Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Innovation Zone

backtrack

Tennessee
June 20, 2019

Memphis district drops plan to staff school with teacher trainees amid community backlash

Winchester Elementary School will instead enter the Memphis district’s Innovation Zone, a seven-year-old turnaround program that is seen as widely successful.

Opposition

Tennessee
April 15, 2019

Tennessee governor’s voucher proposal is ‘step backwards,’ says civil rights, education coalition

A statewide coalition of more than 50 civil rights and education advocacy groups come out against Gov. Bill Lee’s signature education proposal.

legal case

Colorado
March 7, 2019

Court sides with Aurora district in challenge to school innovation plans

Aurora union leaders said they are still exploring their legal options.

big plans

Tennessee
January 15, 2019

Memphis plan would expand turnaround program, screen all first-graders for gifted education

The recommendations are the first from the district’s new chief academic officer, Antonio Burt, who was appointed in September.

Grade changing

Tennessee
January 9, 2019

Memphis principal demoted over grade changes will not be reinstated

The dispute between the district and Smith boils down to how principals show evidence of changes to student grades.

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…

Achievement School District

Tennessee
December 5, 2018

McQueen: More school takeovers ‘most likely’ coming to Memphis and Nashville

Tennessee's outgoing education chief says she'll recommend more takeovers to the next governor, unless there's significant improvement.

shift

Tennessee
December 4, 2018

With new school turnaround model, Tennessee takes lessons learned in Memphis to Chattanooga

Guiding principles have emerged from almost a decade of state turnaround work.

Innovation zone

Colorado
October 19, 2018

Two more Denver schools win additional freedom from district rules

The schools will create a new “innovation zone,” bringing the district’s number of quasi-autonomous zones to three.

who is in charge

Tennessee
September 25, 2018

School turnaround leader promoted to oversee all academics in Memphis schools

After nearly two years without an academic chief, Shelby County Schools has promoted its assistant superintendent of low-performing schools to the position.

Momentum

Tennessee
September 21, 2018

Memphis moves from problem child to poster child on Tennessee’s new school improvement list

The city got encouraging news on Friday as fewer of its schools landed on Tennessee's newest list of troubled "priority schools."

Student & School Performance

Tennessee
August 20, 2018

Memphis schools in most need of growth see gains, but vast majority of students still not on grade level

Only three schools in the iZone have more than 20 percent of students reading on grade level.

New Leadership

Tennessee
August 13, 2018

Coaching will be key as Griffin adds two from Memphis iZone to state district team

Here are the members of Sharon Griffin's new leadership team for the Achievement School District.

new era

Tennessee
July 31, 2018

Leaders of Tennessee’s state-run district call test scores ‘sobering,’ ask educators for new energy

“High school principals, you have the hardest job," Sharon Griffin said. "This doesn’t mean it’s impossible to tackle the issues. But a double-digit gain this year is what we need to be on track again.”

Silver Lining Playbook

Tennessee
July 19, 2018

Memphis’ youngest students show reading gains on 2018 state tests — and that’s a big deal

Those working to improve early literacy rates in Shelby County Schools got a small morale boost from newly released TNReady scores.
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