Chicago Public Schools officials announced Wednesday afternoon that they want to close the Near West Side’s Crane High School, 2245 W. Jackson Blvd., bit by bit over the next four years.

It was one of two high schools that the district announced plans to phase out, eliminating one grade level at a time for each of the next four school years.

Crane has been on CPS’s probation list for the last 10 years; 19 of every 20 Crane students don’t meet state testing standards in their junior year, and more than 50 percent of Crane students don’t graduate, according to data given out by the schools.

Most of Crane’s incoming students will be reassigned to Wells High School, while the remainder will go to Marshall, Manley and Farragut.

As Crane is moved out, a new school is being moved in — Talent Development, a charter high school currently located at 4319 W. Washington Blvd. Talent Development currently serves 200 students, but would expand to 600 next year if it was moved to Crane.

Crane’s building has 74 classrooms but is only anticipated to need 28 next year; Talent Development would use 32.

In an interview with Chicago Journal’s editorial board Wednesday afternoon, Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and Chief Education Officer Noemi Donoso explained the decision to close Crane and move in Talent Development to the extra space.

“The overall culture and climate is something we look at all of these schools, and unfortunately, I think the data shows that there are very low expectations for students at Crane,” Donoso said. “It’s not the kind of culture and climate that you know these students need to graduate. You’re talking about less than half of the students graduating, and graduation is just a minimum bar.”

Brizard said he hadn’t been to the school himself yet, but that the numbers spoke for themselves.

“You look at the data and you see that for years, the school has not done well, and that many kids are failing or dropping out every single year, and you ask yourself, by looking at the leadership and the team of educators in that building and on the ground, is this school positioned to get better,” Brizard said. “And if you can’t say yes, and you see the same apathy continue year after year, you have to do something.”

Moving Talent Development into the school was an option that worked because their old building was bursting at the seams, while Crane’s building already had a lot of space.

Another reason Crane was prime for closure, Brizard and Donoso said, is because only 17 percent of eligible students choose to go to the school.

But Joseph McDermott, a representative for the Chicago Teachers Union who previously worked at Crane for 12 years as a history teacher, said it’s because of the way CPS has structured its high schools in the area.

“What you’ve done is you’ve put in five new schools with new resources and new names into that community, and you’ve created artificial competition,” McDermott said. “You’ve got a new charter school in the neighborhood that has ‘Chicago Bulls’ in the name [Chicago Bulls College Prep at 2040 W. Adams St.]. You’re telling me that didn’t draw kids away from Crane? You don’t open schools like that and tell me it doesn’t have an effect on the neighborhood schools who’ll take anyone who walks through their door.”

McDermott said that when he went to visit teachers at the school this afternoon, they were dismayed.

“I walked in there, and when I walked in there I felt like they had been beaten up,” he said. “The first thing I wanted to tell them is that this has nothing to do with what the teachers did, but that’s the message the board has sent, is that you failed. And because you failed, we’re going to fire you.”

Brizard said that not every teacher will be fired. When asked how he saw the statistic that 70 percent of teachers at shuttered or restructured schools find jobs elsewhere in the district, he said it just went to show that sometimes it’s about the scenario more than the teacher.

“We found that very often it’s not the individual, it’s the collective. With the right kind of support and the right kind of team around them, they can excel,” Brizard said. “For me everything is upside for kids, it really is. There may not be an upside for all the adults, but there’s all upside for kids.”

Crane’s phase-out isn’t a done deal, yet. CPS is planning a minimum of one to two community meetings over the course of the next two months with each school that’s slated for phase-out, shutdown or turnaround. A formal hearing will be held sometime between Jan. 1 and Feb. 10, and the formal vote by the Chicago Board of Education is currently slated for Feb. 22.

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By Monique Williams from Cane High School
Posted: 12/09/2011 8:59 PM

I\'m a proud 2009 graduate of Crane. I don\'t feel that that school schould be closing because Crane is an excellent school and has amazing teachers. The problem is that most syudents dont appy themselves. This problem can be easily solved by having selective enrollment or a randomized lottery for prospective students. Crane excepts everyone that the other school don\'t and now were getting pentalized for it.

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By Monique from West Garfield Park
Posted: 12/09/2011 8:56 PM

I\'m a proud 2009 graduate of Crane. I don\'t feel that that school schould be closing because Crane is an excellent school and has amazing teachers. The problem is that most syudents dont appy themselves. This problem can be easily solved by having selective enrollment or a randomized lottery for prospective students. Crane excepts everyone that the other school don\'t and now were getting pentalized for it.

