Charter school teachers and staff in Chicago are joining together to build a network in which we can share ideas, pool professional resources, and speak out on important issues affecting our students, our schools, and our profession. The Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers & Staff (Chicago ACTS) is committed to providing quality professional development opportunities, mobilizing the charter school community around important policy issues, and working to secure a voice in school-level decision-making for teachers and staff through collective bargaining.
Welcome to Chicago ACTS!
Feature Story
- Feb. 18th, Free PD Workshop: Differentiating Instruction
Join us on February 18 for one of our most popular PD topics, "Differentiating Instruction: Principles of Successful Classrooms for Academically Diverse Learners Using Tiered Lessons." With collaborative and dynamic activities, led by experienced charter school teachers, this workshop will provide a chance to reflect on teaching academically diverse students effectively.
What: Differentiating Instruction
When: Saturday, February 18, 9am-12:30pm
Where: 1400 W. Hubbard, Suite 230
Details: Join the Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff for a morning of professional development, collaboration and networking. Workshop participants will earn 3 CPDUs! And, it's FREESpaces limited! Register online for the January 21st session or call 312-738-3010.
Read More - The Halfway There Happy Hour
Celebrate last semester's accomplishments and recharge for the upcoming oen at the Halfway There Happy Hour!
WHEN: Janurary 27th, 4:30-6:30pm
WHERE: Jacks Tap, 901 W. Jackson
WHY: A chance to kick-back with other charter school teachers and sigh in relief, "We're halfway there!"
WHO: All charter school teachers and staff
RSVP: Call 312-739-3010 or RSVP online
Drinks and snacks on us! Hope to see you there!
Read More - National Labor Relations Board Finds Charter Schools Are Public Schools
Wednesday, 05 January 2011
Two new rulings by the National Labor Relations Board make clear that charter schools are public schools and, therefore, that charter school employees are able to organize into a union under Illinois state law.Teachers at Latino Youth High School and Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy, located in Chicago’s Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods, filed for union recognition with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board last fall, after a majority of teachers at both schools signed union authorization cards. They would be represented by Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Chicago ACTS), an affiliate of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers.
Read More - A Revolving Door
Charter schools had to replace an average of more than half of their teachers between 2008 and 2010, a turnover rate on par with some of the most troubled district-run schools.
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Experts say that high teacher turnover is associated with a school in turmoil and that instability often hampers student performance.
Of the 10 charter schools with the highest turnover, only one—LEARN Charter—had the majority of its students score at or above the state average on the ISAT.
Chicago’s charter teacher turnover—from an analysis of charter employee lists obtained by Catalyst Chicago—mirrors a nationwide trend.
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