2010 - Chicago International Charter School

2010
CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL
ANNUAL
REPORT
CONTRIBUTORS: BETH PURVIS, CHRISTINE POINDEXTER, TOM McGRATH
During the 2009-2010 School year, Chicago
International Charter School served 8,086
students at 13 campuses in Chicago. As
described throughout this edition of FocalPoint,
the greatest challenge this year was to
accomplish more with less. Fiscal Year 2010
saw significant decreases in after-school
funding and “fixed costs” that increased at
a steeper rate than our per-pupil funding.
Fortunately, the Chicago International board
of directors designed the network to withstand an
economic recession. Through sound financial
management practices, strategic partnerships,
and mission-driven decision making, the
2009–2010 school year was a successful one
for our students and their families.
During the 2009–2010
school year, the average
student who attended
a CICS elementary
campus that had been
opened for more than
3 years was achieving
at or above the national
average.
There were some palpable achievements in
2010, including improved student outcomes on
the elementary and high school campuses, and
the approval of our 14th Chicago campus, CICS
Larry Hawkins, which opened in September.
Further, we reached a distinctive goal by
24
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preparing to open our first campus outside
of Chicago. In August 2010, CICS Patriots
opened in Rockford, Illinois, serving students in
kindergarten through fourth grade. Throughout
our endeavors, the board and staff remained
focused on the mission of providing, through
innovation and choice, a high-quality collegepreparatory education that meets the needs of
today’s student.
Educational Progress
Since 2005, Chicago International has
envisioned a school network where the average
performance of CICS students was as good
as or better than the average performance
of more economically advantaged children.
During the 2009-2010 school year, the average
student who attended a CICS elementary
campus that had been opened for more than
3 years was achieving at or above the national
average as measured by the Northwest
Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measure of
Academic Progress (MAP). In our elementary
schools, approximately 79% of students met or
exceeded state standards on the 2010 Illinois
State Achievement Test (ISAT) in math and 71%
in reading. Consequently, Chicago International
achieved a higher average percentage of
students meeting state standards than the
Chicago Public Schools meets/exceeds average
in both curricular areas. From 2007 to 2010,
CICS has increased our composite ISAT meets/
exceeds percentages by 3 percentage points,
from 69% to 72%. This increase is partially
attributed to the use of student data to make
better instructional decisions in the classroom.
In addition, during this past year, Chicago
International increased the overall percentage
of students meeting projected growth targets
on the NWEA reading and math scale. Spring
2010 NWEA data suggest that 68.1% of
students in math and 67.3% of students in
reading have achieved their individual growth
targets. These percentages place CICS
schools in the upper percentile of NWEA
schools in terms of the percentage of students
who meet or exceed their individual growth
targets. Chicago International also looks at the
NWEA Growth Index (GI) to gain perspective
on the amount of academic growth we have
accomplished above our targets. CICS
exceeded typical growth in math and reading
by 3.3 points. Compared to the previous
year, Chicago International elementary
school students increased the percentage
of students who meet their individual growth
targets by 5.1 percentage points in reading
and 4.0 percentage points in math.
Chicago International strives to graduate
young men and women who will succeed
in competitive and rigorous colleges. 80%
of the Chicago International class of 2010
graduated within four years with an average
ACT of 18.5. The CICS Class of 2011, tested in
spring 2010, achieved an average composite
ACT of 18.1. The ACT and its college readiness
benchmarks can be a critical gatekeeper for
student admission into college. Naturally,
the ACT has become an important metric for
CICS, as our mission is to provide a college
preparatory education to all of our students.
2010AnnualReport
College acceptance and enrollment is on the rise. Over 97%
of CICS graduates from the Class of 2010 were accepted into
college, and 75% of students from the Class of 2009 were
enrolled in college by November of their graduating year.
ACT AVERAGE SCORE
CLASS OF 2010
CLASS OF 2011
18.5 18.1
Over 97% of CICS graduates were accepted
into college. Even more important to our
stakeholders than acceptance rate, CICS
continued to increase the percentage of
students who enroll in college. 68% of students
from the Class of 2007 had enrolled in college
by November of their graduating year, and the
rate increased to 75% for the class of 2009.
As Chicago International continues to
progress academically, focus will remain on
the academic improvement of our students.
We project academic growth for children at all
levels, ensuring that all academic needs are
met across our K–12 network.
