LINCOLN SQUARE — Two years after Pathways In Education sparked resistance in Lincoln Square with its application to open an alternative high school in the neighborhood, the charter school operator has renewed its proposal.
Pathways filed one of 17 letters of intent to Chicago Public Schools, proposing to serve high schoolers and to open in 2018. Under "proposed communities," Pathways listed Lincoln Square and Roseland.
Pathways was one of four companies approved in 2014 by CPS as part of an expansion of programs aimed at struggling students and dropouts, technically referred to as Alternative Learning Opportunity Programs. Total cost of the expansion was placed at $6 million, with Pathways to receive approximately $1.3 million in "incubator" funds to open new campuses.
In total, Pathways was approved to enroll up to 1,200 students. The terms of its agreement with CPS end June 30, 2018.
Efforts to reach Pathways for comment were not successful.
Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th), whose ward includes a portion of Lincoln Square, said he hasn't been approached by anyone at Pathways and wouldn't approve of a charter school opening in the area.
"I don't know what they're thinking. For us it's a non-starter," Pawar said.
"First, you're talking about a school system that's considering closing two weeks early," he said of CPS' funding crisis.
"The idea we're adding seats ... why do we continue to dig when we're already in a hole?" the alderman said.
The Pathways model focuses on students who have dropped out, are chronically truant or significantly off track for graduation.
"CPS should be meeting those needs," Pawar said.
Pathways, which operates three campuses in Chicago, previously had set its sights on 4816-20 N. Western Ave., and even furnished the building and listed the location on its website in 2015 — news of which caught the neighborhood by complete surprise.
At the time, Ald. Pat O'Connor (40th), whose ward includes the Western Avenue site, called Pathways' actions "premature." A zoning change request for the building was eventually shelved.
The furnishings have since been removed and the property remains vacant.
O'Connor did not respond to requests for comment on Pathways' renewed application.
Two other charter operators — Concept and Intrinsic — have also attempted to open in Lincoln Square, specifically in Bowmanville, which sits in O'Connor's section of the ward.
Both withdrew their proposals after facing vocal opposition from residents.
In a prepared statement, CPS responded to the latest charter applications: "Letters of intent mark the first step in an extensive application and review process, and we are committed to considering only proposals that demonstrate academic quality, community support and ability to address an existing need in the city."
Pathways' existing schools in Chicago are located in Ashburn, Avondale and Brighton Park. The Ashburn and Brighton Park campuses have attained the second lowest out of five quality ratings from CPS. The Avondale campus achieved one level higher, earning it the middle ranking from CPS.