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By Martin from ctu from Local 1
Posted: 12/07/2011 9:39 PM

Meeting to save crane high school St Malachi church 430. Thursday 12/8 Washington and Oakley Ctu members will be present Alumni and activists are welcome

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By Mr. Kelley II from south side
Posted: 12/07/2011 9:21 PM

I laugh at all you naysayers about Crane. one day you all will realize that public education is being threaten.What these naysayers wont tell you is how they kick out students from charter schools and send them to enroll at Crane;one case of a student drop from a charter school he was somehow enrolled at Crane without setting foot in the school. Interesting.They also talk about the projected enrollment declining but they won\\\'t tell you the high influx of applications. Follow @CraneCouga

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By Mr. Kelley II from south side
Posted: 12/07/2011 9:20 PM

I laugh at all you naysayers about Crane. one day you all will realize that public education is being threaten.What these naysayers won't tell you is how they kick out students from charter schools and send them to enroll at Crane;one case of a student drop from a charter school he was somehow enrolled at Crane without setting foot in the school. Interesting.They also talk about the projected enrollment declining but they won't tell you the high influx of applications. Follow @CraneCougars NOW

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By Mr.J.Moss/Dean from rosemoor
Posted: 12/03/2011 2:18 PM

I taught at Crane from 94 to 04 and retired.I have always said that the master plan for years has been to regentrify the area with different races.Build condos that present inhabitants can\'t afford.Look around and see who lives on the near west side now.The building has been totally refurbished ,inside and outside.We used to call Crane,Whitney Young west.Eventually,Crane will be a selective enrollment school with students being bused in.Why can\'t you help our kids?Don\'t move them away.

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By New Beginnings from South Loop
Posted: 12/02/2011 7:42 PM

A yes the culture of ZERO Accountability. #1 - Teachers claim they were great #2 - Parents claim there needs to be more money at the school, yeah that's the problem #3 - Chicago Teachers Union blames the CPD and new area competing schools This is exactly the same type of message we get from our politicians and 'community leaders' and 'reverands'... Dumping this problem and starting all over with a new school run by professionals is the best for the kids. It does not take more money for that!

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By Robert Perlin from Galewood
Posted: 12/02/2011 6:54 PM

As a former teacher at Crane, this development is very sad. The teachers I worked with at Crane were some of the hardest working individuals I have ever met. They had high expectations for their students, and most went above and beyond their job descriptions every day to help their students succeed.

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By JJSanti from Humboldt Park
Posted: 12/02/2011 12:46 PM

Man, the main problem starts at home, The parents is one of the main problems, I am not a parent but I have eyes and can see whats going on. These kids come out of school and have nothing to look forward to, why do you think the majority of them arent doing well in school and dropping out. They have no guidance, no motivation. They are not getting what they need at home so they are turning to the streets. Come on now I aint preaching nothing new.

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By alexandria \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"shay\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" ta from westside
Posted: 12/02/2011 9:15 AM

I am a crane graduate c/o \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"04\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\".Who gives up on childrens futures?..I know I know...the Chicago Public School system!!HONESTLY Crane has had willing and dedicated teachers but they have moved on with their lives,moved to other states,or simply moved around or up within the c.p.s system. this hurts my heart but what do you expect when the c.p.s wont provide the teachers and tools needed to give these students the education they deserve! Big thanks to Mr McDermott n all dedicated Crane teachers!!!!

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By Scott N. Teacher from Lincoln Park
Posted: 12/02/2011 9:00 AM

To add to that, Mr. Johnson has a very good point. If a student comes into a school 4 or 5 levels below grade level, and gains 3 levels within 1 year, by an educators perspective, that student is a huge success; but by state and city standards, that student is still a failure, and teachers are blamed. This has nothing to do with the teachers, this has to do with non-educators running a school system into the ground with ridiculous ideas. I support Crane and all of its teachers!

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By Scott N. Teacher from Lincoln Park
Posted: 12/02/2011 8:50 AM

Crane High School and most of it\'s teachers are not the problem. The problem centers around two areas. 1. The unwillingness for the city to help support teachers and help these schools in troubled areas, and 2. The majority of the student population. On a previous comment, it stated that one student kept getting chased home every day. Why are we not stepping in to prevent that? Closing this school will only serve one purpose, to ignore the problem, and let someone else deal with it.

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By natalie c from CRANE TECH PREP
Posted: 12/02/2011 7:20 AM

WELL I ATTEND CRANE TECH PREP && I FEEL US AS STUDENTS NEED TO VOICE OUR OPINION BECAUSE WHEN I GRADUATE FROM CRANE I WANT TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL TOO BE ABLE TOO SAY YEA WENT THERE.!

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By natalie c from CRANE TECH PREP
Posted: 12/02/2011 7:20 AM

WELL I ATTEND CRANE TECH PREP && I FEEL US AS STUDENTS NEED TO VOICE OUR OPINION BECAUSE WHEN I GRADUATE FROM CRANE I WANT TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL TOO BE ABLE TOO SAY YEA WENT THERE.!