Financial Progress
As evidenced by our investment-grade bond
rating and continually balanced books, Chicago
International Charter School is considered to
be one of the most financially sound charter
networks in the country. Unique in the charter
school landscape, CICS campuses are
sustainable and efficient without significant
support from external resources. Historically,
CICS has never had more than 5% of its
operating budget come from philanthropy.
Although we will continue to grow, our
stakeholders should be confident that our
philosophy of sustainable growth and public
education through the public dollar will not
change. In order to make up for declining
after-school funding and to support future
sites, Chicago International will be taking more
ambitious steps and dedicating more central
office resources to secure philanthropic dollars.
Despite the economic downturn, the
administrative budget of our central office was
within 5% of projections. In addition, we met our
budget goals for facilities, even with a number
of very large capital projects. Facilities projects
completed this year were related to campus
improvements, network expansion and Chicago
International’s commitment to provide an
attractive and positive environment for teaching
and learning. At our existing campuses, CICS is
most proud of our new parking lot at our Ralph
Ellison campus, the attractive renovation of
the previously vacant annex at our Irving Park
campus, and making the Longwood campus
fully accessible to individuals with disabilities.
CICS now provides ADA-accessible facilities to
over 75% of the students and staff in its network,
an achievement that gives us great pride.
In August 2010, Chicago International opened
the new Larry Hawkins campus in a CPSowned facility. This attractive and expansive
site was renovated largely through CPS
funds (~$6.5M). To ensure the low-voltage
system and kitchen facilities were up to our
standards, Chicago International invested over
$400K of its assets in the project. This work
occurred through network operating funds
and the generous contributions of the Walton
Family Foundation and the Renaissance
Schools Fund.
Although we will
continue to grow, our
stakeholders should
be confident that
our philosophy of
sustainable growth
and public education
through the public
dollar will not change.
we invest well over $1M in facility operational
improvements—our “summer projects.”
Notable improvements include the following:
a new, fully updated electrical and lighting
system for the drama stages at the CICS
Longwood and Bucktown Campuses; staff
at Washington Park have a fully renovated
teachers’ lounge, including extra office areas
and a staff bathroom; prudent improvements in
fire-safety were made at the CICS Wrightwood
and Longwood campuses. Significant longterm investments to keep roofs and masonry
water tight were made at CICS Lloyd Bond,
Irving Park, Longwood and Northtown; and
critical investments in the heating systems were
made at the CICS Bucktown, Basil, Irving Park,
and West Belden sites. Students and teachers
across the network returned to freshly painted
classrooms and fully cleaned buildings, with a
few enjoying air conditioning for the first time.
Strategic Vision
The choices of the Chicago International
board and staff continue to align with the
strategic vision set in 2005. Fifteen of the
21 schools we planned to open by 2015
are opened or approved. We have met all
financial, educational and bond covenants
related to our 2007 bond offering. Most
importantly, each year, the students of
Chicago International become more
competitive academically as we work to
close the achievement gap.
We are also excited about smaller projects that
significantly improved the learning environments
of children at our existing campuses. Every year
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2010AnnualReport
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
Revenue
2010
2009
65,504,589
58,526,093
4,247,141
2,902,313
2,232,677
2,686,926
Investment Income
262,165
891,205
School Lunch Program (Longwood Campus)
200,213
197,109
Other
511,394
335,200
72,958,179
65,538,846
59,343,958
51,860,556
Chicago Public Schools
Per Capita Revenue & Other Funds
Special Services
Grant Commitments & Other Contributions
Total Revenue
FISCAL
YEAR 2010
REVENUE
$72,958,179
Per-Pupil Revenue & Other Funds 96%
Grants, Contributions, 3%
& Fundraising Income
Other 1%
Expenses
Operating Funds to EMO’s
Longwood Campus Expenses
Administrative Expenses
291,503
276,085
2,114,982
1,939,611
Facility Maintenance & Capital Expenses
972,987
1,070,196
Rent, Utilities & Property Taxes
1,595,605
1,218,097
Debt Service
2,512,428
2,496,262
