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Students, parents and teaching artists urge CPS to preserve ChiArts conservatory model
Summary
Dozens of students, graduates, parents, and teaching artists from the Chicago High School for the Arts told the board that cutting conservatory hours or replacing teaching artists with standard academic staff would undermine the school’s mission; CPS leaders said no final decision had been made and pledged to seek funding partners.
Dozens of current students, alumni, parents and teaching artists from the Chicago High School for the Arts urged the Chicago Board of Education to preserve the school’s conservatory model and to keep teaching artists in classroom roles.
What speakers said: Parents and students described conservatory hours and working artists as instructors as central to the school’s identity and to students’ college and career pathways. Caroline Rutherford (parent/advocate) asked the board not to “fire all the arts teachers who made this world-class art school successful,” and several students said shortening the school day or moving arts into optional slots would eliminate conservatory instruction that helps them gain college-level portfolios and professional opportunities.
Teaching-artist testimony: Jillian Counts and other teaching artists told the board the conservatory model allows professionals who are active artists to provide preprofessional training and mentorship that academic teachers alone cannot replicate. Speakers warned that replacing teaching artists with standard faculty or shrinking conservatory hours would “undo what makes ChiArts special.”
Board response: President Harden and district leaders told the Shire/ChiArts community that no final decisions had been made and that the district was committed to finding a runway for preserving the conservatory model. President Harden said the uniqueness of the conservatory makes finding resource matches challenging and asked the district to work with community partners to identify external funding.
Why it matters: Conservatory hours and teaching-artist appointments were presented as central to ChiArts’ mission; parents and students argued that changes could reduce specialized instruction, harm students’ college opportunities, and force layoffs of teaching artists. District officials said they would continue collaborative work and look for external partners and funding to preserve the model.
Next steps: Board members and district staff said they would continue conversations with the ChiArts community and search for external funding and partnership arrangements; public materials and follow-up were promised at future meetings and community gatherings.
Ending: The board moved on to votes after public comment; ChiArts speakers urged continued engagement and asked the board to fund the conservatory model rather than dismantle it.
