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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AUSL Attends CPS CEO Pedro Martinez’s Address to City Club
On December 5th, AUSL supported CPS CEO Pedro Martinez's address to City Club through a half table sponsorship. The half table sponsorship was used to invite AUSL team members to the event alongside LSAC members Socorro Gaytan and Jaqueline Vargas. CEO Martinez's address focused on how Chicago’s students are seeing growth in their proficiency rates, especially when looking at early literacy rates among K-2 students. Among K-2 student literacy rates in school year 2022-2023, Chicago Public Schools reported: Proficiency quadrupled, going from 9% to 39% by the end of the year Students...
The AUSL Team Convenes for Town Hall
On November 7th, the AUSL team gathered at DePaul University to come together and foster a sense of unity and purpose at an in-person town hall meeting. This collaborative event provided a platform for team members to align around the organization's mission, vision, and values, cultivating a shared understanding and commitment across teams. Beyond reinforcing our collective identity, the town hall provided an opportunity for cross-departmental connections and programmatic insights, allowing team members to delve into AUSL's rich history and strategize on maximizing impact in the coming...
Chicago Teacher Residency hosts Partnership School Visit at Marquette School of Excellence
On Thursday, December 7th, the Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) held "Impact in Action: CTR Partnership School Visit," providing attendees with a unique opportunity to witness the impactful outcomes of the CTR program in-person. The event brought together AUSL supporters, Partnership School Principals and Assistant Principals, Program Partners, and future Residents. Marquette School of Excellence and their tremendously passionate and talented teachers generously hosted the event. Marquette School of Excellence is a PK-8 school on Chicago’s Southwest side that serves over 1000 students, of...
Chicago Teacher Residency Names 10 Values Award Recipients
Throughout the year, the Chicago Teacher Residency distributes CTR Values Awards to current Residents that embody three values: Student-Centered, Equity-Driven, and Courage to Persist. CTR staff celebrated the first awards of the year at October’s Professional Development meeting. These ten Residents were awarded a CTR Values Award before winter break: Rhonda Little (Courage to Persist) “Rhonda has demonstrated resilience throughout this program, including at Dulles Sschool of Excellence and in her DePaul courses. She’s alway eager to help and collaborate with her fellow residents....
AUSL’s 2023 Impact Report
Dear Friends and Supporters, As we turn the page and begin a new and reinvigorating era of service to quality education in Chicago and beyond, we must acknowledge the tremendous support of the partners and supporters that have made this work possible for over 20 years. This year’s Impact Report captures the story of our work in action and its authentic results, while celebrating those that make this all possible. While our role in school management has concluded, our dedication to students across Chicago and the country remains steadfast. We’ve been hard at work recruiting passionate,...
Chicago Teacher Residency Names the Year’s First Value Award Recipients
Throughout the year, the Chicago Teacher Residency distributes CTR Value Awards to current Residents that embody three values: Student-Centered, Equity-Driven, and Courage to Persist. CTR staff celebrated the first awards of the year at October's Professional Development meeting. These five Residents were the year's first award winners: Shantavia Russell (Student-Centered) “Shantavia is extremely student centered and driven in all the work she does. She has built extremely strong relationships and rapport with her students. She has a positive no nonsense warm demeanor teacher...
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...