Grant Expense
1,865,400
2,452,494
147,845
134,701
Insurance Expense
Direct Campus Expenses
94,629
561,045
2,363,386
2,160,326
71,302,723
64,169,373
0
0
1,655,456
1,369,473
Depreciation & Amortization
Total Expenses
Change in Assets to Management Company
Change in Net Assets
FISCAL
YEAR 2010
EXPENSES
$71,302,723
Campus Operating Funds 83%
Other Program Expenses 14%
Supporting Services 3%
CONSOLIDATED STATeMENT OF CASH FLOW
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Change in Net Assets
2010
2009
1,086,088
1,369,473
2,363,387
2,160,326
Adjustments to Reconcile Net Earnings to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities:
Depreciation & Amortization
Forgiveness of Debt & Bad Debt Expense
-
(176,050)
78,872
(163,127)
-
45,460
(7,652)
(114,522)
272,975
(730,300)
74,099
(42,212)
(67,563)
75,853
Accounts Payable & Accrued Expenses
290,150
(936,969)
Deferred Rent & Deferred Liability
167,319
(56,676)
4,257,676
1,431,227
Loss on Sale of Investments
Loss on Disposition of Fixed Assets
Fair Market Value Adjustment on Investments
Change in Current Assets & Liabilities
Accounts & Grants Receivable
Interest Receivable
Deposits & Prepaid Expenses
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
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2010AnnualReport
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
Assets
2010
2009
Cash
9,239,485
7,270,643
Accounts Receivable
1,744,158
2,017,133
Investments
5,256,727
6,544,508
Cash 13%
129,967
159,332
Cash, Restricted by Bond Indenture 10%
7,070,592
7,895,538
44,819,441
42,992,382
1,070,974
538,146
69,331,345
67,417,682
Accounts Payable
119,295
236,775
Accrued Liabilities
2,054,994
1,647,364
331,003
331,003
Prepaids
Other Current Assets
Fixed Assets
Other Non-Current Assets
Total Assets
Property & Equipment Net 65%
Investments & Other Assets 9%
Accounts Receivable 3%
FY 2010
TOTAL
ASSETS
$69,331,345
Deposits & Prepaid Expenses <1%
Liabilities
Loans Payable–Current
Bonds Payable 73%
Net Assets 22%
Other Current Liabilities
690,048
522,729
Accounts Payable 3%
& Accrued Expenses
Notes Payable
979,950
979,950
Notes & Capital Leases Payable 1%
Bonds Payable
50,248,443
49,878,337
54,423,734
53,596,158
1,537,032
33,418
Operating Surplus/Loss
13,370,580
13,788,106
Total Net Assets
14,907,612
13,821,524
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
69,331,345
67,417,682
Total Liabilities
Deferred Rent 1%
FY 2010
LIABILITIES
& NET ASSETS
$69,331,345
Current Loans Payable <1%
Net Assets
Board Designated
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Purchase of Securities
Proceeds from Sale of Securities
Expenditures for Assets Not in Service
Purchase of Property & Equipment
NOTE:
2010 figures are based on CICS’s unaudited financial statements for the
year ending June 30, 2010. Once the independent audits have been prepared,
a complete copy of those statements is available by contacting CICS.
2010
2009
(30,177,273)
(5,960,185)
31,301,862
7,610,983
(532,828)
1,546,103
(603,613)
-
(3,587,113)
(9,152,510)
(3,598,964)
(5,955,609)
Bond Interest Income
(178,045
(233,131)
Transfer of Cash—Bond Repair & Replacement Reserve
(400,00)
(400,000)
-
150,000
Proceeds from IFF Loan & Loan Costs
666,503
-
Bond Interest Payments
886,350
1,738,667
Capital Improvement Projects
335,322
6,182,310
Cash Provided by Financing Activities
1,310,131
7,437,845
Increase (Decrease) in Cash
1,968,842
2,913,463
Capitalized Expenditure
Cash Used in Investing Activities
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Payments from Charter School Growth Fund
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2010AnnualReport
STUDENT
PERFORMANCE
2009–2010 CAMPUS STATISTICS
The following information highlights Chicago International’s academic results by campus for the 2009–2010 school
year. As you are reviewing, please note the following as it will better explain Chicago International’s achievements:
The No Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress target for ISAT in 2009 was 70% of students meeting and/or exceeding standards.
The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) measures the percentage of individual students meeting and/or exceeding set growth
targets based on normative data.
NWEA measures of 50–70% are considered above average
NWEA measures of greater than 70% are considered exemplary
Growth index measures the number of points on NWEA’s scale in which a student or group is above or below typical growth.
CICS
CICS
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2005
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2002
AVALON
1501 East 83rd Place. Serving students
from the communities of Avalon, South
Shore and Woodlawn.
