District 299 (CPS) is a monster: the third largest school district in the nation, with more than 20,000 teachers educating over 400,000 students in over 666 schools (please, no jokes about 666 and "the number of the beast"). According to the official CPS website:
Chicago Public Schools is led by a team of committed, distinguished and highly accomplished individuals working to improve the education of Chicago children.District 299 (the site) begs to differ.
District 299 ("The Unofficial Inside Scoop" per a prominently displayed disclaimer) is the brainchild of Alexander Russo. (BTW - Mr. Russo has another blog -- This Week in Education -- with a broader, "beyond Chicago" focus.)
Unfortunately, you wouldn't learn that, or much else, about him from his District 299 blog (where the brief About section confides that Russo "grew up on Roscoe Street in the 1970s, and started this blog in 2005"). Perhaps Russo's been burned before and is wary of giving away too much personal information. (FYI - Russo is described elsewhere as a "former Senate education staffer and journalist.")
Both of Russo's blogs are well written and professional. For many Chicago parents, District 299 (and Substance, "the newspaper of public education in Chicago") are essential reading. Russo's the proverbial gadfly (ditto for George Schmidt at Substance), standing up to the leviathan, acting as a counterweight to CPS's side of the story. Russo provides an astute, informed, alternative perspective (that "inside scoop").
What makes District 299 valuable? For one, it occupies an important niche. The blog serves as a nexus of information on CPS -- the place to go if you want an "unofficial" take on the news. For example, Russo had this to say about Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's appearance on the Colbert Report:
Arne Duncan was on the Colbert Report last night, talking about education and (of course) playing one on one against Colbert. I didn't think it was all that funny -- Arne just says the same things over and over again...For another, it offers a much-needed forum for disgruntled parents and disbelieving residents. When folks encounter public-school stats (one comment: "[CPS CEO Ron] Huberman makes up the numbers as he goes...") or stories (like the school violence summit) that seem fishy, they can visit District 299 and ask, "Am I crazy or...?" And quickly discover that they're neither nuts nor alone.
Like the tone you use to begin with. Playful. Inviting. But, I don't, get the sense that you were writing to me and your classmates--as we discussed in class.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm not sure how this is part of a systematic investigation.