WASHINGTON, DC – Members of the House Education and the Workforce Committee were in Chicago today learning about the significant turnaround accomplished by the third largest school system in the nation. During the past five years, the Windy City has instituted new accountability programs, including establishing charter schools, to ensure that students are receiving a quality education.

      "We… are extremely proud of the systemic reforms that have become the hallmark of the Chicago Public Schools’ accomplishments," said Paul G. Vallas, chief executive officer of Chicago’s school system. "We have reformed our system by establishing accountability measures, rigorous academic standards, and by embracing real viable school choice options for parents and children."

      The Chicago field hearing was the third in a series the committee has conducted to learn from states and communities about what works in education reform. The hearings also highlight how President Bush’s proposal can help improve student achievement on a national level.

      In 1995, the Illinois Legislature placed Chicago Mayor Richard Daley in control of the city’s failing public school system, which operates 601 schools that serve almost 432,000 students. Since that time, Chicago schools have abandoned the policy of social promotion and instituted mandatory homework; expanded after-school and summer-school programs to provide extra help for students who need it; invested $2.2 billion in new and remodeled schools; instituted new safety measures; and established charter schools.

      As a result, Chicago students have experienced rising test scores on state and locally administered tests, as well as college entrance exams. Moreover, graduation rates are on the rise and dropout rates have been declining.

      Charter schools are an important part of the success formula in Chicago. The committee held the hearing at the Chicago International Charter School, Bucktown Campus. James K. Murphy, founder of the Chicago Charter School Foundation, testified that his schools, which serve 2,450 students on four campuses, were given the needed flexibility to succeed.

      "In our agreement with the Board of Education, we were given a number of critical freedoms, such as hiring and firing of our own staff, determining our own curriculum, delivering our own special education services, and maintaining our own discipline and uniform policies," Murphy said. "These freedoms are imperative to the success of charter schools."

      Michael Milkie, principal of the Noble Street Charter High School, stressed the accountability of charter schools. "The best thing about charter schools is that they are accountable in two important ways," he said. "We have an accountability agreement with the Chicago Public Schools, and we are accountable to our parents."

      President Bush’s plan provides funding to help charter schools with start-up costs, facilities, and other items needed to create high-quality schools. Specifically, the plan builds upon a federal demonstration program established last year to leverage private capital to finance facilities acquisition for charter schools.

      "As the committee travels from Florida, to Georgia, to Chicago, I become increasingly convinced that tough accountability standards and school choice are needed for education reform to succeed," House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) said. "If the nation’s third-largest school district can make accountability and school choice work, then I know that President Bush’s plan can work on the national level."

      Vallas also thinks the new administration can make education reform work. "In my estimation, both President Bush’s nomination of Rod Paige as Secretary of Education and the ‘No Child Left Behind’ education plan are solid first steps in advancing such an agenda," Vallas said.

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