Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Achievement School District

Movers & shakers

Tennessee
April 18, 2019

Inner circle: Here’s who education chief Penny Schwinn will lean on in Tennessee

Less than three months into the job, Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn has filled six of her nine cabinet positions with a mix…

district shakeup

Tennessee
April 18, 2019

Longtime Memphian Bobby White out as official at state-run turnaround district

Bobby White joined the achievement district in 2016 as the chief of external affairs.

parent voice

Tennessee
March 29, 2019

One parent’s voice is the start of renewed focus on parent engagement for Tennessee’s turnaround district

“We have to create a committee that as we make decisions we hear from you,” Achievement School District leader Sharon Griffin told the one parent in attendance.

first visit

Tennessee
March 28, 2019

Tennessee’s education chief talks accountability during visits to Memphis turnaround schools

Here's what Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn had to say about the Achievement School District in Memphis.

sharon speaks

Tennessee
March 21, 2019

Griffin: Higher standards, more certified teachers and better K-2 instructors are top priorities for Tennessee’s turnaround district

Sharon Griffin is ready to make some sweeping changes in the Achievement School District’s 30 charter schools.

DISCIPLINE DATA

Tennessee
March 12, 2019

As Tennessee’s turnaround district tries to reduce suspensions, here’s how one school is rethinking discipline

This middle school, a part of the Achievement School District, has cut its suspension rate in half this school year.

Details please

Tennessee
March 6, 2019

Education voucher plan by Tennessee’s governor generates more questions than answers

Gov. Bill Lee’s proposal to bring education vouchers to Tennessee is an ambitious plan — but short on details thus far.

Penny Schwinn

Tennessee
February 8, 2019

What we heard from Tennessee’s education commissioner during her first week

Penny Schwinn's whirlwind week started with school visits and ended with a state policy meeting. In between, she met with lawmakers, superintendents, and staff.

reflections

Tennessee
February 4, 2019

Nashville school board member and political operative apologizes for his part in Tennessee’s Race to the Top

Will Pinkston presents his perspective in a 16,000-word, self-published essay.

New direction

Tennessee
January 10, 2019

Aspire Memphis plans to spin off into its own charter organization, separate from the California group that founded it

The Memphis schools – and their 1,6000 students – would officially transition to a new organization at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year if the plan comes to fruition.

chronically absent

Tennessee
January 9, 2019

One in four students are chronically absent in Tennessee’s state-run district. Here’s what educators are doing about it.

The stakes are high for improving student attendance numbers.

moving around

Tennessee
January 3, 2019

District rehired former Memphis principal accused of planning to rig tests — then fired her six months later

Teacher advocates say Greer’s rehiring shows how the district finds ways to hold onto employees who have bad records.

Year-end review

Tennessee
December 21, 2018

From testing to leadership transitions, here are the stories that you read most in 2018

Before the year came to an end, we took a look back into our archives to find the top education stories from 2018.

Coming together

Tennessee
December 20, 2018

Mayor Harris hires former superintendent to encourage Shelby County school systems to work together

Cedrick Gray is the former superintendent of Jackson Public Schools in Mississippi and of Fayette County in Tennessee. He started his career in Memphis as a teacher.

school turnaround

Tennessee
December 19, 2018

Memphis and Nashville put on notice about which schools could face state takeover in 2020

In one of her final acts as Tennessee education commissioner, Candice McQueen has identified nearly 20 schools that could require the most drastic state interventions…
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