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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. ...

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 12^th 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. ...

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. ...

Story posted January, 2008.  Results updated August 3, 2009.

 Results:
• On average, 90% of students in grades 2-5 met or exceeded State Standards in reading and math on Delaware’s annual assessment (DSTP) in 2009
• 2009 performance highlights include 97% of 3rd graders and 94% of 4th graders passing the DSTP math test (compared to 79% and 77%, respectively, for the state as a whole)

The Frankford Elementary School motto is "A Place for Everyone."  And, over the years, the school has proven that everyone can succeed if provided with individualized attention to meet specific learning needs.

Frankford Elementary sits in a small, rural community just ten miles from Bethany Beach, a summer vacation resort.  Despite the school's proximity to expensive beach homes, most of the school's students come from low-income households. Seventy-eight percent of Frankford students qualify for free or reduced lunches.  The student body is 43% Hispanic, 29% White and 26% African American. ...