BUCKTOWN
ISAT
73.5 READING
80.1 MATH
70.5 SCIENCE
NWEA
419
students
*
*
**
59.1 READING
100% African American
90% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
62.1 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
1.0 READING
2.3 MATH
628
students
71% Hispanic
21.7% African American
6.2% Caucasian
1.1% Asian/Pacific Islander
80% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
CICS
CICS
(PRE-K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2002
(K–6) OPENED AUGUST 2007
BASIL
1816 West Garfield Blvd. Serving
students from the communities of
Englewood and Washington Park.
731
students
94.4% African American
5.5% Hispanic
0.1% Asian/Pacific Islander
92% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
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ISAT
*
81.4 READING
88.3 MATH
78.2 SCIENCE
NWEA
*
**
73.0 READING
73.9 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
4.1 READING
3.6 MATH
IRVING PARK
ISAT
*
60.3 READING
67.5 MATH
49.3 SCIENCE
NWEA
28
2235 North Hamilton. Serving students
from the communities of Logan Square
and around the city of Chicago.
*
**
62.9 READING
61.2 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
2.3 READING
2.3 MATH
3820 North Spaulding Drive.
Serving students from the community
of Irving Park.
408
students
63.2% Hispanic
20.4% African American
12.5% Caucasian
3.7% Asian/Pacific Islander
0.2% Native American
75% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
ISAT
*
71.8 READING
83.3 MATH
73.3 SCIENCE
NWEA
*
**
62.6 READING
75.6 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
2.9 READING
4.9 MATH
2010AnnualReport
LLOYD BOND
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2009
13300 South Langley. Serving students
from the community of Altgeld Gardens.
Named in honor of Dr. Lloyd Bond.
ISAT
343
CICS
50.3 READING
6105 South Michigan Avenue. Serving
the students of the Washington Park
community.
37.5 SCIENCE
*
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2001
61.5 READING
59.4 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
2.0 READING
2.6 MATH
427
students
97% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
CICS
(3–8) OPENED AUGUST 1997
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2002
LONGWOOD
917
students
83% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
ISAT
*
74.6 READING
88.0 MATH
80.8 SCIENCE
*
2245 North McVicker Avenue.
Serving students of the BelmontCragin neighborhood.
64.2 READING
64.6 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
2.6 READING
2.7 MATH
501
students
90% Hispanic
8.8% African American
1.2% Caucasian
96% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
CICS
(K–2) OPENED AUGUST 2008
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2005
LOOMIS
588
students
98.7% African American
0.7% Hispanic
0.3% Caucasian
0.3% Asian/Pacific Islander
84% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
74.1 MATH
53.0 SCIENCE
*
**
68.0 READING
70.8 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
3.2 READING
4.1 MATH
ISAT
*
88.3 READING
91.9 MATH
74.6 SCIENCE
NWEA
**
CICS
9535 S. Loomis St. Serving students
from the community of Washington
Heights and the South Side of Chicago.
64.5 READING
WEST BELDEN
NWEA
99.1% African American
0.8% Hispanic
0.1% Caucasian
*
99.8% African American
0.2% Caucasian
CICS
1309 West 95th Street. Serving students
from the community of Washington
Heights and the South Side of Chicago.
ISAT
NWEA
**
100% African American
95% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
WASHINGTON PARK
*
61.7 MATH
NWEA
students
T N
EN IO
EC T
R DI
AD
CICS
*
**
69.9 READING
81.1 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
3.6 READING
5.7 MATH
WRIGHTWOOD
ISAT
NOT APPLICABLE
READING
NOT APPLICABLE
MATH
NOT APPLICABLE
SCIENCE
NWEA
*
8130 South California Avenue. Serving
students from the community of Wrightwood. Most students live within 2 miles.
ISAT
72.9 READING
72.3 MATH
70.4 SCIENCE
NWEA
**
56.0 READING
61.3 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
1.1 READING
1.3 MATH
724
students
98.6% African American
0.7% Hispanic
0.6% Caucasian
0.1% American Indian
86% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
*
*
**
60.4 READING
62.0 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
1.4 READING
1.7 MATH
CICS
PRAIRIE
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 1998
11530 South Prairie Avenue. Serving
students from the Roseland community;
many are within walking distance.
ISAT
425
students
96% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
FOOTNOTES & EXTRAS
* Above Average Performance
65.8 READING
76.9 MATH
** Exemplary Performance (NWEA Only Category)
58.7 SCIENCE
NWEA
59.8% African American
40% Hispanic
0.2% Caucasian
*
*
**
64.0 READING
Note: Not enough data on NWEA Science to be
considered for calculations.
