AUSL blog
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Chicago’s Need for Special Education Teachers
If you’re considering a career as a teacher, you might find the most rewarding opportunities in special education. Over the past decade, Chicago and the nation have experienced a severe shortage of special education teachers. Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. In 2019–20, […]
A Return to School Perspective from the Academy for Urban School Leadership
As Chicago Public Schools students head back to the classroom this month for their first full-time, in-person learning experience in 17 months, many will be grappling with significant learning and social emotional loss. After schools transitioned to remote learning in March 2020 and only partially reopened in spring 2021, an alarming number of students were […]
Twenty years of Transforming Lives in and out of the Classroom
AUSL is an equity-focused non-profit that works tirelessly with the belief that all students should have access to an excellent education. Since 2001, AUSL’s conviction for equity in education has impacted thousands of students and families who reside in under-resourced communities. This weekend the Chicago Teacher Residency celebrated the graduation of Diverse Learner, Elementary, and Middle School teachers. Hear from CTR graduate Amaziah […]
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An Evening of Cocktails & Conversations Brings Together Professionals Passionate About Chicago Education
A shared passion for high-quality education and community engagement brought professionals, educators, and Residents together for a memorable evening at River Roast in downtown Chicago on October 18th. AUSL's Cocktails and Conversations is an event series aimed at inspiring and discussing the transformation of schools and communities. Mark Bazer, the host and executive producer of The Interview Show, moderated the event, facilitating dialogues with the evening's featured speakers, Kristie Langbehn, Deputy Chief of Network 8 in Chicago Public Schools, and Andrés Fernández, Executive...
Chicago Public Schools Board of Education Approves Three Year Chicago Teacher Residency Contract Extension
On October 25th, 2023, the Chicago Board of Education unanimously approved a new agreement with AUSL's Teacher Residency program. The new agreement will begin on July 1, 2024 and end on June 30, 2027 with two additional options for renewal that could extend through June 30, 2029. This historic agreement with CPS will allow AUSL to recruit and train approximately 600 new teachers for students in Chicago Public Schools over five years. It also represents an exciting opportunity to continue to positively impact the educators, schools, and communities we serve. The current cohort of CTR...
CTR Hosts September Principal Collaborative
On September 12th, The Chicago Teacher Residency hosted its quarterly CTR Partnership School Collaborative, convening our partnership school principals to deepen their knowledge of CTR resources, reflect on and share best practices in school leadership, and strengthen their professional network of support. This session focused on building a healthy school culture and climate to train new teachers, with an emphasis on modeling and building emotional intelligence.To encourage collaboration and shared learning, principals are asked to share lessons from their own experiences. This quarter...
New Residents Begin the CTR Year with an Informative and Community-Building Orientation
“I am learning from the best,” new resident David Armstrong reflected, “from educators who not only understand the ins-and-outs of CPS culture, but passionate educators who have the experience to back it all up.” The incoming cohort of 89 residents recently completed their five-day orientation for the Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR). The CTR team welcomed the residents with community building and foundational information to prepare for the year ahead.The orientation sessions covered the CTR’s values, teaching frameworks, and tools to be an effective educator. Chi Blasingame joined the...
New Class of Teacher Residents Gather for Program Kick-Off
Chicago Teacher Residency's 2024 class gathered for the first time to connect before embarking on a new chapter in their careers. Residents met colleagues teaching across several subject areas, learning each others’ motivations and journeys to becoming teachers. Some join the cohort with experience in education as counselors or substitute teachers while others come from industries such as scientific research and airline service. With varied backgrounds, many residents shared their interest in advancing and establishing their careers through Chicago Teacher Residency’s training and...
AUSL’s LiberatED Way Hosts Second Annual Leaders LinkUp – The Unconference
AUSL’s LiberatED Way brought more than 80 school leaders from across the country to Chicago for their second annual LiberatED Leaders LinkUp (L3). The three-day event began with a sunset cruise along the Chicago River for the leaders to connect over dinner and views of the city. The workshops and discussions continued at The Metropolitan, lifestyle and business club on the 67th floor of Willis Tower. Taking on the style of an Unconference, the LiberatED Way team developed the sessions based on input from the attendees. The L3 Unconference centered Gen Z, the trailblazing generation of...
Advisory Services Molly Leger publishes article in Edutopia, prepares for LiberatED Leaders LinkUp conference
AUSL’s Molly Leger, Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives co-authored a piece on equity-centered leadership that was published in Edutopia in January. The "5 Ways to Implement Equity-Centered Leadership Practices" article was based on her research and experience supporting the LiberatED Way. Molly also presented on the power of student-centered graduate portraits in galvanizing school communities at the recent AERA conference in Chicago. "Molly has continued to serve as an important thought leader to help us both amplify and enhance our LiberatED Way powered by AUSL work,” Martin...
Associates Board meets to discuss leading educational transformations
Terrill Wilkins was a high school history teacher before he moved to the Midwest to pursue a legal career. “I loved working with and coaching my students, and supporting them towards their academic and postsecondary goals,” Wilkins said. “Teachers are the foundation of a student’s educational journey and AUSL’s CTR is at the frontlines of ensuring Chicago’s students have equitable opportunities to achieve postsecondary success.” Wilkins joined AUSL’s Associates Board in 2013 and has become a champion of AUSL and teachers in Chicago. In March, the Co-Chair of the Associates Board hosted an...
CTR Partnership School Job Fair
More than 50 Chicago Teacher Residency residents participated in the Partnership School Job Fair in March. The job fair brought in 20 schools to speak with graduating CTR residents. Some residents left the networking event with job offers in hand. “It was a wonderful job fair, residents looked sharp and the schools brought their swag,” Kate Peterson, Director of the CTR said. “There was conversation, laughter and excitement. Many residents expressed their enjoyment in meeting school teams they hadn’t previously considered in their job search.” Carina Pruitt, Associate Director of the CTR...
The Academy for Urban School Leadership Elevates Student Success with Annual Fundraiser
Philanthropists Greg and Kim Wasson and Institutional Partner DePaul University Honored on November 9, 2022 for Their Support of Equity in Education
