Sarah Karp

Reporter, Education

Sarah Karp is a reporter at WBEZ. A former reporter for Catalyst-Chicago, the Chicago Reporter and the Daily Southtown, Karp has covered education, and children and family issues for more than 15 years. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. She has won five Education Writers Association awards, three Society of Professional Journalism awards and the 2005 Sidney Hillman Award. She is a native of Chicago.

Stories by Sarah Karp

CPS has no immediate plans to reverse change in COVID-19 reporting

The switch is being sharply criticized for giving parents a less accurate and timely picture of what is happening in their children’s schools.
Jan. 25
- Education
As anger grows over change in reporting on COVID cases, CPS has no immediate plans to reverse course

CPS last month shifted to only reporting cases at individual schools that were confirmed by contact tracers instead of all reported cases.
Jan. 25 read more
New data show vaccination rates by school

The state data, which is provided to CPS twice a month and is matched with CPS enrollment information, captures vaccinations through Jan. 18.
Jan. 24
- Culture & The Arts
- Education
One in four CPS elementary students is vaccinated, with rates varying widely by school

New data show about 53% of high schoolers are vaccinated. Use WBEZ’s tool to look up vaccinations rates for your Chicago school.
Jan. 24 read more
CPS failed to disclose a switch in its COVID-19 reporting

Over winter break, the school district began reporting only closed cases — those verified by a contact tracing team — at the school level.
Jan. 23
- Education
CPS failed to notify families about a big change in its COVID-19 reporting

CPS says a switch in reporting data at the school level was not meant to mislead, but some say it shows an undercount of cases.
Jan. 23 read more
Chicago Teachers Union approves COVID-19 safety agreement

Nearly 56% of union members voted in favor of the deal, bringing to a formal end the standoff with the school district that closed schools for five days.
Jan. 12
- Education
Chicago teachers approve COVID-19 safety agreement

The safety agreement passed by a slim majority, with nearly 56% of Chicago Teachers Union members voting yes.
Updated Jan. 12 read more
As Chicago students resume class, teachers vote on a deal many say falls short

Union members voted on the COVID-19 safety agreement Wednesday, which needs a simple majority to pass.
Jan. 12
- Education
Chicago classes to restart Wednesday after the Chicago Teachers Union suspends remote work action

Teachers return on Tuesday. This ends a bitter feud between the mayor and the union that left children idle since last Wednesday.
Jan. 10 read more