NationSwell
5 December 2014
Text / Under 800 Words
United States
Generation Citizen is a nonprofit that places college students in high school and middle schools to teach students about civic engagement. Each college volunteer, known as a Democracy Coach, teaches a semester-long class and gets students to identify and develop a plan to solve a local issue of their choosing, including topics like bullying, unemployment, and public transit. As of 2014, the nonprofit, which was started by Scott Warren, included around 10,000 students and over 500 college volunteers in New York City, San Francisco, Boston, and Providence.
http://www.pulitzer.org/files/2012/public_service/assault09.pdf
Kristen A. Graham
The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network)
1 April 2011
Text / 800-1500 Words
Palm Beach County, Florida has many of the same social problems that Philadelphia has, including “gangs, drugs, and poverty.” However, their school system has managed to keep students safe by employing “safe-school case managers” who build relationships with students, and they offer a youth court that is a system run by students who peer-review cases of unrest. The initiatives in this county has prevented school violence from happening without metal detectors and just two police officers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/upshot/a-national-admissions-office-for-low-income-strivers.html
David Leonhardt
The New York Times
16 September 2014
Text / 800-1500 Words
Attending college is not always a given option for gifted teenagers from less-than-wealthy backgrounds. National organization QuestBridge creates a way for low-income and minority high-achieving students to go to their dream colleges free of cost.
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/a_new_model_of_school_reform
Jeremy Adam Smith
Greater Good Magazine
21 May 2014
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is transforming educational systems in Oakland by forming mentor relationships between adults and students. Unlike other models, though, the adults are the ones held accountable.
https://medium.com/bright/a-peek-into-silicon-valley-s-latest-bet-altschool-abf6c6973ecd
Mary Jo Madda
Bright Magazine
1 July 2015
Multi-Media / Under 800 Words
AltSchools use a completely different education system - interconnecting technology and hands on experiments - to help students achieve a higher degree of learning. Students are grouped into small, personalized cohorts so they can be both mentors and mentees for their fellow peers, creating a collaborative learning space for all.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/boston-theres-an-app-for-that-107661.html#.VYml6PlViko
Ben Schreckinger
Politico
10 June 2014
Text / Over 3000 Words
Boston had a hard time solving civic problems efficiently and holding its leadership accountable. In response, a team in the Mayor's office was charged with "making Boston better through clever, low-cost hacks" such as a mobile app that allows residents to send government service requests to City Hall.
http://seattletimes.com/html/education/2024894748_edlabsmallclassesxml.html
John Higgins
The Seattle Times
28 October 2014
Text / 800-1500 Words
Research in the U.S. suggests that a small class size is not enough but in combination with teacher training it leads to a change in achievement.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/projects/2013/native-american-education/running-in-place.html
Lesli A. Maxwell
Megan Garner
Swikar Patel
Education Week
4 December 2013
Text / Over 3000 Words
Native American student graduation rates are much lower than that of any other demographic. The Red Cloud school teaches students on a reservation in South Dakota about the Lakota history to empower the kids and encourage resilience.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/local/bayarea/item/Even-Odds-Day-2-23198.php
Jill Tucker
San Francisco Chronicle
18 August 2013
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In Oakland, black males are almost as likely to be killed as they are to graduate high school. One school is giving them special classes with black mentors to better address their emotional needs and keep them in school.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/local/item/Even-Odds-Part-3-23284.php
Jill Tucker
San Francisco Chronicle
18 August 2013
Text / 1500-3000 Words
Young black males in Oakland are suspended more frequently and graduate high school at a much lower rate than their peers. A charter school specifically designed for African American boys focuses on providing them with role models to create a supportive environment, combat the effects of trauma, and push them to succeed.
https://digital.vpr.net/post/education-lessons-maine-new-hampshire
Jane Lindholm
Patti Daniels
Vermont Public Radio
7 April 2015
Radio / Over 15 Minutes
As Vermont struggles to create legislation regulating school district management and financial efficiency, the state looks to models in Maine and New Hampshire for guidance. In Maine, school districts have tried to save money and resources through consolidation; in New Hampshire, officials have reworked the way schooling is financed altogether.
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