500	900	7th - 12th	7th - 12th	2010
Chicago International Charter School - Lloyd Bond	13300 S. Langley Ave.	60827	Charter	350	350	K - 6th	K - 6th	2009
Chicago International Charter School - Loomis	9535 S. Loomis St.	60643	Charter	590	590	K - 2nd	K - 2nd	2008
Chicago International Charter School - Ralph Ellison	1817 W. 80th St.	60620	Charter	600	600	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2006
Chicago International Charter School - Wrightwood	8130 S. California Ave.	60652	Charter	739	785	K - 8th	K - 8th	2005
Chicago Talent Development	4319 W. Washington Blvd.	60624	Charter	300	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Chicago Virtual	38 S. Peoria St.	60607	Charter	599	600	K - 12th	K - 12th	2006
Collins Academy High School	1313 S. Sacramento Dr.	60623	Performance-AUSL	447	560	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Community Services West	1239 S. Pulaski Rd.	60623	Charter	240	200	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2008
Daniel Hale Williams Preparatory School of Medicine (at DuSable)	4934 S. Wabash Ave.	60615	Performance	353	500	7th - 12th	7th -12th	2005
Disney II Magnet School	3815 N Kedvale Ave.	60641	Performance	309	410	PreK - 4th	PreK - 8th	2008
Dulles	6311 S. Calumet Ave.	60637	Performance-AUSL	485	485	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2009
“DuSable Leadership Academy
of Betty Shabazz International Charter”	4934 S. Wabash Ave.	60615	Charter	450	500	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2005
Epic Academy	8255 S. Houston Ave.	60617	Charter	270	480	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Erie	1405 N. Washtenaw Ave.	60622	Charter	308	306	K - 5th	K - 5th	2005
Frazier Contract School	4027 W. Grenshaw St.	60624	Charter	470	560	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2007
Frazier International Magnet School	4027 W. Grenshaw St.	60624	Performance	222	245	K - 8th	K - 8th	2007
Galapagos	3814 W. Iowa St.	60651	Charter	354	378	K - 8th	K - 8th	2005
Garfield Preparatory Academy	3250 W. Monroe St.	60624	Charter	220	350	K - 4th	K - 8th	2009
George W Curtis Elementary School	32 E 115th St.	60628	Performance-AUSL	379	472	PreK-8th	PreK-8th	2010
Greater Lawndale HS for Social Justice (at Little Village)	3120 S. Kostner Ave.	60623	Performance	380	380	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2005
Harvard	7525 S. Harvard Ave.	60620	Performance-AUSL	440	519	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2007
Henry Ford Academy: Power House Charter High School	931 S. Homan Ave.	60624	Charter	375	460	9th - 11th	9th - 12th	2008
Hope Institute Learning Academy	1628 W. Washington Blvd.	60612	Charter	425	500	K - 4th	K - 5th	2009
Howe	720 N. Lorel Ave.	60644	Performance-AUSL	560	560	K - 8th	K - 8th	2008
Infinity Math, Science, and Technology High School (at Little Village)	3120 S. Kostner Ave.	60623	Performance	369	369	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2005
Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy Charter High School	122 S. Michigan Ave.	60603	Charter	160	600	9th	9th - 12th	2010
Johnson	1420 S. Albany Ave.	60623	Performance-AUSL	338	338	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2009
Kwanme Nkrumah Academy	901 E. 95th St.	60619	Charter	175	400	K - 3rd	K - 8th	2008
L.E.A.R.N. Charter School - 2009 Campus	212 S. Francisco Ave.	60612	Charter	304	600	K - 4th	K - 8th	2009
L.E.A.R.N. Charter School - Excel	2401 W. Congress Pkwy.	60612	Charter	321	525	K - 4th	K - 8th	2008
L.E.A.R.N. Charter School - South Chicago Campus	8914 S. Buffalo Ave.	60617	Charter	236	596	K - 3rd	K - 8th	2010
Legacy	4217 W. 18th St.	60623	Charter	392	482	PreK - 7th	PreK - 8th	2005
Lindblom Math and Science Academy High School	6130 S. Wolcott Ave.	60636	Performance	904	1250	7th - 12th	7th - 12th	2005
Marine Military Academy	145 S. Campbell Ave.	60612	Performance	414	600	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Morton	431 N. Troy St.	60612	Performance-AUSL	313	313	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2008
Multicultural Arts High School (at Little Village)	3120 S. Kostner Ave.	60623	Performance	362	362	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2005
Myra Bradwell Communications Arts & Sciences ES	7736 S Burnham Ave.	60649	Performance-AUSL	583	583	PreK-8th	PreK-8th	2010
Noble - Chicago Bulls Campus	2040 W. Adams St.	60612	Charter	470	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Noble - Comer	7200 S. Ingleside Ave.	60619	Charter	498	600	9th - 11th	9th - 12th	2008
Noble - Englewood Campus	6350 S. Stewart Ave.	60621	Charter	200	600	9th	9th - 12th	2010
Noble - Golder	1454 W. Superior St.	60642	Charter	595	599	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Noble - Muchin	1 N. State St.	60602	Charter	512	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Noble - Pritzker	4131 W. Cortland St.	60639	Charter	595	750	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2006
Noble - Rauner	1337 W. Ohio St.	60642	Charter	593	599	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2006
Noble - Rowe Clark	3645 W. Chicago Ave.	60651	Charter	595	599	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Noble - UIC Colllege Prep	1231 S. Damen Ave.	60608	Charter	602	600	9th - 11th	9th - 12th	2008
