Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Turnaround

Decision day

Colorado
23 hours ago

A state board decision on two long-struggling Pueblo schools could affect the entire district

Heroes Middle School and Risley International Academy of Innovation have spent the last eight years on a watch list for low-performing schools.

turnaround challenge

Tennessee
September 26, 2018

17 schools in Tennessee’s turnaround district remain priority schools 6 years after first takeovers

Four of the six original Memphis schools that were taken over by the state in 2012 are on the newest priority list released last week. And dozens of schools that were added to the district later also remain on the list.

next steps

Colorado
September 17, 2018

Adams 14 pledges ‘transformational change’ as Colorado revisits school improvement plans

The Colorado State Board of Education plans to hold hearings in November for one school district and three schools that have not shown enough improvement.

sig: the sequel

National
September 13, 2018

Did Obama’s federal school turnaround program really fail?

It’s a year-old debate that remains relevant, as SIG has become a touchstone for the idea that the federal government is unable to help long-struggling schools improve.

Welcome Back

Colorado
August 20, 2018

‘They deserve the best:’ A Denver principal talks about restarting a school in her home city

We sat down with Angelina Walker, the new principal of John H. Amesse Elementary in Montbello, to talk about her vision.

NEW MOMENT

Tennessee
April 25, 2018

Tennessee’s struggling state-run district just hired the ‘LeBron James’ of school turnaround work

Sharon Griffin’s new job is to better the state’s Achievement School District and use her experience to strengthen the relationships with local districts across the state.

Superintendent search

Tennessee
April 24, 2018

‘I can’t wait to get started,’ says Sharon Griffin on leading Tennessee’s Achievement School District

Sharon Griffin, a longtime leader at Shelby County Schools, will be the next leader of the state’s turnaround district.

Road map

Colorado
April 7, 2018

What’s next for Colorado schools ‘on the clock’? This bill would show the way

Colorado's school accountability law is silent about what should happen if students still aren’t learning in the years following state intervention.

Priorities and pushback

Colorado
April 2, 2018

A heated debate over the desire for a traditional high school in far northeast Denver boils over

“Everything we do is threatened by the idea of opening a new high school in the far northeast."

back in town

Tennessee
March 8, 2018

Back in Memphis, founding superintendent of Tennessee’s turnaround district says the effort needs more time

In town this week for a philanthropic event, Chris Barbic told Chalkbeat that he expects low-performing schools absorbed by the state-run district to see more progress.

moving forward

Tennessee
February 1, 2018

State turnaround district ready to hand off Memphis middle school to charter

Students at Westside Achievement Middle School likely will start next school year under a new operator.

charter talks

Tennessee
January 18, 2018

Hopson weighs charters as school turnaround tool for Shelby County Schools

The Memphis superintendent's comments hint at a potentially significant shift for a district that has battled openly with the charter sector over students.

No time to play

Colorado
January 12, 2018

Will recess cuts boost learning? One struggling Colorado district wants to find out.

A suburban Denver school district on a state-mandated improvement plan has cut recess time for elementary students in a bid to devote more time to instruction.

Big gains

Colorado
August 18, 2017

No. 1: This Denver turnaround school had the highest math growth in Colorado

The school also had the eighth-highest growth on state English tests.

Time will tell

Indiana
November 30, 2016

Is one year enough time to make a bad school better? Experts are divided.

Whether or not one year of test scores says much about a school depends on who you ask.
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