What Is Chicago Missing? What Would You Do To Improve it? (Washington: credit, live)

[nana053]

Originally Posted by NealIRC

By the way, dumb students have dumb parents.

Asian parents can take their kids to the public schools, mixed with the other races, and if the Asian students perform better than everyone else, it's really not due to the schools and teachers, but the parents.

Think about it.

If Jewish parents had their kids raised in the Chicago Public Schools (which certainly saves them some $$), those Jewish kids will still turn out smarter than everyone else.

Dumb kids are caused by dumb parents.

Lumping all asians together is actually not very smart of you. There are different asian cultures and different kids perform well or poorly. One example is the Vietnamese kids who often do not do so well in American schools

http://www.csos.jhu.edu/CRESPAR/TechReports/report8.pdf

High academic achievement has been so closely linked in the public’s mind with Asian American students that it is difficult for many to think of them as at-risk students. Much of the literature certainly reflects this phenomenon. Just as literature on African American students is skewed toward school failure, that on Asian American students is skewed toward high achievement.

Southeast Asian students are more likely to be at risk of school failure or of dropping out than students of other Asian American ethnic groups. This has to do, at least in part, with the hardships and trauma these students and/or their parents suffered in battlefields, refugee detention camps, and boat rides to freedom as a result of the political turmoil in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos

Jewish children, I suspect, are being pulled out of the Chicago public schools due to the bullying that these children may receive (even at high achieving schools)

Chicago Public Schools Students Play "Kill the Jews"

[compactspace]

Originally Posted by Wendy013

My fix would be to reform the financial health of the city. Fully fund pensions and convert to 401K plus social security going forward. (We're dreaming, right?) Balance the budget(s) long term. Build up a rainy day fund.

This. Once the finances are fixed, the city can issue bonds for capital works just like cities should. Then could come the construction of new rail lines and so forth. Because right now: what a mess!

[nearnorth]

Less segregation, less racism, less poverty, less crime, better schools (all of these are related).

Less corruption, lower taxes, lower rent, no Rahm.

More focus on the arts. Less obsession with sports.

Less suburbification/brofication of the city.

Oh, and yes, public transportation, including a further west train to connect the spokes. If that can't be done, then at least a rapid bus along Ashland and/or Western to connect them.

More bike lanes or some other sort of system that allows people to bicycle without being hit by cars.

[MassVt]

A return of Chicago's historic manufacturing base.....and a Red Line--Blue Line express bus connection (along Addison).

[doodlemagic]

Under the Aqua building going all the way to like state street and connecting to some of the nicer hotels is an underground tunnel. You can pretty much get from navy pier to state wihtout stepping outside. I think it would be cool to have more of those.

[eating while walking]

I've said this before, but I would like to see a really awesome night market here, like they have in many Asian cities. Imagine a really big lot, about a football field in size, that is completely empty during the day. But at night, the whole thing transforms into a complete circus. Tons of vendors just flood in and set up shop. Tons of street food stands, curio sellers, carnival games, etc. Just good clean fun for the whole family.

It would have to be reasonably close to downtown, with EL access. Maybe somewhere along Lake St on the near west side? That way you have Green Line access and the bustling Randolph St corridor just to the south. There seem to be a lot of underutilized industrial lots out there for something like this.

[NealIRC]

Originally Posted by eating while walking

I've said this before, but I would like to see a really awesome night market here, like they have in many Asian cities. Imagine a really big lot, about a football field in size, that is completely empty during the day. But at night, the whole thing transforms into a complete circus. Tons of vendors just flood in and set up shop. Tons of street food stands, curio sellers, carnival games, etc. Just good clean fun for the whole family.

It would have to be reasonably close to downtown, with EL access.

Isn't this Navy Pier, only at night?

Chicago has plenty of seasonal carnivals, usually lasting 4 days per event.

[chiMT]

Since it's been mentioned already, I will jump in to support CPS. For what it's worth, I consider myself a researcher in the field of education, and have worked in an abundance of CPS schools.

As for how money could improve some (not solve all) of our public school problems:

1. Build more schools (particularly high schools)
2. Hire more teachers and faculty (counselors, nurses, librarians, etc)

Both of the above will improve education in every way (academics, health, social intelligence, etc)

3. Refurbish most of the schools in existence, particularly high schools. Better facilities (everything from classrooms to bathrooms). More resources (laptops, technology, supplies, furniture, etc).

Again, not only do you improve academics, but health and well-being, which are easily just as important as academics (and not surprisingly, contribute to academics).

4. Professional development for all teachers and faculty, including principals, admins, up to superintendents and politicians. Even for parents. Of course, what exactly is meant by "professional development" will be disagreed upon by many people, but essentially it should be backed by the best research in the field of education and developmental psychology, rather than political and corporate interest groups. That would be a good start.

Not surprisingly, if we improve education, a lot of other problems will "fix" themselves. Better educated people can solve problems better and, in some peoples' view of education, will make people better not only academically, but socially... and in every way really. More healthy and empowered students become more healthy and empowered adults, and the sky becomes the limit for what we can do with our city.

Finally I must say that the answer is not more "selective enrollment" schools. The answer to better public schools, rather, is based on the principle of equity. That means offering more funds to the schools that need it most (usually schools with the most kids in poverty) -- not creating a few more schools where only 1% of students will go.

[nightlysparrow]

Financially induce Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon to build huge branches in Englewood, and require them to have paid in-house training and internships for high school students, prioritizing admission for students dwelling in the immediate neighborhood.

[long101]

Well, financially fixing the city would probably be the 'best' thing to come from unlimited money, as it would have an impact on everything (including schools and transit).

But since I'm dreaming... I'd build a world class ski resort in Gary, In. I'm pretty sure all the $ in the world can build a mountain the rivals CO