Allison Jack

Allison Jack

Allison Jack is a mom of four with 20 years of experience in education improvement in Chicago, LA and New York, beginning with her time as a classroom teacher and culminating in the work she does with high performing charter school leaders and teachers. She is currently Director of Charter Growth and Support at Illinois Network of Charter Schools. She worked with many of the original charter schools in Chicago and co-founded Namaste Charter School. She also held advocacy and policy roles in the CPS Office of New Schools under then CEO Arne Duncan and in the Governor's Office. Allison is an early Teach for America alum and a graduate of the University of Chicago.

We need a new kind of public school in our suburbs–the one-size-fits-all choice isn’t working

Even though I went to elementary school a long time ago in a galaxy far away in California, I am repeatedly surprised by how much my children’s school right here in Illinois looks like my elementary school. I was the type of kid who did well in school. I was good at folding my hands and being quiet. I followed… Read more →

Half day kindergarten and the suburban communities that cling to it

When we moved to an affluent Chicago suburb three years ago, I neglected to ask a critical question—does the district offer full-day kindergarten? I just assumed. I work in education and didn’t actually think any school district still only provided only a half-day of kindergarten. And when I say “half-day,” I really mean two hours and forty minutes. Statistics say… Read more →

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