In the mid-1990s, Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley tried a massive upheaval of Chicago's failing school district. He took power of the 427,000-student district away from the local school board, and hand-picked reforms to reverse poor performance, lower drop out rates, improve teacher empowerment and increase community involvement. Students have responded positively, and other cities have taken notice and used some of his ideas to improve their own schools, restore confidence in public schools, and decrease urban flight.

Key components of the Chicago Model:

1.  Decentralize decision making
2.  Breakup political gridlock
3.  Allocate resources to the students and schools that need it most
4.  Set up local school councils comprised of six parents, two teachers, two community residents, and in the case of high schools, one student

For more information please click the following links:

NW REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORY
www.nwrel.org/nwedu/winter99/lessons.html
This site includes an important look at schools in the inner city, including an eight part series of articles called "Lessons from the cities." The articles in this web site are timely, relevant and beneficial to teachers of all ages.

COUNCIL OF THE GREAT CITY SCHOOLS
http://www.cgcs.org/
This site is the coalition of the nation's 65 largest urban public schools. It is loaded with helpful and innovative resources to help the middle education teacher in the urban setting. It has links to education materials and curricula, and also educational grant opportunities, as well as access to the important and timely publication, Urban Educator.

IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS
http://www.mdrc.org/inpractice/pwrpt/AchGapPresentation/a_gap_1.htm
This site serves as a case study of school reform in large urban school systems, as examined by the Council of the Great City Schools.

CENTER FOR EDUCATION REFORM
http://www.edreform.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=section&pSectionID=5&CFID=5280762&CFTOKEN=23617196
This site is a general overview of how to reform any school, as well as a layout of what states have effective public and private schools.