Chicago, Illinois - Responding to widespread public concern about the Chicago Public Schools’ school construction spending priorities and educational programming changes, the Illinois General Assembly’s "Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force" is launching a major initiative to shed light on CPS’ decision making and get the public’s input. Details of the initiative will be presented at a Task Force Press Conference to be held on Monday.

Co-Chairs of the Task Force Senator William Delgado and Representative Cynthia Soto will lead an unprecedented effort to get input from the public, educators, parents, and communities impacted by CPS school closings, consolidations, new school creation, and the school construction spending priorities accompanying these decisions.

"Especially in these tough economic times educational opportunities are more important than ever. The way CPS spends scarce dollars on facilities while it closes some schools and makes huge educational changes at others, deserves a thorough review," stated Senator Delgado. "The General Assembly’s goal in creating this Task Force is to ensure fairness in decision making that gives all our children equal access to the best possible education."

Representative Soto emphasized that, "This task force is unusual -- partly because both Democrats and Republicans from the House and Senate are working together -- but also because its very purpose is to create transparency and openness in CPS’ decisions. We need to hear from all stakeholders so we can come up with meaningful legislation and policy reform ideas to make all of our schools better."

The CEFTF will create transparency by posting all notices of and results of its meetings, events, deliberations, and ultimately its recommendations for improving educational and facility master planning in Chicago, to the worldwide web and through a pro-active media outreach effort. In addition to public hearings to be held in Chicago over the Summer, the Task Force also urges the public to contact the Task Force through email. As of May 1st, the public will be able submit questions, comments, suggestions, and testimonies to the Task Force by emailing CEFTF Co-Chairs Representative Soto at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and Senator Delgado at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

"Everyone will know what we are doing, and what we learn about how CPS is changing our neighborhood schools and spending precious school construction and repair dollars," added State Rep. Esther Golar, a CEFTF Member. "This task force can help Chicago’s public schools and school districts around the entire state, to benefit from better educational and facility planning. We don’t have dollars to waste, and we can’t lose any more time in improving educational opportunities for today’s public school students. The stakes are high," Golar stated.

State Rep. Jerry Mitchell, Ex Officio Advisor to the Task Force, is a former school district administrator. He remarked, "At the Task Force’s first meeting March 18 in Springfield, we heard testimony from a CPS school that has been trying for a decade to get a new building to relieve overcrowding. Something isn’t working in the status quo approach. As Minority Spokesperson for Education in the State House, I support the Task Force’s efforts to learn more from the public, CPS and other experts. I will try to help my colleagues from both sides of the aisle come up with proposed solutions so that Illinois’ public school students and teachers won’t have to live with unfortunate conditions like those at Chicago’s Gallistel School."