HR0105 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0105 LRB098 10870 MST 41365 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Chicago Public School system (CPS) is studying ways to best consolidate a school district that according to their formula has too many seats, too few students to fill those seats, and not nearly enough funds to maintain that excess capacity; and

WHEREAS, In doing so they have actively sought input from all Chicagoans given the potentially devastating impact school closures can have on a community; and

WHEREAS, A major factor contributing to the underutilization of CPS schools is the expansion of charter schools in Chicago; currently, the number of seats available in charter schools amounts to more than half of the reported excess capacity; moreover, any future expansion of charter schools will further exacerbate this problem; and

WHEREAS, It is not sound fiscal policy to fund the creation of any additional schools while facing such a large gap between enrollment and capacity; and

WHEREAS, CPS should not simultaneously close schools for budget reasons and fund the creation of additional privately operated charter schools; and

WHEREAS, Every seat created in a new charter school potentially increases what CPS has called the "chronic underutilization" of the public schools; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has previously passed a resolution advocating the Chicago Board of Education establish a moratorium on charter school expansion for the 2014-2015 school year to allow CPS, parents, and community members time to fully understand the impact of pending school closures; those aldermen approving of such a moratorium are: Matthew O'Shea, Pat Dowell, Ricardo Munoz, Willie Cochran, John Pope, Mary O'Connor, Lona Lane, John Arena, Carrie Austin, JoAnn Thompson, Toni Foulkes, Margaret Laurino, Joe Moreno, Roberto Maldonado, Harry Osterman, James Cappleman, Michael Chandler, Emma Mitts, Ameya Pawar, Roderick Sawyer, Latasha Thomas, Scott Waguespack, Robert Fioretti, Nicholas Sposato, Timothy M. Cullerton, Walter Burnett Jr., Joseph A. Moore, Leslie Hairston, and William Burns; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Chicago Board of Education to establish a moratorium on charter school expansion for the 2014-2015 school year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Chicago Board of Education.