Assistant principals (APs) have multifaceted roles in Chicago’s public schools. They serve as instructional leaders, operational managers, student advocates, and important contact points for the community, among others. In this series, “The Many Roles of APs,” we present the work and experiences of APs around Chicago to better understand how they contribute to their school communities.   AP Latricia Baker-Tall has served Wendell E. Green Elementary School for nine years. Her journey from a math teacher to an impactful administrator reflects her deep-seated passion for developing teachers ..read more

Assistant principals (APs) have multifaceted roles in Chicago’s public schools. They serve as instructional leaders, operational managers, student advocates, and important contact points for the community, among others. In this series, “The Many Roles of APs,” we present the work and experiences of APs around Chicago to better understand how they contribute to their school communities.   The five APs of Curie High School provide a perfect example of the broad range of work that their position requires. Each one brings unique strengths and approaches that make a significant impact on every ..read more

At The Fund, we believe school leadership matters, whether in Chicago or anywhere else. Our joint report with the Illinois Principals Association, The Illinois Principal: Their Work, Their Challenges, Their Impact, shows that this maxim holds true in widely differing school districts across the state. In many ways, principals across Illinois have similar duties, face similar obstacles, and need similar support. For example, all the school leaders we spoke to found value in working closely with their communities, and they all shared ways in which inadequate funding and educator workforce shorta ..read more

A major change is about to come for Chicago in 2024: For the first time, voters will have the opportunity to elect the school board that will oversee Chicago Public Schools (CPS). This change has been in the works since legislation authorizing an elected school board passed in 2021, and while there are still details to work out, it is certain that the shift to an elected board will affect school leaders in CPS. Having a functional and responsive elected school board will be essential to provide good governance that will continue the favorable conditions in which CPS principals lead their schoo ..read more

Illinois school systems represent a dynamic educational landscape with challenges unique to individual schools and districts. Yet when evaluated from the school principal’s lens, overarching themes emerge that call for large-scale responses. Since principals in Chicago and across the state shoulder significant responsibilities with far-reaching effects, their voices must be at the center of any effort to address shared challenges. Our new report, The Illinois Principal: Their Work, Their Challenges, Their Impact, is a joint effort between The Fund and the Illinois Principals Association (IPA ..read more

As Latino/a/x Heritage Month comes to an end, The Fund is excited to share the launch of the new Affinity Group Program in partnership with the Latino/a/x Leadership Pipeline (LLP) and Center Forward. Together, we aim to advance 20 aspiring leaders — 10 Latino/a/x and 10 Black — into principal and assistant principal roles within Chicago Public Schools (CPS) by 2025.   This collaboration comes at a pivotal moment. While 81.9% of CPS students identify as Latino/a/x or Black, only 62.7% of principals identify as such. By providing identity-based mentorship and professional development ..read more

In this Q&A with Marie Garza-Hammerlund, we learn about her journey to becoming principal of Albany Park Multicultural Academy. She also discusses her participation in The Fund’s Professional Learning Communities and Summer Design Program. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.   The Fund: How did you end up pursuing a career in education?   Principal Garza-Hammerlund: I am a native Chicagoan and a Chicago Public Schools high school graduate. While in college, I realized I wanted to become a teacher. I was lucky enough to obtain a job at the elementary school loca ..read more

Last year, we interviewed Principal Derrick Kimbrough of Jahn School of Fine Arts to learn about his journey to becoming a principal. He is an active participant in our programming — including Leadership Bridge, Professional Learning Communities, and the Summer Design Program — and has an interesting story to share. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.   The Fund: Tell us about yourself and how you got into education as a career. Principal Kimbrough: I started as the new principal of Jahn School of Fine Arts on July 1, 2022. [It was] my 18th year in education. Education ..read more

In mid-July, we shared the results from our 2023 Principal Engagement Survey with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) principals. This was our tenth annual survey, and 70% of principals at district-managed schools responded, providing representative insight on satisfaction, development needs, and retention. The survey responses inform our programming and help us to work toward our mission to improve public schools in Chicago by investing in the talented educators who lead them. For the first time, we are excited to announce the program changes that are informed by the survey before the start of the s ..read more

A student from Carl Schurz High School briefly touched the news cycle in June 2022. Simone Peña was the first graduate from Schurz’s dual-language program. A mere four years after coming to America from Mexico, and knowing only very basic English at that time, Peña is now at Harvard University on a full-ride scholarship, where she is studying political science. “At [Schurz], they accept all types of students,” Peña told Univision, a Spanish-language television network reporting on her achievements. “In Illinois, opportunities like [scholarships and assistance programs] can be given to any stud ..read more