PEORIA -- The Journal Star has an interesting story today, July 20, on how state Rep. Jehan Gordon, a Peoria Democrat, took a $100,000 campaign contribution from Stand for Children. That's an interest group funded by rich CEOs, the oligarchy, to in effect, destroy public education as we have known it, by enacting "reforms."
Here are other links on this issue, including the original Chicago Tribune story by former PJS reporter Ray Long, and a link to the national advocacy group, Parents Across America, that helped expose what's going on.
They are the same people that exposed the Gulen Movement's initiative in charter schools, including the Quest Math and Science Academy in Peoria. (See previous posts below on this.)
A freedom of information request to the Illinois State Board of Education produced a document that links Concept Schools, the parent not-for-profit of Quest in Peoria, to the Gulen Movement and its operation in Ohio.
In an official audit of the Chicago Math and Science Academy Charter School, the auditors state: "The school is supported by Concept Schools, Inc., a Chicago based non profit educational management and consulting organization. Concept Schools, Inc. first initiated Horizon Science Academies, a science and math emphasized school model in Cleveland and Columbus Ohio in 1999."
It adds: "During the years ended June 30, 2007, and 2006, the school received approxinately 80 percent and 77 percent, respectively, of its support from per capita tuition paid by Chicago Public Schools." In other words, taxpayers.
Now to Peoria's other schools: preliminary results from the Illinois State Board of Education, leaked to PeoriaStory show that only four public schools made adequate yearly progress, as shown in test scores.
They are Calvin Coolidge Middle School, Charter Oak Primary School, Northmoor-Edison Primary School, and Washington Gifted Middle School. Hines, Kellar and Lindbergh made AYP in math but not in reading.
Watch for the official results to be released later, including the high schools, which District 150 reportedly is appealing.
There is much to be criticized about the emphasis on testing and the concept of adequate yearly progress. Still, it does measure how students are doing on math and reading.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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