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, the number of students ages 3–21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.3 million, or 14 percent of all public-school students. Data shows that black and brown and students are identified with a disability at a 40 percent higher rate. According to the most recent federal data available, just over 82 percent of special education teachers in public schools are white, while only about half of students receiving special education services are white, according to 2017-18 data. Yet teacher diversity matters: decades of research has shown that students often perform better academically when they are taught by teachers of the same race. All teachers need to be patient and understanding, but these traits are even more essential for special education teachers, as a teacher and student will often spend extra time and energy on a single task. […]
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 absent from their classes and/or earned failing grades. Additionally, the isolation and stresses of stay-at-home protocols created gaps in their social-emotional skills. This is especially true in low-income communities on the South and West Sides. One analysis showed that the same public high schools with the highest rise in Fs and declines in attendance serve almost entirely low-income students and students of color. These students and their families experienced the traumas of illness and loss, as well as food, housing and economic insecurity at higher rates. The cumulative impact of these obstacles raises concern that students, especially low-income children of color and those with special needs, will face challenges reacclimating to in-person learning. The key to helping children regain their academic and social-emotional footing lies at the heart of the classroom – teachers. Well-trained, highly effective teachers not only bring academic rigor to classrooms, but […]
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 Burton, class of 2021, on why she chose to become a resident in AUSL’s Chicago Teacher Residency. AUSL’s Chicago Teacher Residency has trained 1,218 teachers. Over 80% of our 2021 CTR class graduates are teachers of color, and 54% are special needs teachers. With your support, AUSL will continue to leverage our innovative expertise by training high-quality teachers to serve in schools with the greatest need and face higher levels of teacher turnover.
AUSL’s 2025 Impact Report
AUSL Friends and Supporters, Thanks to your unwavering support, 2025 was a year of meaningful growth and impact for AUSL. It was a joy to welcome a new class of resident teachers, watch them grow into confident educators, and celebrate one of our largest graduating classes in over a decade.…
Road to Graduation: Maria Pulido Discovers Purpose in the Classroom
The first time one of Maria Pulido’s students spoke to her without prompting, everything else in the room faded. The student, who is mostly nonverbal and typically only responds with support, spoke independently for the first time. “Ms. Pulido, my table is number 5.” It was a simple sentence. Easy…
Road to Graduation: Maria Reflects on the New Year & Her Final Semester
As the new year begins, AUSL resident teacher Maria Pullido is stepping into her final semester of the AUSL Teacher Residency, ready to continue growing and excited for graduation and her future classroom! As she crosses the halfway point, we caught up with Maria to ask her to reflect on…
2025 AUSL Teacher of Excellence Award: Jasmyne Portee-Haywood
AUSL Teacher of Excellence Award Celebrating Mrs. Jasmyne Portee-Haywood, Class of 2013 During AUSL’s Annual Benefit Dinner, Dewey School of Excellence Principal Charlene Reynolds presented first grade teacher Jasmyne Portee-Haywood with AUSL’s inaugural Teacher of Excellence Award. A CTR alumna, mentor teacher, and leader on Dewey’s Instructional Leadership Team, Mrs.…
Road to Graduation: Maria Reflects on Her First Lead Teach
Just two months into the AUSL Teacher Residency, resident teacher Maria Pullido stepped into the classroom for her first Lead Teach experience — a milestone that asks resident teachers to plan, deliver, and manage a full day of instruction on their own. For Maria, it was a moment she had…
Teaching for Transformation: Erika’s Mission to Change Lives Through Education
“I’ve always considered myself a bit of a disruptor,” said Chicago resident teacher Erika Oyinloe. “I get the opportunity to be a change maker in the classroom. I just want to make sure that as long as I’m in the room, the student with the least amount of resources will…
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AUSL’s Teacher Residency Partner: DePaul University
Since 2015, AUSL’s Teacher Residency program has partnered with DePaul University’s College of Education to address the critical teacher shortages many schools across the country face, especially in high-need content areas. Together, we recruited and trained new teachers while increasing the number of student teaching hours in the classroom and investing in training experienced teachers as mentors who model and give continual feedback as Residents put theory into practice.Why Choose DePaul University? DePaul University is nationally ranked, renowned for its robust academic programs and...