59.4 MATH
GROWTH INDEX
2.4 READING
1.3 MATH
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2010AnnualReport
LONGWOOD
1309 West 95th Street. Serving students
from the community of Washington
Heights and the South Side of Chicago.
CLASS OF 2010 (107 STUDENTS)
17.9
ACT COMP.
AVERAGE
559
students
99.1% African American
0.8% Hispanic
0.1% Caucasian
23%
SCORING
PATRIOTS
(K–8) OPENED AUGUST 2010
N
(9–12) OPENED AUGUST 1997
CICS
EW IO
N IT
D
AD
H L
IG O
H HO
SC
CICS
615 South 5th Street, Rockford, IL. Opened in August 2010 to serve
students in grades K–4, and will open a new grade each subsequent
year. This is CICS’s first campus outside of Chicago.
Director Charo Chaney, a Rockford native, has a rich history
of educating Rockford children. The campus enjoys strong community
partnerships with Patriots Gateway Center and Zion Development
Corporation, and recently received $500K of in-kind donations from
ETA Cuisenaire.
ABOVE 20
87.7% 98%
4-YEAR COHORT COLLEGE
GRAD. RATE
ACCEPTANCE
83% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
NORTHTOWN ACAD.
(9–12) OPENED AUGUST 2003
3900 West Peterson Avenue. Serving
students from the communities around
the city of Chicago.
838
students
50.4% Hispanic
26.2% Caucasian
12.4% Asian/Pacific Islander
10.4% African American
0.6% Native American
H L
IG O
H HO
SC
CICS
CLASS OF 2010 (176 STUDENTS)
19.1
ACT COMP.
AVERAGE
38%
SCORING
CICS
SUMMARY STATISTICS
Chicago International has made significant progress toward its goal of
closing the achievement gap between the performance of our students
and the performance of their more economically advantaged peers.
This is most evident in the year-on-year positive Growth Index numbers
for the NWEA. With this exceptional progress, we fully expect to close
the gap in all of our schools by 2013.
ABOVE 20
73.1% 97%
NWEA AGGREGATE
4-YEAR COHORT COLLEGE
GRAD. RATE
ACCEPTANCE
NWEA
GROWTH INDEX*
75% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
2.3
2.0
2.2
2.2
3.3
3.3
*A growth index above zero indicates that, compared to national performance, growth is above average.
RALPH ELLISON
(9–12) OPENED AUGUST 2006
H L
IG O
H HO
SC
CICS
68.1%
MATH
READING
8001 South Honore. Serving students
from the Auburn-Gresham community
and surrounding neighborhoods.
AVERAGE
578
students
98.2% African American
1.0% Hispanic
0.5% Caucasian
0.3% Asian/Pacific Islander
25%
SCORING
62.2%
61%
2008
62.2%
61%
61%
58%
58%
2009
2010
*Average of the percentage of students who meet/exceed NWEA growth target at the 50th percentile in grades 2–8.
ABOVE 20
ISAT AGGREGATE
83.5% 94%
4-YEAR COHORT COLLEGE
GRAD. RATE
67.3%
64.1%
NATIONAL MATH
58%
NATIONAL READING
CLASS OF 2010 (93 STUDENTS)
18.3
ACT COMP.
65.5%
79.6%
ACCEPTANCE
CICS MATH
91% Receive Free/Reduced Lunch Benefits
79%
77%
73.5%
LARRY HAWKINS
CICS COMPOSITE 72%
CPS COMPOSITE
72%
CICS READING
CICS SCIENCE
801 East 133rd Place. Opened in September 2010 to serve students in
grades 7–12. Named by community members to honor the life of Larry
Hawkins, a prominent advocate for Chicago youth.
Director Thomas Anderson has a track record of raising the bar at
public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. The opening of CICS
Lloyd Bond and CICS Larry Hawkins provides a K–12 continuum for
residents in and around the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood.
30
|FocalPoint
72%
69.6%
70%
N
(7–12) OPENED AUGUST 2010
EW IO
N IT
D
AD
CICS
68.8%
67%
ACT AVERAGE
CICS HIGH SCHOOL
GRAD. RATE
Chicago Public
Schools (CPS)
68%
2008
CICS HIGH SCHOOL
71%
70%
66%
2009
2010
18.2
18.5
18.1
N/A
81.6%
80.0%
2008
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
FUNDER PROFILE
2010AnnualReport
Pass With Flying Colors
Pass with Flying Colors, a new non-profit
organization providing underserved students
in Chicago with resources to succeed in
school, announced its launch last spring by
partnering with Chicago International’s newest
high school, CICS Larry Hawkins. To kick
off its inaugural school year, Pass with Flying
Colors presented every CICS Larry Hawkins
students with a fully supplied backpack,
and has also committed to funding all of
the school’s extra-curricular programming
including arts, drama, and sports.
