Understanding Chicago Public Schools and its sheer size and numerous requirements can be a difficult task for any parent.  In recent years, CPS has closed schools, added testing requirements, created a common application for selective enrollment schools, and even implemented new graduation requirements for 8th and 12th graders.  Often, our neighborhood schools are underfunded and understaffed which means students don't have access to rigorous classes, extracurricular activities, or individualized attention or support inside the classroom.  All of this, taken together, can be daunting to understand especially if you have students in elementary classrooms.  The weight of standardized tests, grades, attendance, and school performance can seem unimportant to a parent of a first or second grader, but is much more relevant to parents of middle schoolers.   The goals of this workshop are to: help parents understand how CPS is structured; how schools in our neighborhood are rated and what those ratings mean; how standardized tests impact students at all grade levels; and how the high school application process works.

This Saturday, April 29, 2017, HNA is hosting an Education Workshop for parents of elementary-age children throughout Chicago.  Our hosts - board members Jenna Sigman and Alejandra Fleck - want to support parents of elementary-age students as they go through the CPS system from kindergarten to 12th grade and beyond.  We will introduce parents to the Illinois School Report Card and how to understand the information contained in their child's school report card.  Many of the statistics can seem abstract or confusing so we will shed light on their importance and relevance and how to read the reports to best serve your child's needs.  We will also discuss the CPS standardized tests and how they impact a student throughout their elementary and secondary education process.  These test scores are especially important for any student applying to selective enrollment, charter, magnet, or other application-based schools in the city of Chicago.  These test scores may become even more important as CPS seeks to require all 8th grade students to fill out the CPS common application before they receive their diploma.

This workshop is free and will be in English and Spanish and will offer participants an opportunity to interact with others and discuss topics together.  We want to arm you with the tools necessary to take charge of your child's education to ensure he/she is getting the most out of his/her CPS experience.  No RSVP is necessary so we hope to see you this Saturday!