AUSL’s 2024 Impact Report
Friends and Supporters, Thanks to your unwavering support, 2024 was a year of meaningful growth and impact for AUSL. Your generosity and dedication fuels our work to ensure that students in Chicago and across the country have a great teacher and a transformative educational experience. Thank you to all of our friends and partners for making this work possible for over 20 years. I invite you to read AUSL’s 2024 Impact Report, which captures the authentic stories and milestones that demonstrate how AUSL educators are unlocking student potential in Chicago’s most underserved neighborhoods...
LiberatED Way Strengthens Family Partnerships with Dual Capacity-Building Framework
AUSL’s Advisory Services program, LiberatED Way, has partnered with The Carole Robertson Center for Learning since 2021. The partnership led to the creation of a student-centered vision for Kindergarten readiness and built the capacity of staff and faculty to engage and collaborate with families. Through the work, LiberatED Way focused on strengthening family partnerships utilizing the Dual Capacity-Building Framework, a model developed by Dr. Karen Mapp to ensure effective collaboration between families and educational institutions. This framework is foundational to the Center’s mission...
How the Danielson Framework Informs the AUSL Teacher Residency
The Danielson Framework for Teaching has become a cornerstone in educator preparation programs nationwide. Its data-supported structure and comprehensive approach to teaching effectiveness make it an invaluable tool for teacher development. At the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), we integrate the Danielson Framework into our Teacher Residency program to ensure Residents receive the reflective and meaningful teacher training to prepare them for a fulfilling career ahead. Understanding the Danielson Framework Developed by Charlotte Danielson, the Danielson Framework is widely...
AUSL Open House Highlights Teacher Residency Success Stories
Earlier this winter, AUSL hosted an Open House at Pablo Casals School of Excellence in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood bringing together current and former Residents, school leaders, and friends of the AUSL community. Attendees met AUSL Executive Director Adam Case, listened to a panel of current and former Residents, and witnessed the transformative impact of AUSL's teacher residency program firsthand by visiting classrooms at Casals. “This is why we are so focused on producing great teachers. We believe that is the agent of change for impacting students’ lives,” said Adam Case....
Resident Embraces School Community at Earle STEM Elementary in West Englewood
Growing up in a Military Family, service has always been important to William Melvin. After living in seven states and going to college, his desire to serve others called him to the classroom. William graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in finance and worked at several banks before making the career switch to education. He was a Client Relationship Consultant at U.S. Bank before starting his Residency program.“You can be good at something in life, but that doesn’t mean you’ll like to do it,” shared William. He gravitated to education because of his eagerness to connect with students and...
AUSL Welcomes New Board Members Arnie Rivera and Drew Beres
The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) is pleased to announce the addition of Arnie Rivera and Drew Beres to our Board of Directors. As dedicated leaders with extensive experience in education and community development, Arnie and Drew bring valuable perspectives to AUSL’s mission to improve educational outcomes for students and empower teachers and leaders in schools in Chicago and across the country.Arnie Rivera has a strong background in public service and education policy. His work in various leadership roles with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and in the Chicago community at...
“Teacher” Documentary Illustrates Current State of Education, Celebrates CTR Program
AUSL joined DePaul University’s College of Education for a special screening at Davis Theater in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood for the documentary film "Teacher" by Adam Gacka. The film follows Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) alumni Chelsea Bennett and Nkanga Nsa at Curtis School of Excellence on the south side of Chicago. It highlights their daily routine as educators and brings to light some of the realities of being a teacher in an underserved school community. Nkanga changed her career to pursue education and was inspired from the COVID-19 pandemic, current world events and...
AUSL Residency Professional Development Supports Resident Success Across the Program
AUSL leads professional development sessions throughout the year for all members involved with the Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) program including Residents, Mentors and Principals from our CTR Partnership School Training Sites. These sessions play a key role in building community and a strong professional network for educators and school leaders to learn new and effective strategies to apply in their relationships, classrooms and school communities. The ultimate goal is for Residents to successfully complete the CTR program and be fully prepared teachers in CPS. “It’s important for...
Chicago Teacher Residency Recognizes Ten Values Award Recipients
Throughout the year, the Chicago Teacher Residency distributes CTR Values Awards to current Residents that embody three values: Student-Centered, Community-Focused, and Tenacious Service. CTR staff celebrated the following award recipients in September and October during Residents’ Professional Development meetings. Congratulations to these well-deserving award recipients! Max Carroll (Community-Focused) "Max always makes a priority to thank the many communities for their service outside of the school grounds. Whether it’s a librarian, janitor, or a CTA conductor, he pays his respects. He...