Chalkbeat: Chicago quietly launches overhaul of schools serving its ‘forgotten students’

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many students found it hard to focus through the widely utilized online format. Chicago’s network of alternative schools caught the attention of some teens, allowing them to start fresh. Yet, the number of new arrivals at alternative school campuses outside of the district fell due to the districts pushes, along with help from the University of Chicago’s Education lab. The district implemented new mental health and academic interventions, keeping struggling students in neighborhood campuses.