Charter school banking on second expansion plan

E-MAIL article

DIGG

WRITE for us

DONATE

BY PAUL D. BOWKER / Education reporter

April 23, 2008 | 6:50 AM

The L.E.A.R.N. Charter School is making a second attempt at expanding to a new campus.

The Chicago Board of Education will consider a proposal today from schools chief Arne Duncan to expand L.E.A.R.N. at the Chalmers Elementary campus, 2745 W. Roosevelt Road, beginning next fall.

Last month, the board rejected a proposal allowing the charter school to share a building with Gregory Elementary in East Garfield Park. During that time, L.E.A.R.N would have searched for a permanent expansion site North Lawndale area.

A number of Gregory parents spoke out against the proposal.

The new proposal calls for 198 students in kindergarten through second grade to share facilities with Chalmers.

In future years, L.E.A.R.N. would locate a larger site and grow to 600 students in kindergarten through grade 8.

Because of a high demand for student spots, L.E.A.R.N. is outgrowing its main school facility at 1132 S. Holman Ave. More than 1,000 applied for 200 spots last fall.

"That's how hungry and thirsty parents are for quality education," says principal Robin Johnson.

Eighty percent of the school's students met or exceeded state standards in the 2006-07 state report card, among the top test results in the city.

The school currently serves less than 500 children due to space restrictions. L.E.A.R.N.'s expansion plan calls for the school to eventually serve 1,600 students.

In addition, the board will address proposals for construction of eight new schools that will cost more than $427 million. CPS will cover $18.9 million; the remaining $409.4 million would be covered by Public Building Commission, city bonds and other funding. The new schools are part of the Modern Schools Across Chicago program.

The proposed construction projects are: