A new report by LFA and Grunwald Associates, with support from AT&T, examines how parents perceive the value of mobile devices, how they see their children using mobiles, and what they think of the possibilities for mobile learning.
Connected Community
Success Stories
Using Strategy to Narrow the Gap
Every year the American School Board Journal (with the National School Boards Association and Sodexo) recognizes excellent school district leadership with the Magna Awards. The following district is a 2012 winner.
Story posted June 26, 2012
Results:
- 54% of eight-graders are enrolled in either algebra or geometry.
- 95% are passing algebra and 100% passed the Virginia state test in geometry.
- 97% of students attending one high poverty elementary school passed the state math test in April 2011 and in that same month, 83% of high school students earned passing scores on the state math test and 94% passed the state writing test.
DISTRICT DILEMMA
The Alexandria City School Board governs a multiethnic district of 12,500 students. Unlike the majority of city residents, who are predominately white and affluent, public school children in Alexandria are mostly of color (72 percent), economically disadvantaged (54 percent), and often in need of special education (11 percent)and English language instruction (23 percent).Although many of its students are outstanding and well prepared for college and careers when they graduate, the achievement of Latino and African American students has lagged far behind that of white students. The graduation rate at the city’s only high school, the historic T.C.Williams, earned it a “persistently lowest achieving” designation.
SOLUTION
Knowing that the achievement gap begins before children enter school, the board adopted a five year plan that featured the creation of high-quality preschools; a focus on special education; the adoption of a new curriculum that ...
Story posted January 22, 2009. Story updated April 24, 2012.
Results:
• Proficiency rates score consistently around or above state averages in reading, ELA and math at all grade levels.
Although it opened only six years ago, Skyview Elementary School in scenic Lizella, Georgia, has already gained a reputation as an educational star. As a member of the National Basic Schools Network, which focuses on the four building blocks of community, curriculum, climate, and character, Skyview has a sound framework. But it is the passion, dedication, and wonderful vision of its dedicated former and present staff that has made this Title I school, where 50% of students qualify for free or reduced price lunch, soar to great heights in academics and character. ...
Working Together for Pre-School Success
Story posted March 12, 2012
Results:
- 95% of eligible four-year-olds now attend free, high-quality pre-school classes
- District teachers consistently report that children who have attended pre-school are well prepared for entry into kindergarten
The School District of La Crosse, Wisconsin believes that well-prepared four-year-olds make the best kindergarten students. For the last ten years, they've put time and effort into getting all four-year-olds access to pre-school programs. And they've seen results.
Prior to 2001, children attended private pre-schools or childcare centers, if their parents could afford it. Head Start or Title I programs offered options for low-income families, but the school district Title I program could only accommodate 150 to 160 four-year-olds and had to turn children away every year (63.8% of students in the district are economically disadvantaged). In addition, interaction between the school district and other early childhood providers in the community was limited.
Ten years later, an estimated 95 percent of eligible four-year-olds now attend free, high quality pre-school classes in a variety of school-based and community settings throughout ...
Academic Parent-Teacher Teams Show Promising Results
Story posted December 5, 2011
Results:
- Remarkable short-term test score gains - oral reading fluency (ISTEEP ORF) scores in APTT classrooms rose nearly 25 points from August to November 2009 (in non-APTT classrooms, oral reading fluency rose only about 10 points)
- Preliminary data show a 92 percent parent attendance rate at the team meetings, much higher than at conventional parent-teacher conferences in the district
When parents are engaged in their child’s learning, they can help their child strengthen academic skills outside of school. Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) provides a structure for parents to meet with the teacher and converse with other parents while also learning ways to support their child’s academic skill development. Founded in 2008, APTT resulted from efforts to increase student learning through support beyond the school day.
The program replaces traditional parent-teacher conferences with three classroom team meetings for parents and one 30-minute individual parent teacher conference (or more if needed). At the team meetings, the teacher models activities that parents can do at home with their children. The teacher also presents academic performance data for the class and gives parents individual information about their own child’s performance.
“Many parents wonder what the parents of kids at the top of the class are doing at home to make that happen,” says Maria Paredes, who started the program and ...
Becoming Compadres in Education
Story posted October 28, 2009. Results updated November 14, 2011.
Results:
• Hispanic student performance on end-of-course assessments has risen dramatically in a number of subjects, including Algebra I and II, Biology I and English III 
• The graduation rate among Hispanic students has increased by nearly 70 percent since 2007
• Attendance at Hispanic Family Night has increased from 50 to more than 250 since 2007
Putnam City West High School serves a rapidly changing, ethnically and economically mixed cross-section of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The student body of more than 1,600 turns over at a rate of 40 percent per year. Twenty-two percent of the school’s students are Hispanic (a dramatic increase over the past twelve years) and 72 percent are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
Despite gains in student achievement made by the school in recent years, the achievement gap between rich and poor students, as well as the gap between white and minority students, remains a constant problem. To address this issue, school officials joined forces with ...
A Full-Service School Fulfills Its Promise
Story posted September 9, 2008, Updated August 29, 2011.
Results:
- 95% of 4th graders scored proficient or better through 2010
- In 2008, 70% of 4th graders scored proficient or better on the New York State's English language arts assessment (compared to 19% passing in 1999)
- In 2008, 94% of students are now medically insured (compared with less than 23% in 1999)
In the late 1990s, teachers and administrators here at Thomas Edison Elementary School in Port Chester, New York, could see that the struggles of neighborhood families were affecting students' safety and well-being. They were also contributing to low academic achievement.
Although Port Chester is surrounded by affluent areas of Westchester County, our community is far from wealthy. More than 80 percent of Thomas Edison's students receive free or reduced-price lunch, and nearly 50 percent are English language learners. The majority of our families are recent immigrants from Hispanic countries. They struggle to afford adequate housing, child care, nutrition, and health care. They also face the stresses that ...
Bridging the Gap: College Tuition for Every High School Graduate
Story posted August 3, 2011
Results:
- In its initial phase, the Say Yes program has covered the college or post-secondary tuition of nearly 1,200 Syracuse high school graduates in need.
- Across Say Yes schools, more than 75% of participating students earn a high school diploma or GED, and about half earn some kind of post-secondary degree or credential—far more than peers in similar circumstances.
Few would disagree with the notion that low-income children face enormous challenges outside the traditional school system in achieving academic success. Research has confirmed the role of everything from health to summer learning opportunities, along with school-based factors including teacher and principal quality, in student achievement. ...
Glencliff High: Success through Partnerships
Story posted June 22, 2011
Results
Between 2007-08 and 2010-2011, Glencliff has had an:
- Increase in graduation rate - 66.4% to 81.2%
- Increase in student enrollment in Honors and/or AP courses - 20% to 33.3%
- Increase in student performance on writing assessment - 58% to 93% scored proficient or advanced
- Increase in students receiving Dual Enrollment credit with a community college +12%
Four years ago Glencliff High School in Nashville, TN rewrote their vision statement in order to create a profound change in the culture of the school. The first sentence reads, “Our vision is to make Glencliff High School a truly comprehensive place of learning and the central focus of the community.” Glencliff strives every day to bring that vision to reality, and has been successful in many ways. Since Glencliff has implemented the community schools strategy, they have leveraged the services and expertise of over 70 community partners and have seen significant increases in the ...
Building a Seaworthy Partnership for Job Exposure
Story posted June 1, 2011
Every year the American School Board Journal (with the National School Boards Association and Sodexo) features Magna Awards to recognize excellent school district leadership. The following district is a 2011 winner.
Results:
- Students receive hands-on experiences that triggers their curiosity about potential careers, and learned cognitive and life skills from professional mentors.
- Participants learn the key components of a successful interview and how to fill out job applications.
The mission of Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) is to educate all students for college, career, and citizen readiness. Key to fulfilling this mission is the Career Pathways initiative, which includes, among other goals, career exploration in middle school. School leaders knew that connecting middle school students to people doing specific jobs in the community would have the most impact. With the largest shipbuilder in the nation, Northrop Grumman, located just blocks from the school, leaders saw an opportunity to help students explore high-demand careers. At the same time, the shipyard was looking for a way to help meet a huge future demand for qualified employees.
SOLUTION
The shipyard immediately began building relationships with the students and staff by attending back-to-school nights, open houses, and other school events. Shipyard staff created a Shipbuilders Club, established a mentoring program, and helped to develop a Career Readiness Skills curriculum taught in grades six to ...
A Bright Future for All Students
Story posted May 20, 2011
Editor's Note: Shortly following the posting of this story, the deadliest tornado since record keeping began in 1950 hit the Joplin community. Learn more about its impact on district schools and how district schools are helping mobilize the community response from The Leading Source (the American School Board Journal's blog).
Every year the American School Board Journal (with the National School Boards Association and Sodexo) features Magna Awards to recognize excellent school district leadership. The following district is a 2011 winner.
Results:
More than 500 volunteers have contributed 3,000+ hours of service as mentors, tutors, and volunteers. - 54% reduction in the number of dropouts.
- Establishment of 233 community partnerships.
- More than $300,000 in cash and in-kind donations.
- Creation of a rapid response system to meet basic needs of students within a 24-hour period.
Joplin, in southwest Missouri, has a rich history as an old mining town. As the jobs created by the mining industry went away, high poverty and low expectations replaced what was once a thriving community. With 56.2 percent of Joplin’s 7,802 students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, kids have many basic needs to be met for them to be successful. One out of four freshman entering Joplin High School would not graduate. Almost 200 high school students dropped out in the 2008-09 school year. Realizing the culture of the school community had to change, in 2008 the Joplin school board started the process of strategic planning to ...
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A VISION FOR GREAT SCHOOLS
On this website, educators, parents and policymakers from coast to coast are sharing what's already working in public schools--and sparking a national conversation about how to make it work for children in every school. Join the conversation!