Pass With Flying Colors (PWFC) provides
Chicago high school students with the tools
necessary to be successful in school and
successful in life. PWFC provides students
with enrichment programming and other
essential resources to build self-esteem
including: After-school clubs, school supplies
for students, school uniforms, and winter
outerwear. They provide this support for
students in the hope that they will graduate
from high school with confidence and go on
to be successful in their next educational
endeavor or career choice.
Chicago International has outlined a distinct
set of programs and resources that will
better fulfill our mission in the secondary
grades. We strongly believe that all CICS
high school students must graduate with the
skills they need to succeed in college, the
workplace, and life. Pass with Flying Colors’
commitment to our students demonstrates
how the missions of both partners are fully
aligned. “The commitment of Pass with
Flying Colors to support CICS Larry Hawkins
is paramount to the future success of the
school,” said Beth Purvis, Executive Director
of Chicago International Charter School.
“With its support, this organization has made
a statement to the Altgeld community that its
children matter and that it is the responsibility
of all Chicago residents to ensure that even
the most economically disadvantaged children
have access to a high quality place to live and
to learn.”
as its first school partner because of their
rigorous academic standards and culture of
discipline and respect present in the schools.
The programming supported by CICS and
PWFC complements the rigorous curriculum
of the school day with clubs and activities
that boost social-emotional development,
so students leave high school with the selfesteem to go to college, and the skills to
graduate from college.
The programs for our first year include:
After-School Programming—funding all
after-school clubs at Larry Hawkins for
the 2010–2011 school year
Summer College Experience—providing
scholarships for groups of students to
attend a live-in summer enrichment
camp at an area university
Tools—delivering 500 backpacks,
PWFC launched as a nonprofit in April
2010. Founders Kenny and Paula have one
objective: to see more high-school students
graduate from college, affording them more
opportunities as adults. PWFC selected CICS
loaded with school supplies, for all of
the students at Larry Hawkins; providing
winter coats/hats/gloves for students
who need them
OUR SUPPORTERS
A wide variety of individuals and family foundations support CICS. We thank them for their generous
contributions that help support our mission.
Gifts $10,000 and above
Gifts $1,000 and above
James Oliff
Bill Cooper
Howard Polk
Brittany Smith
Brian & Julie Simmons
Marcia Osher
C.W. Henderson & Associates, Inc.
Cary L. Neiman
Pam Strobel
Rauner Family Foundation
Groswenor Holdings LLC
Anthony Nasharr, III
Gates Charitable Trust
Jay & Cynthia Henderson
Bruce Hague
Richard Cortesi
Deborah Quazzo
Gifts $5,000 and above
Philip M. Friedman Family Trust
Douglas K. Walker
Tony Armour
Goldberg Kohn Ltd.
Gorter Family Foundation
Lavin Family Foundation
Brady Clegg
James G. Reilly
Howard Bernick Foundation
Catherine Gottfred
Matthew L. Conlon
Roger S. McEniry
Clare Munana
Phil Dodson
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ResearchBrief
Resource Allocation & Performance
Management in Charter Schools
Connections to Student Success
by Kenneth K. Wong, Francis X. Shen and Elizabeth Purvis
CICS COLLABORATIVE MODEL
CICS BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
CORE DUTIES
Oversees the strategic vision and
direction of the organization as
a whole
CICS
CENTRAL OFFICE
EDUCATION MANAGEMENT
ORGANIZATIONS (EMOs)
CORE DUTIES
Responsible for the strategic
management of the network and
its partners including:
Out-of-school activities,
communications, fundraising,
and enrollment
Finance and Compliance; Facilities
maintenance and improvement
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CAMPUSES
CORE DUTIES
EMOs hire a dynamic and highlyqualified school staff
CORE DUTIES
Director and educators establish
campus climate and culture
Provide professional development,
design and adopt curricula
Work collaboratively with parents
and community members
Manage faculty and staff to meet
performance objectives
Modify and implement the curricula
to best meet students’ needs
ResearchBrief
“What explains the differences between
effective and ineffective schools?”
