O'Shea Lays Out Proposal to Move and Consolidate 19th Ward Public Schools

The following proposal by Ald. Matt O'Shea regarding proposed changes to reconfiguration of 19th Ward public schools was emailed to residents on Sept. 6.

As we start another school year, I would like to take a few minutes to share with you a proposal to improve public education in our community. For the past several years, our public schools have experienced shifting enrollment patterns. Some public elementary schools in the 19th Ward have experienced sharp and consistent gains in enrollment, causing overcrowding for students. Conversely, other schools in the ward have seen a steady decline in enrollment.

As alderman, I have a duty to provide the best possible options for all 19th Ward schools and all 19th Ward students. To meet the changing demands of our community we must re-examine the existing landscape to ensure we are making the best use of our resources. Therefore, in an effort to enhance performance, balance enrollment, and address infrastructure needs throughout the community, I am proposing a comprehensive plan to expand, move, merge, and ultimately improve our local elementary schools.

Under this proposal, the following changes would be made:

• Mount Greenwood Elementary would become a two-campus school by moving some grades to the Keller Regional Gifted Center at 3020 W. 108th Street. Both buildings would be managed by Mount Greenwood School's current administration. Since 2005, Mount Greenwood's enrollment has skyrocketed, almost doubling to more than 1100 students in a facility built for 990. Despite investing $13 million in two annex buildings during the last five years, the school is still experiencing crowding conditions.

• Keller Regional Gifted Center, one of the highest performing schools in Chicago, would move to the existing Kellogg Elementary School at 9241 S. Leavitt. Keller's existing building has an ideal capacity of 210 students with an enrollment of 244 students. Shifting to the Kellogg building with an ideal capacity of 330 students should allow the school to operate more comfortably and possibly offer kindergarten or additional options for diverse learners. Because Keller is a selective enrollment school that draws its students from throughout the City of Chicago, the disruption to its student body will be minimal. A majority of Keller students currently live closer to Kellogg Elementary; as a result of this shift, most students would travel slightly less far to attend a school better equipped to handle the population.

• The student bodies of Kellogg and Sutherland Elementary Schools would be consolidated at the existing Sutherland campus, located at 10015 S. Leavitt.

Kellogg and Sutherland are both experiencing declining enrollment. Sutherland's enrollment has dropped by approximately 22 percent since 2005. Kellogg's enrollment has declined 25 percent since 2005. And using this year's projected kindergarten enrollment as a barometer for future trends, that decline in school usage is expected to continue. As of last week, a total of just 11 students registered for kindergarten at Kellogg, while only 40 had registered for Sutherland's kindergarten -- a program that routinely attracted more than double that number of students a decade ago.

According to attendance data, there is enough room to accommodate all Kellogg and Sutherland students at the Sutherland campus, provided fraudulent enrollment is curtailed. A recent audit of last year's kindergarten and first grade at Kellogg and Sutherland revealed a number of students that did not live in the City of Chicago. CPS will dismiss any student who has been fraudulently enrolled and seek financial reimbursement. An audit of the other grades is ongoing.

Based on last school year's attendance figures, a combined total of approximately 700 students lived within the neighborhood attendance boundaries of Kellogg and Sutherland and attended both schools. Given that Sutherland's enrollment often topped 800 students a decade ago, there is sufficient space at Sutherland to merge the schools.

These school actions would also address several capital issues at local schools. The preliminary CPS facilities plan includes a significant investment to alleviate student overcrowding. By utilizing existing facilities in a more effective manner, those resources can be used to make improvements at several area schools, including major improvements at Esmond Elementary School. Built in 1891, Esmond is one of the oldest school buildings in Chicago. Its population is 95% low income and the building deteriorates further each year.

I am sharing this proposal with you to begin a community dialogue about our public schools. In the coming months, I will host a number of public meetings to gather feedback from the community. Should this plan move forward, implementation would likely take at least one to two years and it will undoubtedly create challenges for many of those involved. As our community discusses these changes, I ask that all parties keep an open mind and work collaboratively towards our shared goal of the best possible schools for the children of our community.

Ald. Matt O'Shea, 19th Ward