ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

CHICAGO EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES TASK FORCE

September 14, 2010

Dear Community Leader:

You are being contacted because your organization has demonstrated great interest in and concern
about Chicago’s public schools. In 2009, the Illinois General Assembly enacted a law creating the
“Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force” (“CEFTF”) to analyze CPS facility-related school actions and
issue a report with recommendations for reform. The CEFTF members include two members from each
legislative caucus; a designee for the Chicago Public Schools; and representatives of the Chicago
Teachers’ Union, Chicago Principals’ and Administrators’ Association, and four community-based groups.
The law enacted by the General Assembly calls for broad public input, including holding public hearings
and focus groups with people throughout the city to find out what stakeholders in public education think
about the public school system in Chicago. The CEFTF’s Subcommittee on Public Input is convening a
focus group for community-based organizations and is looking for people interested in participating.

We invite you to participate, and identify up to 2 members or representatives of your organization

who could attend a focus group for community-based organizations on:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st, 2010 AT 2:00 PM

AT THE JAMES R. THOMPSON CENTER, 100 W. RANDOLPH, ROOM 2-029

The meeting will be conducted by Mary Filardo, a national expert on school facility master planning who
serves as a pro-bono advisor to the CEFTF. We are looking for your opinions on all aspects of CPS
school actions, from the way decisions are made and communicated to the public, to the equity of the
distribution of funds. The participants’ identities will be kept anonymous in order to encourage open and
honest feedback on CPS facility practices, but the content of the discussion will be reported back to the
task force to guide our analysis. Similar focus groups are being held for teachers, principals, students,
and elected officials.

The discussion will focus on your thoughts on CPS’ actions to close, consolidate, phase out,
“turn around” and/or open new schools; actions to repair and modernize existing school facilities;
and new school construction. In particular the Task Force is interested in learning from you about
steps that could be taken to improve CPS decision making and especially positive outcomes for our
public school students and communities. The meeting will last about two hours. (Please note: Childcare
will not be provided.) The resulting report will not include your organization’s or your representatives’
name or any information that could identify you. The information gathered during the group will be used
to prepare a report to the Illinois General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chicago Public Schools. The
Task Force expects that key recommendations will take the form of legislation to be introduced in the next
full session of the General Assembly. Thank you for considering this opportunity to provide your
organization’s insights.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact John Keigher of the House Democratic Staff (217-557-
5193), or Becky Locker of the Senate Democratic Staff (217-782-1920).

Sincerely,

State Representative Cynthia Soto State Senator Heather Steans

Co-Chairs of the Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force