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.
Arlington's Community Involvement Helps Students Succeed
Story posted March, 2008
Results:
• 95% of parents attending ESL classes related to the school attend parent-teacher conferences
• 400% growth in the number of children attending after-school enrichment programs, with 80% of those students showing academic gains
Imagine a school where teachers and parents work together to help children learn and develop; a place where local arts groups, businesses, faith-based organizations and county services all come together to improve the lives of young people and their families. At Carlin Springs Elementary School, in Arlington, VA, students are thriving because the school, county and the Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families have come together to create a place that does all of this and more. ...
Measuring Success One Student at a Time
Story posted March, 2008
Results:
• Almost 90% of 3rd-10th graders now read at or above grade level
• Almost 100% of parents attend parent-teacher conferences
A depressed economy, low teacher salaries and a dwindling population in poor remote areas usually translate into restricted opportunities for children. Not so for the students in the Walsh School District in rural southeastern Colorado.
In the Walsh School District, which serves approximately 150 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, almost three quarters of the students qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch - a federal benchmark for poverty. Although the median household income is less than $25,000 a year, the district is overcoming daunting challenges to providing every student an excellent education.
In fact, Walsh has the highest reading scores in the state. Its small size allows staff to truly practice Walsh Elementary School's mission of "Measuring Success One Student at a Time." Teachers take time every day to give one-on-one help to struggling kids. ...
Road Trip to Success: Engaging Families and Children in Coopersville
Story posted March, 2008
Results:
• Higher test scores for at-risk children
• Increased parent involvement in school activities
• Greater family participation in out-of-school educational activities
The more life experiences children have, the greater their success in school. Studies show that children from less affluent households often come to school with underdeveloped language skills. A typical child in a low-income household hears 600 words an hour, while atypical middle class child hears 2,000. Plus, children in low-income families often have fewer life experiences like trips to children's museums, visits to the library and outings with their family. An innovative family involvement program in Michigan aims to change this equation. ...
A Focus on Literacy Spells Success for Georgia Matthews Elementary
Story posted February, 2008
Results:
• 91.1% of 3rd graders met or exceeded the state reading standard in 2007, up from 79.1% in 2006
• 95% of 3rd grade English Language Learners met or exceeded the state reading standard in 2007, up from 80% in 2006
At Georgia Matthews Elementary School in Garden City, Kansas, developing literacy in the largely Hispanic student body is everybody's job. Students learn vocabulary and practice literacy skills not just during class periods dedicated to reading and writing, but all day long. Even physical education and art teachers bring books to their classes or use objects to introduce new vocabulary or concepts in English. Add a relentless focus on the individual needs of each student, and you've got a formula that has helped students beat the odds.
The majority of children at Georgia Matthews qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and half are learning English as a second language. Yet the school, which has students in early childhood through 4th grade, regularly outperforms the state's learning standards. Last year, the National Association of Title I State Directors recognized the school's progress in closing achievement gaps with a Distinguished School Program award. ...
A Second Set of Parents: Advisory Groups and Student Achievement at Granger High
Story posted February, 2008
Results:
• 100% parent attendance at conferences for the past 3 years
• Over 90% of students now graduate, up from 59% in 2004
In 2001, Granger High School's test scores were dismal. Gang-related graffiti marred every surface, and fewer than half of students graduated. Most of the 300-odd students at this Washington State high school come from low-income families working on farms in the surrounding Yakima Valley. Eighty-four percent are Latino, and six percent are Native American. Could these students succeed? Principal Richard Esparza has the answer on his license plate: "Se puede!" (It can be done!) Under Esparza's confident guidance, the school reached out to students and their families, creating supports to keep students on track.
Reading across the curriculum, aligning coursework with state standards, and intensive academic interventions for struggling students all contribute to Granger's steady improvement. But caring connections between students, teachers, and parents bring all these strands together. ...
Community Engagement at the Center of Fair Street's Success
Story posted February, 2008
Results:
• 91% of 5th graders passed the state reading test in 2006, up from 75% in 2003
• 94% of 3rd graders passed the state reading test in 2006, up from 76% in 2003
• School has made Adequate Yearly Progress 5 years in a row
As long as Fair Street Elementary School has been around, it has been the center of its community. When it was founded in 1937, the school was the only one to serve northeast Georgia's African American children before segregation. It was the heart of the community, holding community meetings, and social and athletic activities. While the Gainesville population has become more diverse over the years, Fair Street has held its place as the heart of its community.
Fair Street educates 601 students. Of these, 93% are eligible for free or reduced price lunch, 11% receive special needs services, 70% are English second-language learners, and 48% qualify for ESOL instruction. ...
Creating a Learning Environment--Moving from Chaos to Achievement
Story posted February, 2008. Results updated August 4, 2011.
Results:
• In 2010 60% of students met or exceeded state math standards, and 70% did so for reading--about the state average despite serving a significantly higher proportion of students in poverty.
How could Dayton's Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary School, a school so troubled that children rode their bikes in the hallways, become a beacon of achievement and learning? The transformation took leadership, vision and a willingness to turn a chaotic place into a nurturing learning environment.
A K-6 urban school that draws almost 90% of its students from low-income families, Dayton's Bluff was by all accounts out of control. Overall discipline was inconsistent and the learning environment was in shambles. Nine out of 10 students could not read at grade level. Teacher morale was low and turnover high. It was labeled the worst school in the city. ...
Character Education Promotes Academic Achievement at Herrington Elementary
Story posted February, 2008
Results:
• 40% drop in suspension rate
• Attained 95% average daily attendance
• Attained highest reading scores in the city
Herrington Elementary is located just four blocks from the Pontiac Silverdome, longtime home of the Detroit Lions. It's fitting, then, that teamwork is the hallmark of the school's efforts to create a great, safe place where all children can learn.
What brought this small elementary school with 360 students to the big leagues of innovation in public education? The answer is Herrington's emphasis on character education for all students. With the support of the United Auto Workers and GM, Herrington has built a curriculum and a culture that puts an emphasis on common values.
An example of the school's unique approach is the "Harambee," an African term for gathering. Every morning, all students and adults in the school meet in the Herrington multipurpose room for the Pledge of Allegiance, character trait quotes, special announcements and a recitation of "I Am Somebody." Student birthdays are recognized with three claps and a "Whoop!" ...
Story posted January, 2008. Results updated December 14, 2012.
*Results:
• Math performance in the district continues to improve, with 59% of 3rd graders scoring proficient or advanced in math in 2012, up from 52% in 2011 and up 4% from the state average. Performance in 7th grade math is also up.
• 42% of 7th graders scored proficient or advanced in reading/language arts in 2012, up from 40% in 2011 and 38% in 2010.
A 2000 report on the performance of elementary and middle schools in Tennessee presented Hamilton County with some sobering news: it was home to nine of the 20 lowest-performing schools in the state.
In response, local foundations and the Hamilton County Department of Education embarked on an effort to improve student literacy in the low-performing schools, all of which were located in poor, urban neighborhoods in Chattanooga. The focus of the effort: embedded professional development and the creation of strong leadership teams in the targeted schools. ...
A Village Steps Up to Help Students Succeed
Story posted January, 2008. Story updated March 5, 2013.
Results:
In 2011, 9th met or exceeded state proficiency averages in all subjects tested, and 10th met or exceeded state proficiency averages in reading and writing ...
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!
