The charter community was joined for the issue brief release event by local and national leaders, including U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, Dr….
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INCS News
INCS Releases Latest Issue Brief “How Public Schools Can Combat the Scourge of Gun Violence: Lessons from Chicago Charter Public Schools”
Chicago Charter Leaders Champion Innovative Practices and Advocate for Students and Communities Impacted by Gun Violence The Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) released its latest issue brief, “How…
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Urban Prep Academies 2022 Signing Day
To celebrate the 13th year in a row of Urban Prep graduates gaining admission to four-year colleges and universities, Urban Prep Academies hosted “Signing Day.” During Urban Prep’s Signing Day,…
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CICS Wrightwood Alumnus Earns Juris Doctorate (J.D) from University of Wisconsin-Madison
Crystal Stonewall – a CICS Wrightwood ‘11 alumnus – walked the stage on May 14, 2022 to accept her J.D. from University of Wisconsin-Madison. INCS & the whole charter community…
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Illinois Charter School Families Bring Their Voices to Washington, D.C.
INCS joined nearly 1,000 charter school parents and champions from around the country in Washington, D.C. to fight for the future of charter public schools. During this National Charter Schools…
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Teacher Appreciation Week: The Power of Teacher Advocacy
This Teacher Appreciation Week, INCS is proud to shoutout the 2022 Teacher Leadership Cohort (TLC) for its dedication to making change in their communities. This nine-month fellowship equips teachers with…
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INCS President (and Former Teacher) Andrew Broy’s Message for Teacher Appreciation Week
Today is the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week, but I think we can all agree that our appreciation, gratitude, and support for our teachers should not be limited to…
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Release: IL Charters Secure First Ever State Facilities Funding
Illinois Charter Public Schools Secure $35 Million in First Ever State Funding Allocation for Charter Schools’ Facilities Costs The new state funding stream will address longstanding school facilities inequities that…
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Letter from INCS President Andrew Broy to Department of Education
On behalf of the 64,000 Illinois public school students educated in our member charter public schools, Andrew Broy wrote a letter to strongly oppose the Department of Education’s proposed new…
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Charter Schools Facilities Brief: Inequities Persist
One of the leading causes of funding inequity in Illinois’ public education system is school facilities. The facilities funding inequity facing our state puts an undue burden on charter school…
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North Central College and INCS Partner to Provide Tuition Discount for Charter Teachers & Leaders
North Central College’s School of Education and Health Sciences and the School of Graduate and Professional Studies have forged a partnership with Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS) to promote…
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Charter Advocates Show Support for Renewals at CPS Board Meeting
INCS believes in a fair, transparent, and predictable renewal process for all of our member schools. Over the years, we have advocated with authorizers across the state to ensure that…
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Chicago Charter School Parent Urges CPS Board for Long-Term Renewal
Keisha Williams is a parent of a Legal Prep Charter Academy student and wrote the following statement to share why her and her student made the choice to attend Legal…
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INCS 2022 Teacher Leadership Cohort Announced
On December 6, 2021, the 2022 INCS Teacher Leadership Cohort (TLC) was announced. The goal of this nine-month fellowship is to equip teachers with the experiences, knowledge and skills to…
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Catalyst Charter School Searches – and Creates—Scholarships for Students
The average cost to attend a 4-year university in Illinois is right around $10,000 per year—ranking Illinois in the top half of the country for tuition and expenses. Some students…
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CPS should embrace charter schools to steady district enrollment
Enrollment decline in Chicago Public Schools continues its downward spiral. The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board recently wrote that “doing nothing is not an answer” – And we agree, parents need…
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CPD Honors North Lawndale College Prep Student
The Chicago Police Department honored North Lawndale College Prep student Derrick Anderson with an honorable mention award for his intervention in an altercation earlier this summer. Police Chief Ernest Cato…
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Charter Community Unites for Back to School Supply Drive for Local Students
On Saturday, September 18, 2021, Represent Your Community and Centro San Bonifacio, along with community partners Illinois Network of Charter Schools and ASPIRA, provided families with school book bags, supplies,…
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Student at ASPIRA Charter High School makes National Competition at NFTE
Due to the pandemic, many students and families have felt drained and unmotivated during the last two years. However, at ASPIRA Business & Finance, a student and her teacher overcame…
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Perspectives Charter Schools: How We Stayed Connected to Students and Families
My name is Stephen Todd and I serve as a managing principal and senior director at Perspectives Charter Schools, a network of open-enrollment public schools that serves approximately 1600 students…
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