Among researchers
who study charter
schools, a consensus
is emerging that it is
difficult to draw general
conclusions as to
whether or not charter schools nationally
perform better that traditional public
schools. Rather than asking, “Are charter
schools working?” the better questions to
ask might be, “Which charter schools are
effective and which are not?” and “What
explains the differences between the two?”
In an attempt to address these questions,
the current study focused on one unique
charter school—the Chicago International
Charter School. Chicago International is
unique both for its academic successes and
its management structure. The study sought
to better understand CICS performance at
both the system-wide and campus levels,
focusing specifically on:
1.) Resource allocation decisions by
CICS-contracted Education
Management Organizations (EMO)
2.) CICS management practices to
hold these EMOs accountable
The study was made possible through a
partnership between Chicago International
and researchers from the National Center
on School Choice, which allowed for
examination of student-level achievement
data as well as annual audit data collected
from 2003 through 2006 for CICS campuses.
The findings of this study were presented
at the National Center on School Choice
Conference held in October 2009.
In summary, the study
data indicated that:
POLICY AND RESEARCH
IMPLICATIONS
• Student achievement patterns cannot
be linked, through statistical analysis, to
differences in EMO spending across
CICS campuses.
Although the study was not able to identify
the connections between EMO spending
decisions and student success in the
Chicago International Charter School
campuses, the analysis makes clear the
need for more comparable financial data
as well as a method for reliably comparing
charter and traditional school spending
decisions. This research also serves as
a reminder of the fundamental challenge
of capturing complicated management
decisions in single financial indicators.
• From an operational and managerial
perspective, the success of Chicago
International can be attributed to a
mission-driven approach to education
that focuses on high-quality instruction in
core academics, maintaining a disciplined
environment, and evaluating performance
according to individual student growth
across core subject areas.
• CICS also believes in collaborative
relationships with its EMOs. EMOs are
actively engaged in the development
of their yearly targets. Moreover, the
data used to calculate contract “scores”
are forwarded to the EMOs for their
verification. If the EMOs disagree with
the way that the data were gathered or
analyzed, dialogue is encouraged.
• Another key to the success of the
Chicago International model is the
separation of duties between the
EMOs and the CICS central office.
The contract between CICS and each
EMO emphasizes that the EMO is
responsible for all activities that occur
within the walls of the school. The
central office of Chicago International
is responsible for all capital repairs and
improvements to buildings; local, state,
and federal compliance reporting; the
relationship with the charter authorizer;
and grant writing and fundraising.
For policymakers, an important lesson to
draw from Chicago International’s success
is that EMOs should be held accountable
through a hands-on performance
management system. Chicago International
manages its EMO relationships according
to student outcomes, not educational
inputs. This model cedes great control to
the EMO partner, which can be difficult
when an individual school is not performing
to its fullest potential. As an organization,
the board of directors, central office
staff, and EMO staff are continuously
negotiating around the levers of control.
During the next three years, Chicago
International plans to study more closely
the performance of its students and its
relationship with campus autonomy among
the EMOs.
Top left: Dr. ELIZABETH PURVIS, coauthor of study
and executive director of chicago international
charter school
FULL TEXT AVAILABLE ON
National Center on School Choice website
www.vanderbilt.edu/schoolchoice/conference/
papers/Wong-Shen.pdf
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CommitmenttoCollege
Their Time to Shine
A CICS Posse scholarship aspirant and current
Posse scholar reflect on their experiences
From September through December each
year, Posse, a national college access and
youth leadership development program,
uses a unique evaluation called the Dynamic
Assessment Program (DAP) to select its
scholars. DAP is designed to identify young
leaders who might be missed by traditional
admissions criteria, but who can excel at
selective colleges and universities.
Using non-traditional forums to evaluate
potential, DAP offers students an opportunity
to demonstrate their intrinsic leadership
abilities, their skill at working in a team
setting, and their motivation and desire
to succeed. DAP has proven to be an
extremely effective tool for identifying
outstanding young leaders. In a three-part
process, including large group and individual
interviews, Posse staff and university partner
administrators ultimately select a diverse
group of 10 students for each college or
university, thus forming a Posse.
SOURCE:
Posse Foundation website
www.possefoundation.org
CICS RALPH ELLISON
DEVEON ROSE class of 2011
Mr. Malone, my college counselor at CICS Ralph Ellison,
pointed out the Posse Program to me so I decided to give it a
try. The college application and Posse application process has
been a long one; it’s been a little tough on my mom as well.
