Featured: Page 3

Rebuilding after Helene and Milton: Educators share experiences from previous disasters

School communities need to address physical, emotional, and mental health of students, teachers, and staff, both in the immediate aftermath and for the long term.

Shutterstock 2528143743

Literacy/Reading/Language Arts

How Tennessee’s largest school system is stepping up its literacy work

Chalkbeat Tennessee

Superintendent Marie Feagins is embracing a “back to basics” approach to reading instruction as Memphis-Shelby County Schools seeks to improve student test results that rank near the bottom statewide and nationally.

A student engages in a reading exercise at a 2023 summer learning camp at John P. Freeman Optional School in Memphis, Tennessee. State test results for English language arts remain stubbornly low for Memphis-Shelby County Schools. (Andrea Morales / For Chalkbeat)

Success Stories

Closing struggling schools helped student achievement in Denver, study finds

Chalkbeat Colorado

The analysis found that most students who left closed Denver schools and attended new ones saw their test scores go up, with greater gains for English learners and students with disabilities.

Students work together at DSST: Montview, part of the DSST Public Schools charter network that grew rapidly in Denver during the education reform era. (Evan Semón for Chalkbeat)

Equity, impact, transparency: Rethinking ed vendor contracts after ESSER

Now that the health crisis has passed and COVID funds are largely spent, districts must reassess how the contracts they sign support schools.

Esser School Contracts Post Covid

School Climate and Culture

Combating chronic absenteeism, more districts are working to create a “culture of belonging”

Strengthening relationships, deepening connections, and listening to students are becoming strategic priorities.

Ypsilanti Community Schools in Michigan added a student section in the bleachers after a request from the student council. Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross says even small efforts like this can create a sense of belonging.

CoSN report explores strategies for navigating AI and accessibility in education

“AI & Accessibility in Education” outlines how AI can enhance support for students with disabilities, but warns of potential challenges and risks.

Blaschke Report2024 Cover

Mental Health and Wellness

One New York district’s old-school approach to support kids’ well-being

As the youth mental health crisis continues, a Long Island district finds paths to support families through their most vulnerable moments.

A collective coloring page welcomes students to the entrance to Baldwin Union Free School District’s wellness center. (Marianna McMurdock)

Success Stories

Detroit Public Schools' early enrollment figures show promise

Chalkbeat Detroit

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said during a school board meeting that 53,044 K-12 students are enrolled.

Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, seen here on the first day of school Aug. 26, reported early enrollment data that show promising student counts in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. (Quinn Banks / Bridge Detroit)

Success Stories

Johnston County Public Schools continues dramatic improvements in academic achievement

The North Carolina district announced new assessment scores that placed JCPS at 35th in state rankings, up from 83rd in 2019.

JCPS Superintendent Dr. Eric C. Bracy celebrated the rising academic achievement of the district at a press conference on September 6, 2024.

Strategic Planning

Anne Arundel County Public Schools adopts new 5-year strategic plan

Superintendent Mark Bedell has a track record of leading turnarounds at large urban school systems, and is beginning his third year at the helm of the fourth largest district in Maryland.

Mark Bedell became superintendent of the Anne Arundel Public Schools in Maryland in 2022.

Why this Texas district plans to enroll all eighth graders into Algebra 1

El Paso Matters

El Paso plans to go beyond the state's requirements, hoping to give more students the opportunity to take calculus in high school.

During the 2022-23 school year all of the top performing middle schools in Algebra 1 throughout El Paso had 92% to 98% of its students enrolled in the class.

New strategic plan is already making an impact in Philadelphia schools

Superintendent Tony Watlington has ambitious goals to transform Philly schools. Early results show progress is being made.

Superintendent Tony Watlington talks with a student outside the Paul L. Dunbar School in Philadelphia. (Image courtesy of the School District of Philadelphia)

Page 3 of 4