![\"Kendyl](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/54853f1\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5998x4001+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7d%2F4c%2F264bbbb84dc1a472361b0fb57ec0%2Fartshs-10xx25-05.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe board that oversees the Chicago High School for the Arts has decided not to renew its contract with Chicago Public Schools, casting doubt on the future of the city\u2019s only arts-focused public high school.
\nIn a message to families, ChiArts Board Executive Director Tina Boyer Brown and principal N\u00e9stor Corona said \u201cincreasing financial challenges\u201d led the board to its \u201cvery difficult\u201d decision, adding that rising operating costs have led to an \u201cunsustainable\u201d deficit.
\n\u201cThis means the board will not manage the school after the end of this school year,\u201d the message said.
\nIt assured parents that the decision will not affect the current school year. It said school leadership is \u201cworking hand in hand with CPS to secure a long-term solution that continues ChiArts\u2019 unique conservatory model.\u201d The school, which sits on the edge of Humboldt Park on Chicago\u2019s West Side, enrolls about 550 students and opened in 2009.<\/p>\n
The Chicago High School for the Arts is pictured Thursday at 2714 W. Augusta Blvd., in Humboldt Park.
\nAnthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
ChiArts is a privately managed contract school \u2013 similar to a charter \u2013 funded by public and donor dollars. The five-hour academic portion of students\u2019 days is paid for with public money, and three hours of arts education each day is paid for through a foundation that is supported by donors.
\nCPS said that no decisions have been made about the school\u2019s long-term future.
\n\u201cAny decisions about the school\u2019s future will require more review, conversations, and collaboration,\u201d the district said in a statement.<\/p>\n
This is the second privately-run, publicly-funded school to announce this school year that it plans to close in June. The board of Epic Charter School in South Chicago voted last month to close.
\nIt comes after the Chicago Board of Education took the extraordinary step of saving five charter schools that were part of the Acero network from closing last year. Charter schools have struggled as their enrollment plummet.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kendyl Holman, 15, stands for a photo Thursday at the Chicago High School for the Arts n Humboldt Park. The future of the school remains uncertain and students like Kendyl spent all day talking about the news of its possible closure.
\nAnthony Vazquez\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n
Kendyl Holman, 15, of Bronzeville, said she heard of the school\u2019s possible closure Thursday, and the news has been the talk of the school the whole day.
\nHolman said her plan was to hone her art skills at ChiArts so she could get a scholarship to study art after graduation. The closure would add wrinkles to that plan, as she now needs to start looking at other schools to transfer to, she said.
\nWhile the school can be challenging at times, \u201cthere\u2019s a big community here,\u201d with its conservatory setting, Holman said.<\/p>\n
In January 2024 the CPS board approved a contract renewal of two years for ChiArts through June 30, 2026. At the time it was recommended for only a two-year renewal because it received a `does not meet standards\u2019 rating in the Financial and Operational performance evaluation.
\nSchool leaders and CPS said they will host town halls with families to discuss the move. The school is hosting a virtual meeting Thursday and an in-person gathering Oct. 6. Another virtual meeting is slated for Oct. 7.<\/p>\n
The decision not to renew the contract between ChiArts and CPS has raised concerns about the future of the school and its students. The school’s unique conservatory model and arts-focused education have made it a valuable asset to the community, and its potential closure could have a significant impact on the students and families it serves.<\/p>\n
Q: What is ChiArts and why is it important?
\nA: ChiArts is the Chicago High School for the Arts, a publicly-funded school that provides a unique conservatory model of education with a focus on arts.
\nQ: Why did the ChiArts board decide not to renew its contract with CPS?
\nA: The board cited increasing financial challenges and an unsustainable deficit as the reasons for its decision.
\nQ: What will happen to the school and its students?
\nA: The future of the school is uncertain, but CPS and school leaders are working together to find a long-term solution that will continue the school’s unique model.
\nQ: How will the decision affect the students and families?
\nA: The decision could have a significant impact on the students and families, as they may need to find alternative schools and arrangements for their education.
\nQ:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Introduction to ChiArts The board that oversees the Chicago High School for the Arts has decided not to renew its contract with Chicago Public Schools, casting doubt on the future of the city\u2019s only arts-focused public high school. In a message to families, ChiArts Board Executive Director Tina Boyer Brown and principal N\u00e9stor Corona said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29519,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-29517","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-education"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/e1c4db5\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5998x3424+0+289\/resize\/1461x834!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F25%2Faa%2F9951e27c4075afe02293c094a2d9%2Fartshs-10xx25-01.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29517"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29517"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29520,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29517\/revisions\/29520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}