Between 1988 and 1992, the Wall Street Journal published an article
with the quote "Dismayed by faulty products being turned out by
Chicago's public schools, companies have taken over production lines
themselves."  I believe that is the exact quote, but there could be a
slight variation.  My question is, in what article on what date did
this quote appear in the Wall Street Journal?

Hello Elizabeth,

The article, written by Ellen Graham, appeared on page R24 of the Wall
Street Journal on February 9, 1990.

"...Dismayed by the faulty products being turned out by Chicago's
troubled public schools, some 60 of the city's giant corporations have
taken over the production line themselves. Their
research-and-development laboratory is housed in a former parochial
school in the impoverished, predominantly black neighborhood of North
Lawndale on Chicago's West Side..."

source: Wall Street Journal,  February 9, 1990, p. R24.
Title: "Education (A Special Report): A Head Start --- Bottom-Line
Education: A Business-Run School in Chicago Seeks to Improve Learning
Without a Big Rise in Costs"
Author: Ellen Graham

search strategy:
My local public library has access to a database that includes access
to Wall Street Journal archives
search terms: chicago, "public schools", "production lines"

I hope this helps.

This was a great answer!  Thanks.  Elizabeth