CHICAGO EDUCATION LEADERS SHARE SHORT REFLECTIONS ON SALIENT RESEARCH FINDINGS
Descriptive data on Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students’ attainment can be a powerful measure of whether they are being served adequately and equitably by their schools and higher education institutions. It can also be deeply personal, as it provides a starting place for understanding how we can better support our young people.

We’ve often had the honor of being privy to our colleagues’ personal reflections on the data we share, and their varying perspectives shape the way we think about this work. In our new Chicago Data Stories series, we share 10 colleagues' reflections on a few of our To&Through Data Insights, which visualize our most salient findings with the UChicago Consortium.

"TEACHERS NEED GRACE, HELP, & UNDERSTANDING"
This past Teacher Appreciation Week, our To&Through Middle Grades Network (MGN) team published an op-ed that shares their reflections on and quotes from empathy interviews conducted with MGN educators this semester. Thank you to all of our MGN educators for your honesty and vulnerability. We appreciate you every day. Read the op-ed in Ed Post.

 

THE TO&THROUGH MIDDLE GRADES NETWORK SEEKS A NEW COACH TO SUPPORT COHORT 2 SCHOOLS
We are looking to hire a full-time MGN Coach who is deeply committed to educational equity, understands the importance of adolescent development, and believes that data and research play a critical role in informing systemic change. If you have experience working in K–12 schools as a leader, teacher, coach, or counselor and are skilled at co-designing educational experiences with students based on and responsive to their needs, apply today! 

 

SEEING CHANGE IDEAS IN ACTION
This spring, the To&Through Middle Grades Network hosted in-person, cross-school visits for our Cohort 1 schools. In March, UChicago Charter Woodlawn (UCW) Middle School visited Hernandez Middle School to learn how they elicit student voice and choice in their Husky Advisory Days in order to build a strong community. Earlier this month, Brighton Park visited Columbia Explorers to learn how they share data with students to gather input on their change idea and to better understand student experiences in middle school.

And finally, Drake Elementary visited Nightingale Elementary two weeks ago to learn more about their Student Voice Committee and see how competitive games and choice boards are used in math classes to make work more relevant and meaningful to their students. We are excited to offer similar learning experiences for MGN schools and supporters in the future.

 

TO&THROUGH EXPANDS ITS CAPACITY TO SHARE QUALITATIVE INSIGHTS AND AMPLIFY STUDENT VOICE
We are delighted to announce that two new staff members will be joining the To&Through Project Team this summer. Alexandra Ritson is coming on board as our Senior Case Study Writer. In this role, she will work closely with the Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA) at CPS and develop case studies that focus on both the dilemmas that educators struggle with and the practices that lead to improved outcomes.

Jessica Vargas is coming on board as our Engagement Analyst. She will collect and synthesize CPS graduates' experiences on the path to and through college, drawing connections to how research, practices, and policies are impacting them. Vargas will also create opportunities for students themselves to provide feedback on To&Through Project research, data, and resources.

 

How are equity issues in CPS exacerbated by the reality of declining student enrollment? Join us on Thursday, June 9 at 2 PM (CST) to learn about Kids First Chicago's (K1C) latest report, Chicago's Enrollment Crisis, exploring the root causes of CPS's enrollment decline. K1C's Chief of Policy Hal Woods will review the key drivers behind the decline and share how K1C is engaging parents and communities in identifying potential solutions to keep more families in Chicago and enrolled in CPS. Register for this research spotlight.

The To&Through Data Collaborative is a space for the presentation and discussion of new work in education data in Chicago. The group meets monthly to learn about a new body of work and give feedback on a problem of practice or project.

On Tuesday, July 19 at 2 PM (CST), Josh Kaufmann, Kristen Ciciora, and Teach Plus teacher leaders will present on their work to codify best practices for improving teacher diversity at all parts of the teacher pipeline, from what it takes for students of color to consider education as a career to how schools need to change in order to better support their educators of color. Register for this Data Collaborative.

On Tuesday, August 23 at 2 PM (CST), Dirrick Butler will present on how Project OneTen is working to measure relationship development and student growth for ninth-grade young men in their program. Dirrick Butler is the founder and executive director of Project OneTen, a mentorship and academic coaching program for Black and Brown boys in Chicago. Register for this Data Collaborative.

• Tonia Hill, The TRiiBE
  Go to college or enter the workforce? One Crane HS senior is trying to choose between the two
   
• Kelly Hallberg, Shantá Robinson, Anne Driscoll, Emily Metz, Stephen Stapleton, and Gina Cusing; the UChicago Inclusive Economy Lab
  “Known, Valued, Inspired”: New Evidence On Students Experiencing Homelessness
   
• Code Switch presents the School Colors podcast
  Season 2, Episode 1: "There Is No Plan"
  
   

Follow us on Twitter or Facebook to stay updated on our research and resource releases. This summer, we are developing another student story series to elevate CPS graduates' lived experiences in college during the pandemic and to explore the experiences of CPS graduates who did not immediately enroll in college. Stay tuned!