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.
Public School Success Stories
Across the Country, public schools and districts are transforming themselves to prepare students for success in a 21st-century democracy and global society. Take a look at what educators and communities are doing right now to meet this challenge.
Or tell us what's working in your own school or district.
Transforming a School's Culture, One Snack at a Time
Story posted May, 2008
Results:
• Improved school's nutrition environment
• The school cafeteria orders 30% more produce to keep up with demand
• Pre and post- program surveys indicate children eat more fruit, play outside more often and drink less soda
Dr. Crisp Elementary is an inner-city school in Nashua, NH that enrolls 425 students from preschool to grade 5. More than 65% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
In 2003, we had few guidelines regulating school nutrition. Children typically brought sugary snacks to schools. Classroom celebrations often included cupcakes, brownies and soda. The cafeteria's salad bar was empty.
In the fall of that year, the "Changing the Scene" program through the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension opened our eyes to the childhood obesity epidemic. Hardly a week went by without frightening reports on the health of today's children. We decided it was time take action. ...
Awareness Initiative Boosts College Attendance
Story posted May 12, 2008
Results:
• 23.58% of students now attend college (many first-generation), a significant increase
• $75,000 in college scholarships awarded to former program participants in the 2006-2007 school year
A college awareness, education and support program for sophomores, juniors and seniors at Coachella Valley High School in Thermal, Calif., is helping to increase the percentage of graduates going to college.
The program, called Catch the Dream, was created six years ago and is becoming more effective each year. The initiative's goal is to help students find the college that is right for them and then to do everything necessary to get them there. ...
Story posted May 20, 2008
Results:
• 67% increase in calculus enrollment, with pre-calculus enrollment doubling
• Increased representation of minority and low SES students in high-level math and science courses
Using a $5,000 Student Achievement Grant from the NEA Foundation, Luajean Bryan, working with her Walker Valley High School (TN) colleagues Eric Swafford and Jenny Borden, created a cross curricular lesson titled "From the Earth to the Sky." They conceived the lesson as a means to increase student interest in math and science courses. They also believed that "From the Earth to the Sky" might appeal to minority students, low-income students, and students with diverse learning styles. ...
In Texas, a Second Chance at a Bright Future
Story posted May 8, 2008. Results updated June 18, 2009.
Results:
• In less than two years, the school has graduated 368 students ranging from 18-25 years old
• Contributed to a 75% decrease in district dropout rate over the past two years
The largest school district in Hidalgo County and the second largest in the Rio Grande Valley, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) has faced some tough challenges, yet its motto of "Focused on Performance" is the key to ensuring all 30,000 students reach their fullest potential.
83% of our mostly Hispanic student body is economically disadvantaged, 76% are considered at-risk and over 10% have limited proficiency in English due to the district's proximity to Mexico.
Despite these challenges, we have maintained a culture of pride and excellence that puts children first. So in response to a growing dropout problem, we quickly instituted an innovative district/college partnership to put former non-graduates on the path to higher education. ...
Changing a Culture by Building Relationships
Story posted May, 2008
Results:
• Student suspensions down almost two-thirds
• Student drug violations down almost 80%
Tracy Bale didn't even wait for school to start on his first day as principal of Spencer County High School to make some changes. It was 45 minutes until the first bell, and students were gathering in the parking lot, as they had always done, with the intention of hanging out until school began. Bale was in the parking lot, too. He told the students that if they were going to arrive early for school, they had to come into the gym.
"It had become a real circus out there," Bale said, noting that the early-morning hangout scene was just one example of how SCHS had developed into what Bale called "an unhealthy learning environment."
Today, SCHS students no longer hang out in the parking lot, there are clear rules against cursing and other disruptive behaviors, and students know they get three warnings in class before they are given in-school suspension and their parents are called. ...
Empowering Educators to Improve Outcomes
Story posted April, 2008
Results:
• 83.3% of students now read at or above grade level, which is well above state average
A sign in the main office of Southside Primary School lists "protected reading times" for each grade level (for example, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for kindergarten). "No interruptions can be made to classes at these times," the sign warns.
Southside's vigilance when it comes to guarding classroom reading time is a reflection of a broader effort at the school to ensure that teachers have not just the time, but also the necessary skills, to help their students succeed. And, at Southside, success is measured according to one major objective: that 100 percent of students will be reading at or above grade level before leaving second grade. ...
Repairing and Using the Environment
Story posted April, 2008
Results:
• Restoration of community land
• Recognition by various local and national agencies for important environmental work
An environmental project more likely to have been spearheaded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency than elementary school students led to Garrett County Public Schools in rural western Maryland receiving the National Civic Star Award for 2008.
The project, known as Crellin Elementary Corps of Discovery, evolved after students at a 2003 science camp noticed orange water seeping from a playground area into a stream known as Snowy Creek near the school property. The seepage was acid mine drainage from water flowing under coal and mine waste that had been spilled and left on the site when Crellin had been a coal mining town from about 1925 to 1960.
Crellin is in the central Appalachian Mountain where pristine streams and beautiful scenery are typical and where much of the land is part of state and federal preserves. Garrett County is also the site of Deep Creek Lake, a popular resort destination. ...
Building Boat Models Aids Math, Science Learning
Story posted April, 2008
Results:
• 87% of 3rd graders have passed the state math test each of the past two years, up from 63% in 2005
Parma City Schools in Parma, Ohio, and General Motors have collaborated in a program for third-grade students at the district's Thoreau Park Elementary School to boost math and science performance.
The program evolved after the school community focused on the fact that students were performing poorly on the Ohio state tests in math and science. At the time, General Motors was a business partner with Thoreau Park Elementary and offered to provide volunteers to implement a proposed program, called World in Motion. The premise was that students learn best when they can connect their learning to real-world aspects of life. In science and math, that involves connecting abstract theory to something tangible.
The program involves students creating small skimmer boats with the help of about 10 GM engineers working in the school's third-grade classrooms for an hour a week for six weeks. ...
Designing an Exemplar: University of Pennsylvania and the Penn Alexander School
Story posted March, 2008.
Results updated January, 2011.
Results:
• In 15 out of 16 standardized tests in 2010, students scored above state averages
• 84% of students met or exceeded proficiency standards on state reading tests in 2009
• 84.1% of students met or exceeded proficiency standards on state math tests in 2009 ...
School/Community Connections Benefit Both in Missouri
Story posted April, 2008
Results:
• Over 80% of kindergarteners have contact with the district before entering school
• Students involved in the extended program show improvement in almost every measurable area: participation, self-reliance, homework completion, attendance, academic achievement, and more
Everyone in Independence plays a role in educating young people. Each elementary and one high school has a School/Neighborhood Site Council that includes parents, teachers, community members, and students. These councils assess needs for their neighborhood and school and then implement action plans aimed at improving the well-being of students, families, neighborhoods and the community. In Independence, the public believes that a caring community builds on its strengths to provide meaningful opportunities for young people.
...
SIGN UP
Sign up for our e-newsletter on public school success.
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!
