Chicago Public Schools optimistic for post-pandemic success as students return to classes Monday
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Public Schools begin classes Monday, and that early start has some parents and students celebrating the return to learning and extra curricular activities in the wake of COVID impacts over the past few years.
Students sprinted into the new school year at a return to school celebration at Chicago's Fenger High School in West Roseland. It was the final CPS bash of the summer.
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CPS ninth grader Alexander Myles said he's ready for the competition.
"Grades... work... homework... sports," Myles said.
Some students and most parents said they're ready for classes to resume. Amar Fox has a daughter who is going into kindergarten.
"It gives us all hope for our future generations that they can live a better life than we're living right now," Fox said. "You know without all the violence."
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Another CPS student, Dremoni Shepherd, is going into 3rd grade at Metcalfe Academy in West Pullman.
"Looking forward to getting my grades up," Shepherd said.
CPS CEO Pedro Martinez spoke with ABC 7 about school starting a few weeks early before Labor Day.
"Now with a new calendar, the semester ends cleanly before Christmas break," Martinez said. "Our children can relax, then they come back to start a new semester. In addition, we're much more aligned with the higher education partners we have, whether it's the community colleges, the universities."
Kristin Curry said she's glad her kids are going back on Monday, especially after the pandemic.
"COVID kind of pushed everything backward and the kids kind of fell off and slowed down a lot," Curry said.
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According to data obtained by ABC7, from 2019 to 2022, CPS pupils lost about half a year in math education and a fifth of a year in reading education. Predominantly white northern suburbs saw gains in math and reading during the same time.
Martinez said last year was the first of a three-year CPS COVID recovery plan, and data will be released next week showing markers of improvement.
"A lot of challenges with COVID, a lot of instability," Martinez said. "We ended the year on a peaceful note. What's interesting is that year we still recorded a record graduation rate, and we had more students not needing any kind of remedial work after high school."
Martinez said there are 500 more teachers in the classroom now than at the start of the pandemic, with smaller class sizes. CPS also ended last year with more than 5,000 English language learners than what they started with.
