Meet the Principal who’s Recruiting Men of Color to Pursue Teaching Careers

Inside CPS

“Currently, African American men represent just two percent of teachers in the nation and there’s even less in Illinois. Butler College Prep Principal Chris Goins is working on a solution. “There are so many initiatives trying to recruit men of color into the classroom, but that’s after they are in college,” Goins said.  “For whatever reason no one has really thought about how do we do this and identify them in high school at the same time.” His “Intro to Urban Education” class—new to Butler this year–was specifically created to introduce students of color to a career in education.”

38 of Chicago’s Top Black Women of Impact 2019 Name the Women Who’ve Inspired Them Most

By Lynda Baldwin and Candice Waltier for Make it Better

“In honor of Black History Month, we asked some of Chicago’s top black women leaders about the women who have impacted their lives the most…Constance Jones, CEO, Noble Network of Charter Schools: What female trailblazer has had the biggest impact on your career or upbringing and why? My mother, a trailblazer in her own right, has had the biggest impact on both my career and upbringing. She was the only one of eight children to leave our family’s farm in North Carolina and go off to college in pursuit of a higher education. As an elementary public school teacher for three decades, she inspired and fueled my passion for education. Because of her, I transitioned my career from business to education well over 10 years ago. I applaud the courageous steps that my mother took many years ago that has impacted so many lives including mine, which is why I am here today.”

5 contestants with Chicago ties competing in ‘Jeopardy’ all-stars tournament

By Tracy Swartz for the Chicago Tribune

“Eighteen elite “Jeopardy” players compete in the “Jeopardy All-Star Games” team tournament, which is scheduled to begin airing Wednesday. Three of these contestants — Colby Burnett, Julia Collins and Seth Wilson — live in the Chicago area…Burnett, who grew up in the Austin neighborhood and attended Northwestern and Dominican universities, is the only “Jeopardy” contestant to win a Teachers Tournament (2012) and a Tournament of Champions (2013). He was a semifinalist in the 2014 Battle of the Decades tournament. Burnett taught world history at Fenwick High School in Oak Park when he competed in the Teachers Tournament, and now he’s a college counselor at Speer Academy in the Belmont Cragin community on the Northwest Side.”

In budget address, Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker proposes modest education increases

By Yana Kunichoff for Chalkbeat

“Even while calling his proposed budget “austere” and speaking plainly about the yawning deficit he inherited, Illinois’ new governor, J.B. Pritzker, struck an optimistic chord when describing how he plans to plow more money into schools. His fiscal year 2020 budget would allocate a total of $7.2 billion for K-12 funding, including an extra $25 million in addition to the mandated $350 million annual minimum increase under the state’s funding formula…During Wednesday’s speech, the governor said the long-term solution to the state’s budget deficits  was a progressive income tax that would take more money from Illinois’ wealthiest residents. In the shorter term, though, Pritzker’s budget proposal includes an additional $25 million for Illinois schools, an increase of $21 million in special education grants, and a $5 million boost for career and technical education programs for high school students. Also in the proposal: $50 million in need-based college grants, another $35 million in university scholarships, and $2 million to cover waived fees for low-income students taking Advanced Placement tests. Pritzker’s budget would allocate an additional $100 million to the Early Childhood Block Grant. That would bring the state investment in early childhood education to $594 million next year.”

Illinois governor pushes to give students more money for college

By WGEM

“Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is promising more money for students to go to college. He wants to help bring more than 15,000 students to college campuses in Illinois next year. At John Wood Community College, about one third of students are using MAP grants to pay for college. This allows many students to leave college debt free– an opportunity Pritzker wants to give to even more students. Makayle Briggs is a sophomore at John Wood Community College. She has a job on campus, that allows her to make money to put in her savings account– as she doesn’t have to worry about paying tuition. “Just leaving without that debt, is really good financial wise for the future, that way I don’t have to pay it off the rest of my life,” Briggs said. Briggs is able to do this through MAP grants– Illinois’ Monetary Award Program that aids low and moderate income students who attend college. “It covered a big chunk of stuff that I needed to get paid for here, like those books and tuition was covered with it,” Briggs said. “So the MAP grant was vital when coming here and paying for classes and everything.” Pritzker wants to give more college students that opportunity– as he wants to pour 50 million more dollars into the MAP grants in hopes of bringing 15,000 more students to college campuses in Illinois.”