Attempting To Reform Troubled Schools In Chicago!

While President Barack Obama travels around the country promoting health care reform, he's quietly authorized $3.5 billion to be used for education reform throughout the country. The Chicago Tribune reports on the Englewood school which is being targeted for reform. The high school had 1,100 fights during the 2007 school year highlighting the violence at that time. The "Turnaround Program" that is now being used, essentially guts the school, replacing all teachers and supplying money, new curriculum and security for the school. A year into the turnaround, attendance is up, and violence is down, however the academic impact has yet to be determined.

Education reform is the one topic that no one wants to really discuss. The harsh reality is that out of nearly 100 high schools in Chicago, not one is meeting state academic requirements, excluding the schools that have admission requirements. Simply multiply Chicago school performance throughout the country, and anyone can see the dire traits that out public education system is facing.