Many big city school districts have been through difficult straits over the past several decades, and Chicago is no exception. After the passage of the Chicago School Reform Act, the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) was created in 1990 in order to study school reform efforts across the city. Part of their mission is "to expand communication among researchers, policy makers, and practitioners." Visitors to the site can click their way through sections that include "CCSR in the News", "Publications", and "Surveys of CPS Schools". Visitors can learn more about their recent work and also see read up on the various media outlets which have profiled their work. The "Research" area contains information on their research in progress; "Publications" provides access to the group's published work.