North Lawndale Collins Campus	1313 S. Sacramento Dr.	60623	Charter	500	600	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Ogden International High School Program	1250 W. Erie St.	60622	Performance	535	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Orr Academy High School	730 N. Pulaski Rd.	60624	Performance-AUSL	1011	1185	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2008
Pershing West Middle School (at Douglas)	3200 S. Calumet Ave.	60616	Performance	254	280	4th - 8th	4th - 8th	2005
Perspectives - Calumet HS	8131 S. May St.	60620	Charter	539	540	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2006
Perspectives - Calumet Middle	8131 S. May St.	60620	Charter	472	540	6th - 8th	6th - 8th	2007
Perspectives - Calumet Tech	8131 S. May St.	60620	Charter	537	540	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
Perspectives - IIT	3663 S. Wabash Ave.	60653	Charter	594	580	6th - 11th	6th - 12th	2008
Plato Learning	5545 W. Harrison St.	60644	Charter	388	620	K - 7th	K - 8th	2008
Polaris	620 N. Sawyer Ave.	60624	Charter	300	480	K - 5th	K - 8th	2007
Prologue - Joshua Johnston Charter School for Fine Art and Design	1060 E. 47th St.	60653	Charter	250	250	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2010
Prov Englewood	6515 S. Ashland Ave.	60636	Charter	500	500	K - 8th	K - 8th	2006
Rickover Naval Academy High School (at Senn)	5900 N. Glenwood Ave.	60660	Performance	468	555	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2005
Rowe Elementary School	1424 N. Cleaver St.	60642	Charter	256	581	K - 3rd	K - 8th	2009
Sherman	1000 W. 52nd St.	60609	Performance-AUSL	444	584	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2006
South Shore Fine Arts Academy	1415 E 70th St.	60637	Performance	201	584	PreK - 3rd	PreK - 8th	2009
Suder Montessori Elementary School	2022 W. Washington Blvd.	60612	Performance	310	310	PreK - 5th	PreK - 8th	2005
Tarkington School of Excellence	3330 W. 71st St.	60629	Performance-AUSL	1035	1035	PreK - 8th	PreK - 8th	2005
TEAM Englewood Community Academy	6201 S. Stewart Ave.	60621	Performance	453	600	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2007
University of Chicago Charter School- Woodlawn High School	6420 S. University Ave.	60637	Charter	590	590	6th - 12th	6th - 12th	2006
University of Chicago Charter School- Carter G. Woodson Middle School	4444 S. Evans Ave.	60653	Charter	450	540	6th - 8th	6th - 8th	2008
University of Chicago Charter School- Donoghue Campus	707 E. 37th St.	60653	Charter	350	500	PreK - 5th	PreK - 5th	2005
UNO - Fuentes	2845 W. Barry Ave.	60618	Charter	540	630	K - 8th	K - 8th	2006
UNO - Gage Park Campus	2744 W. Pershing Rd.	60632	Charter	600	630	K - 8th	K - 8th	2010
UNO - Las Casas	1641 W. 16th St.	60608	Charter	270	315	K - 8th	K - 8th	2006
UNO - Major Hector O. Garcia MD	4248 W. 47th St.	60632	Charter	450	720	9th - 11th	9th - 12th	2008
UNO - Officer Donald Marquez	2916 W. 47th St.	60632	Charter	540	630	K - 8th	K - 8th	2007
UNO - PFC Omar E. Torres	4248 W. 47th St.	60632	Charter	600	670	K - 8th	K - 8th	2008
UNO - SPC Daniel Zizumbo	4248 W. 47th St.	60632	Charter	600	670	K - 8th	K - 8th	2008
UNO - Tamayo	5135 S. California Ave.	60632	Charter	270	315	K - 8th	K - 8th	2005
UPLIFT Community School (at Arai)	900 W. Wilson Ave.	60640	Performance	504	760	6th - 12th	6th - 12th	2005
Urban Prep - East Garfield Park	2908 W. Washington Blvd.	60612	Charter	270	600	9th - 10th	9th - 12th	2009
Urban Prep - South Shore	1014 E. 47th St.	60653	Charter	135	500	9th	9th - 12th	2010
Urban Prep-Englewood Campus	6201 S. Stewart Ave.	60621	Charter	600	598	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2006
V.O.I.S.E. Academy	231 N. Pine Ave.	60644	Performance	377	600	9th - 11th	9th - 12th	2008
Wendell Phillips Academy High School	244 E Pershing Rd.	60653	Performance-AUSL	709	709	9th-12th	9th-12th	2010
World Language High School (at Little Village)	3120 S. Kostner Ave.	60623	Performance	396	352	9th - 12th	9th - 12th	2005

Charter schools are independently operated public schools that are not subject to the same state laws, district initiatives, and board policies as traditional public schools. Charters are operated pursuant to Illinois Charter Law. Charter school teachers are employees of the non-profit governing board or education management organization hired by the non-profit board. Contract schools are independently operated public schools under Renaissance 2010. Contract schools operate pursuant to the Illinois School Code, are managed by an independent non-profit organization, and employ teachers who work for the non-profit. Contract Schools have an advisory body comprised of parents, community members and staff. Performance schools are operated by CPS and employ CPS teachers and staff. These schools are subject to the collective bargaining agreement between CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union and other labor organizations, however they have flexibility on many areas such as curriculum, school schedule and budget. In lieu of Local School Councils, Performance schools have an Alternative Local School Council (ALSC), which allows parents, community members, and staff to be involved in all aspects of the school’s activities. Performance-AUSL schools are Performance schools operated by the Academy for Urban School Leadership Source: Chicago Public Schools