NY’s union prez says Chicago proves closing schools doesn’t work.

Michael Mulgrew, the new NY union chief looks at Chicago’s failed reforms and wonders why duplicate them in his city.

EdWize:

Instead of pursuing this misguided policy, we should learn from other cities — where such aggressive school-closing strategies have failed. The Chicago school system used a similar approach between 2001 and 2006, closing 38 schools. A study by the University of Chicago showed that the majority of students displaced by this process ended up in schools that were no better — and in some cases worse — than the schools that they had left.

It’s time the city’s Department of Education changed its policy to help — rather than close — struggling schools.

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