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By billy from monroe st
Posted: 12/02/2011 6:52 AM

I graduate crane like 10years and all i can remember was getting jumped on or chase home everyday while trying to go to school but at the same time if you got 3 to 4 F's on your report card crane was kicking you out of school and you all wondering why Crane students don’t meet state testing standards in their junior year, and more than 50 percent of Crane students don’t graduate for the last 10 years or more...WOW...but yeah this is a sad situation..its time for a change people

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By lacresha neal from chicago
Posted: 12/02/2011 2:44 AM

I graduated Class of 2007. I\'m Astounded to hear that i was apart of a class that over half didn\'t graduate, because of my knowledge the majority of the students i came in with in sept 03 walked across the stage with me in June 07. don\'t just look at the score they have at crane look at how much they improved since at crane. Given the circumstances: being surrounded by new and better funded schools, crane is doing a wonder with the hand(students) they\\\'re dealt. PROUD CCOUGAR

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By Jeremiah H. from Near West Side.
Posted: 12/02/2011 2:40 AM

This is an atrocity! To close Crane would be like closing a part of authentic Chicago history. From the dedicated staff all the way down to the pre-k program, Crane has helped individuals become successful powerhouses today. It seems like Chicago its the only city that gives up on anything. Why give up on our youth, when these could possibly be the people that may run our country. We are RICHARD TELLER CRANE TECHNICAL PREPARTORY COMMON HIGH SCHOOL! Save the future. Leave Crane alone!!!

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By Jason Cooper from Crane High School
Posted: 12/01/2011 11:09 PM

I am a current Math teacher at Crane. Since I have been their, the school has improved by leaps and bounds in several areas. We all know that the students get a more personalized education in Crane due to the willingness of the teachers to go above and beyond for children that are all econsidered family to us. Some of my best experiences and relationships have come during my time at Crane High School. You can propose to close us but, we are one voice, one family, We Are Cougars!

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By Martin Ritter from west loop
Posted: 12/01/2011 10:23 PM

Save Crane HS and all other schools in Chicago with the Chicago Teachers Union Saturday 10am-2pm King College Prep High School 4445 S. Drexel Blvd.

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By Faye Gibson from Oakpark,IL
Posted: 12/01/2011 8:42 PM

I\\\'m a graduate from c/o \\\"03\\\" & i feel as if trying to close down Crane would be closing majority of us history because not only would u be closing down the graduates history you\\\'ll be closing majority of the teachers history also because most of the teachers that work there attended Crane. I had the best 4 yrs of my life @ Crane those are some outstanding teachers & they\\\'re going to make sure you have to do what you have to do to graduate. This is such a sad situation.

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By Liwon Minor from Iowa
Posted: 12/01/2011 5:00 PM

I am a Crane graduate from the C/O 2003 and I am very dismayed at the news of Crane's closure. I definitely agree with Mr. McDermott, it is NOT the teachers. It makes no sense that the city would rather fund a charter school when they can create a better Crane. School's nowadays have limited tools to provide an outstanding learning curve for their students, and because of inadequate tools, the students fail and then the teacher's are blamed. I feel that Crane was not given a fair opportunity....

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By Shannon Odum from Lisle
Posted: 12/01/2011 3:57 PM

I am an graduate of Crane High & to hear the news about our school being closed is heart breaking. Mr. McDermott said it best, putting a high school three blocks away with the name Chicago Bulls Prep will most definitely draw people away from Crane. The teachers I\'ve had did an excellent job, & they should not be the ones to blame. The way the money is being spent in \"Crook County\" is only favored in certain parts of the city....

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By Jeffery Haggins, Jr. from West-side Chicago
Posted: 12/01/2011 10:22 AM

I feel like them closing down Crane is like their closing down a part of our history, not just the Class of '03 but any teacher, student, or any other employee that called Crane home. The only reason the charter school is moving into Crane is because the city is broke and they cant fund them a newer building. So they go down a list, looks a Crane numbers and graduation rate and Boom !!!!! They got a place for the charter school to go.

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By Mr. Kelley from South Side
Posted: 12/01/2011 10:11 AM

My Career began at Crane High School working with Youth Guidance. One of my most proud memories at Crane was a young man with a 1.8 G.P.A. starting his third year of high school. As a mentor figure, I witnessed this young man successfully turnaround his life, graduate, and attend a four year institution. I saw the impossible become possible at Crane. What’s happening here is unfortunate, Mr. McDermott said it best “this has nothing to do with what the teachers did”. I absolutely agree!

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By Tyaisha Bradley from Dolton
Posted: 12/01/2011 8:15 AM

I attended Crane for 4 years and let me say those were the best for years of my life. I loved and respected my teachers and they showed that same love and respect back. They fought for the class of 03 and every class because they say the potential that most kids didn't see in their self. I am a teacher in South Holland now and had it not been for teachers like Mr. McDermott aand Ms. White and a principal like Mr. Scott, I don't think I would be where I am today. To find out this devastating.

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By Mr. Johnson from Avondale
Posted: 11/30/2011 8:41 PM

I worked at Crane for 5 years as a math teacher and I think this is really sad. I think that people need to look at data regarding where the Crane students are at coming into the school and then where they end up at the end, because then you could see how much they have grown. I never had anything but the highest expectations of my students. Ask any of them and they will tell you. And the vast majority of the teachers did too. What west side school HAVEN'T they shut down or "turned around"?