UPTOWN — Fifth-graders from McCutcheon Elementary School will discuss disparities in school funding with the community and political officials including Ald. James Cappleman (46th) Wednesday.
The students, who have been participating in the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago's Action Based Communities Projects, identified school funding as a community problem and plan to present their findings and solutions at McCutcheon Elementary School, 4865 N. Sheridan Road, according to a news release from the foundation.
"Students discovered the current funding structure favors schools in wealthier areas, sometimes as much as two-to-one," the release said.
In response to their findings, classrooms 201 and 203 have written letters to Sen. Heather Steans and State Rep. Greg Harris (D-13), created newsletters to inform the community and interviewed policymakers. Over 97 percent of students at McCutcheon come from low-income families and one-fourth of the students are homeless, the release said.
The Action Based Communities Project works with fourth-eighth grade CPS students "to identify a problem that’s relevant to their lives and then take action to address it."
The presentation will be from 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Wednesday.
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