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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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...
AUSL Launches New Advertising to Appear in Crain’s Chicago Business and the Chicago Tribune
Educational Equity Nonprofit Brings Excellence to Chicago Schools The Academy for Urban School Leadership (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. AUSL's Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) has trained 1,218 teachers. Over 80% of our 2021 CTR class graduates are teachers of color, and 54% are special needs teachers. The Path Forward - AUSL has...
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...
AUSL’s Creative Writing Group -An Anthology of Snippets
AUSL offered an after-school creative writing program to 4th - 8th graders. The purpose of this program was to inspire creative writing for our network schools through teacher-led initiatives. In partnership with ChiArts, teachers attended Professional Development sessions that provided a toolkit for implementation. Click below to read the student work from school year 2021.
AUSL Schools to Transition Back to CPS Management
Upon a joint review of the successful transformation of the Chicago Public Schools under our management, CPS has announced that AUSL will begin to transition management of its schools back to their respective CPS geographic networks. The transition will begin mid-summer 2021 and conclude mid-summer 2023. Chicago Public Schools cited the “sustained progress” of AUSL schools in announcing its proposal to return the schools to district management. “AUSL has been a critical partner in helping schools and communities in need of additional support, which has led to years of consistent, stable,...
Black History Month Art Contest
In February, AUSL hosted a virtual arts contest for Network students. Students used their creativity through visual arts to represent - What Black History means to them - and submit a piece of art to their art or music teacher. The contest allowed students to tell their stories through art and celebrate African American achievements. We showcase winners from the Black History Month Art contest. 1st Place National Teachers Academy M. Bao 3rd Grade 2nd Place The Chicago Academy N. M. Martinez Kindergarten 3rd Place Casals School of Excellence D. Marquez- Sevilla 3rd Grade 1st Place O’Keeffe...
Chicago Teacher Residency Named one of the Nation’s top Programs for Contributing to a Strong, Diverse Teacher Workforce
Chicago Teacher Residency (AUSL) has been named among the top in the country for leading the way in maintaining selective academic admissions requirements and driving greater teacher diversity in the community by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and policy organization. In a new NCTQ report, Teacher Prep Review: Program Diversity and Admissions (2021), AUSL's Chicago Teacher Residency is among the top 5% of the 1,256 programs NCTQ evaluated across the country to earn the highest distinction. Programs that earn this distinction maintain...
Nonprofit, The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) Elects New Co-Chair and Strengthens its Board with New Members
CHICAGO, February 2, 2021 -- The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), an education equity-focused nonprofit, which trains and places teachers in Chicago’s underserved teaching environments, is pleased to announce Cardelle B. Spangler and Mike Zafirovski as Co-Chairs, and new board members Cheri Carter and Steve Pemberton. Ms. Spangler, a Partner at Winston & Strawn LLP, will serve as AUSL’s Co-Chair. Mike Zafirovski, AUSL board member since 2010, will remain as Co-Chair with Ms. Spangler. Cheri Carter, Vice President of Boeing Global Engagement (BGE), will serve as a board...
AUSL Advisory Services Launches First Webinar
AUSL Advisory Services partners with school districts across the country to help them build capacity and reach their full potential. On Tuesday, July 21st, Advisory Services partnered with AUSL's Curriculum, Instruction, and Talent Development Team to hold their first joint webinar. The webinar titled, Practical Guidance for Supporting Today's Novice Teachers featured three AUSL thought leaders: LaShawn Whitney, Associate Director of Induction, a former AUSL principal, and a graduate of the CTR, Isaac Castelaz, Principal at the National Teachers Academy, and Sam Buresch, a second-year...
Perspective: Practical Guidance for Supporting Today’s Novice Teacher
The following perspective series discusses the three-tiered method that the AUSL school network recommends to support novice teachers. AUSL’s perspective is reinforced via interviews held with novice and experienced teachers within the AUSL network and partner districts to discuss the effectiveness of various supports they received in their first year. AUSL has found that there are three key components of support necessary to build the foundation that first year teachers need to be able to best provide their students with equitable access to high quality learning. Click here to download...