Yesterday, she started filling out the early decision financial
aid paperwork and it’s a lot to manage, plus she’s still getting
used to the idea of me going away.
The Posse interview process has several steps. In early
September, we had a four-hour interview with a group of kids
like me. We did team-building activities like “build the tallest
tower out of a certain number of straws.” We couldn’t use our
good hand—I’m left-handed so I couldn’t use my left hand
during the activity.
My team worked well together, pushed each
other and said, “How can we make our tower
taller?” We did speaking activities where we
had to respond to statements like ‘pretend you
just won the Posse Scholarship.’ We also did
plays in which we discussed the benefits of
going to college.
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When I had to write an essay for Posse, I wrote about how
when I was in 8th grade at Turner Drew [a neighborhood
school], I wasn’t doing so well—but then I came to Ellison and
started doing better. I like it here, I’ve grown a lot here and
since I really like music, I recently wrote the school song.
My top three Posse schools are the University of Wisconsin
at Madison, Oberlin College, and Trinity College. But I am
keeping my options open beyond Posse as well—I recently
went to the 100 Black Men of Chicago Scholarship Fair and did
an on-the-spot admissions interviews for a college; I had to be
really prepared and bring my ACT scores, personal statement,
transcript, everything. It was a good experience.
Recently, I had my one-on-one interview with Posse
representatives and it went pretty well. Of course I was
nervous but when they asked me about the leadership roles
I’ve taken on and what could I provide to Posse, I said “I can
be a leader. I may not be the president of something but I’ll
be a leader when it counts.”
UPDATE: Deveon’s application for the Posse Scholarship was not
approved. But he remains optimistic about his other prospects.
commitmenttocollege
CICS LONGWOOD
CONEI COLEMAN class of 2007
I graduated from CICS Longwood in 2007, and when I did
my college search I was looking mainly at Illinois schools.
When the Posse program was brought to my attention by
Ms. Purham, my college counselor, it sounded promising so
I went with it. I researched the program a little bit, I learned
about the things they were trying to promote and do, and what
they could offer me as a student to help me be successful
in life. Then I looked into Madison which had just started up
its Posse program, and once I realized the accolades that
Madison was known for, I couldn’t not apply.
Biggest surprises? Coming from Chicago, from CICS
Longwood which is predominantly African-American,
I wasn’t accustomed to the diversity aspect at first but now
I like being part of a diverse community. The academic
aspect was the biggest transition for me—I learned that
college is basically a competition among students, and I felt
a lot of the other students were better prepared than I was.
But even though it was a big change, I’ve learned so much,
I don’t regret it for a minute.
To catch up I have relied on my posse, we study together all
the time and help each other out. The university is great for
support as well; I’m an economics major so I have used the
math and economics tutorial programs as well as the math
resource center. Any resource you need, it is available and
if it isn’t they will make it available. I am glad that I chose a
college with such strong support—I wasn’t sure I was going
to get that from the Chicago-based colleges I was looking at
before I found out about Posse.
The Posse program has helped dramatically;
it’s a recognized program on campus. If you’re
a Posse scholar people know it and they think
highly of the program. They know the Posse
students are here to bring leadership and
diversity, to bring something new to the campus
that wouldn’t otherwise be available.
I graduate in December 2011, and I’m looking to get into
asset management, something with finance and accounting.
I feel prepared because I’ve had plenty of internships,
including an internship in Chicago this past summer.
I got the internship through Posse—Posse is great at career
development and professional development. I met some really
successful people and learned things that you don’t learn in
the classroom. It’s a different type of learning, to learn in the
field versus in the classroom.
I go back to CICS Longwood from time to time to talk about
Posse and I hope for the best for other Posse applicants. I think
the program is getting competitive, but I would encourage
people to keep trying. I really love it here.
POSSE SCHOLARS UPDATE:
Congratulations to our high school seniors who will enter college as Posse Scholars in Fall 2011.
Michael Ayala, CICS Northtown
Oberlin College
Dione Gordon, CICS Longwood
DePauw University
Maribel Diaz, CICS Northtown
DePauw University
Kathleen Kivarkis, CICS Northtown
University of Wisconsin at Madison
Alante Ward, CICS Ralph Ellison
Connecticut College
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She used to lower her
head when the teacher
asked questions.
Now she raises her hand because
she knows all the answers.
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