What Is CPS’ School Reopening Plan? Here’s A Simple Breakdown.

By Paula Friedrich for WBEZ

“In mid-July, Chicago Public Schools released a first look at what it is proposing for the fall. The short version? Most students will do a mix of in-person and remote learning, but the details depend on a student’s grade level and learning situation. This tool, presented in collaboration with The Chicago Reporter, lets you zoom in on an easy-to-read summary of what we know about the different scenarios. CPS has created a survey and will be hosting a series of virtual community meetings to get feedback beginning July 27. It intends to release a finalized plan in the first week of August and to make a final decision about in-person instruction in late August. We’ll be updating this tool as more details become available.”

What Happens If a Students Gets Coronavirus? Chicago Public Schools CEO Explains

By NBC Chicago

“A single uninterrupted case involving in a student, Dr. Janice Jackson, CPS chief executive officer, said, would result in the student and their “pod” being quarantined for 14 days, and extensive cleaning would be performed. Under the hybrid model, “students will be placed in pods of approximately 15 students during the school day in order to minimize exposure to other students and to support rapid contact tracing should a member of the pod contract COVID-19,” the district said. Pods will gather in assigned rooms with assigned seating, desks spaced six feet apart where feasible, and will use the same designated spaces in buildings, like the bathroom.”

Chicago families will have a choice to learn remotely full time. How many will choose it?

By Cassie Walker Burke for Chalkbeat Chicago

“When Chicago school buildings reopen this fall under the city’s tentative new plan announced Friday, families will have the option to learn remotely full-time, the district has said. In some places, such as Rockford, district leaders say they will require families who opt out of in-person schooling to complete a medical exemption form. Chicago will not put such restrictions on the decision. The allowance for families to choose an all-remote schedule is a relief to some parents and children with medical complications and high-risk factors and to those who’ve expressed trepidation about sending their children back to school during the COVID-19 threat.”

In turnaround, Chicago promises to track, publicize upcoming school police votes

By Yana Kunichoff for Chalkbeat Chicago

“Following calls for more transparency around Local School Council meetings, Chicago Public Schools says it will post a list of campuses with police officers and a centralized list of upcoming vote dates on the issue. The announcement comes after a joint Chalkbeat Chicago and Block Club Chicago investigation found that multiple councils failed to post meetings publicly or follow other rules that allow parents and community members to participate. Previously, Chicago Public Schools did not track school council meeting information or votes centrally. In response, Chalkbeat Chicago and Block Club Chicago began tracking school police votes and keeping an updated list of coming meetings. Now the information will go online on a district webpage by the end of the week, schools chief Janice Jackson told the Board of Education Wednesday.”