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.

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.

In pursuit of bettering their school and protecting teachers' rights a delegation teachers, parents, alumni, students, labor leaders and community members came together to speak with CMSA's principal.  See what happened.

Chicago Math and Science Academy Also Challenges Teachers’ Union Rights

The Chicago Math and Science Academy (CMSA), a public charter school, fired a highly regarded pregnant teacher who helped organize a union at the school in June. The firing occurred as the school also challenged its teachers’ right to form a union.

The teacher, Rhonda Hartwell, was eight months pregnant at the time of her firing and was forced to move up her scheduled delivery to ensure it occurred before her health insurance was cut off.

“It’s one thing for the school to fight the union’s legitimacy, but it’s quite another to retaliate against a union organizer who has been rewarded with performance bonuses and was pregnant. This is about as low as an anti-union administration can go,” said Kim Bobo, executive director of Interfaith Worker Justice.

Teachers at the highly regarded Chicago Math and Science Academy notified school leaders Wednesday that they have organized into a union and filed for recognition with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board to help make an already great school even better.

“Ensuring continued student and teacher success involves creating an environment in which teachers feel secure enough to raise concerns and offer ideas,” said Brian Chelmecki, chair of the school’s math department. “Chicago Math and Science Academy teachers need a strong voice in developing and implementing policies that are good for kids and fair to teachers.”

The Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Chicago ACTS) is now the collective bargaining representative for 98 teachers at four charter school campuses operated by ASPIRA Inc. The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) has certified the bargaining unit for these teachers at ASPIRA’s Haugan Middle School, Mirta Ramirez Computer Science High School, Early College High School, and Antonia Pantoia High School. Collective bargaining over the union’s first contract can now begin.