Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Arne Duncan has published the system’s guidelines and criteria for academic school closings.

The guidelines set forth academic criteria used to identify schools to be closed for academic reasons. The guidelines will also be used to identify schools for “turn-around.”

The guidelines were presented to the Chicago Board of Education at its regular meeting on Dec. 17.

The criteria for elementary schools are:

1. 2008 ISAT Composite Score. According to the school’s 2007-2008 Illinois Standards Achievement Test Composite Score, fewer than 50 percent of the students at the school met or exceeded state standards and fewer than 5 percent of the students at the school exceeded state standards.
2. 2008 ISAT Scores in reading, mathematics and science. According to the school’s 2007-2008 ISAT scores, fewer than 50 percent of the students at the school met or exceeded state standards in reading, mathematics, and science. 
3. Three-year average ISAT Composite Score. From the 2005-2006 school year through the 2007-2008 school year, on average fewer than 50 percent of the students at the school met or exceeded state standards on the ISAT Composite, and on average fewer than 5 percent of the students at the school exceeded state standards on the ISAT Composite.  
4. Three-year average ISAT scores in reading, mathematics, and science. From the 2005-2006 school year through 2007-2008 school year, on average fewer than 50 percent of the students met or exceeded state standards on ISAT reading, mathematics, and science.

The criteria for high schools are:

1. 2008 PSAE Composite Score. According to the school’s 2007-2008 Prairie State Achievement Examination Composite Score, fewer than 10 percent of the students at the school met or exceeded state standards and fewer than 5 percent of the students at the school exceeded state standards.  
2. 2008 PSAE Scores in reading, mathematics, and science. According to the school’s 2007-2008 PSAE scores, fewer than 10 percent of the students at the school met or exceeded state standards in reading, mathematics, and science. 
3. Three-year average ACT scores in reading, mathematics and science. From the 2005-2006 to the 2007-2008 school year, the school’s three-year average ACT reading, mathematics, and science scores were less than 16. 
4. Three-year average WorkKeys scores in reading and mathematics.  From the 2005-2006 school year through the 2007-2008 school year, on average fewer than 25 percent of the students at the school scored 5 or better on the WorkKeys assessment in reading and mathematics.
5.  Student gains in reading and mathematics. In reading and mathematics, fewer than 50 percent of students at the school made expected gains from the EXPLORE to the PLAN or the PLAN to the ACT.