Renaissance 2010: A Bold Vision, A Promising Reality

In June 2004, Mayor Richard M. Daley and Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan announced a bold initiative to transform Chicago’s public schools.  Renaissance 2010 will drive systematic change in the school system through greater choice and competition and provide all families with high-quality educational options.

Coming Together for the Future of Chicago
Parents, educators and communities across the city are coming together in an unprecedented effort to make this visionary initiative a promising reality:

• Mayor Daley and CPS CEO Arne Duncan – who have made the decision fundamentally to reform and improve Chicago’s schools
• Parents – who want better education options for their children
• Students – who recognize that a better education is the key to their future
• Educators – who have committed to launch new schools so that students can realize their full potential
• Members of the Chicagoland business and civic Communities – who are investing resources because a high-quality education is the key to the future of the people who live and work in the Chicago Metopolitan Area.

Positive Change for Real Progress
Program plans:

• 100 new Chicago public schools will be created by 2010
• New schools replace under-enrolled and underperforming schools
• New schools run by independent education teams are given the autonomy to implement innovative education techniques such as extended school days, performance-based salaries for teachers and student assessment models
• In exchange for more autonomy, new schools are held accountable via a five-year performance contract
• New schools will offer a specialization in subjects such as math and science, performing arts, world languages and vocational education.

The Renaissance Schools Fund: Partnership for Positive Change

Mayor Daley and Arne Duncan have called on the Chicago business community, and local and national foundations to help raise $50 million to support Renaissance 2010.  In response, the Civic Committee of The Commercial Club of Chicago committed to help raise $25 million and created the Renaissance Schools Fund (RSF) to support the transformation of Chicago’s public schools through greater choice and competition, and to provide all families with high-quality educational options. 

The Renaissance Schools Fund is an independent nonprofit organization that serves as the partner in the fundraising, strategy and accountability for Renaissance 2010.  The functions of The Renaissance Schools Fund are to:

• Help raise $50 million for new school planning, incubation and ramp-up operations
• Partner with CPS on the selection of and investment in new Renaissance 2010 schools
• Develop strategies and solutions that support autonomy and long-term success of new schools
• Recruit high-quality education organizations and support school capacity increases
• Build awareness and demand for choice
• Support accountability and performance reporting of new schools