• New Leader in Chicago, p.3 • Homeless Initiative, p.7 LEGISLATIVE • Congressional Delays, p.10

The Nation’s Voice for Urban Education January/February 2018 Vol. 27, No. 1 www.cgcs.org

Urban School Districts Des Moines Superintendent Shelters Take In Relocated Teen Whose Family Was Deported

Puerto Rican Students Thomas Ahart is the superintendent of Io- wa’s Des Moines Public Tenisha Marie Bennett Rodriguez viv- Schools and Jennifer Gal- idly remembers the night last September dames is an 11th-grade when Hurricane Maria made landfall in student at the district’s her hometown of Quebradillas, Puerto Roosevelt High School. Rico. The storm ripped off half of the metal And the first time the two roof that covered the house she shared with met was not at a school her 5-year-old daughter Melody, filling ev- function, but when Ahart ery room with floodwater and leaving al- decided to provide her most all of their belongings in ruins. with a home after her par- The days that followed were painful as ents were deported. she and her daughter struggled with a lack The story of how they Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Ahart, right, of electricity, often waiting in line for 15 became a part of each with his family, left to right, stepson Eli, wife Jami and Jennifer Galdames, whose parents were deported. hours to get gas, which was limited to $10 other’s lives was the focus of fuel a person. And at the only working of a recent article that ap- ATM in town, Rodriguez had to wait in peared in the Des Moines Register. earlier, a victim of the violence affecting line for 10 hours only to be told she could Galdames was born in Guatemala and Central America. withdraw just $40 a day. Clean water and three years ago, at the age of 14, she trav- Galdames’ mother arranged for a smug- food were scarce and expensive and most eled to the United States to join her moth- gler to escort her to the border in Texas and days she and her daughter ate only one er, who had left her in Guatemala with kept a lawyer on standby. meal. relatives when she was 18 months old. Her Des Moines continued on page 4 Puerto Rican continued on page 6 father had been killed in Guatemala years U.S. Education Policy and Legislation Focus of Conference

2018 Annual Legislative/Policy Conference Registration Brochure

Big-city school leaders will discuss 2018 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals education priorities for the Trump Ad- (DACA) program, updates on Every Stu- ministration and education legislation on dent Succeeds Act (ESSA) accountability Capitol Hill when they converge at the and state plans, and prospects for school Council of the Great City Schools’ Annual infrastructure funding at the landmark Legislative/Policy Conference, March 17- Mayflower Hotel in the nation’s capital. 20, in Washington. Conference highlights are on page 9. Discussions will also focus on 2018-19 To register, access www.cgcs.org. March 17-20, 2018 federal education funding, the status of the The Mayflower Hotel • Washington, D.C. INSIDE THE COUNCIL JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Books and Barbers Program Flourishes in Fort Worth

When students in Texas’ Fort are places that our young men are going to Roger Foggle, a barber participating in Worth Independent School District fairly regularly,” said Sherry Breed, chief of the program, encourages his customers to go to their local barbershop, they are equity and excellence for the district, in an read aloud and answer questions about the not only going to get their hair cut, but article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “... book they are reading. are also getting the opportunity to im- And they have an established relationship He says that many of the older boys prove their reading skills. with their barber.” Books, Barbers continued on page 3 The Books and Barbers Reading Program is an initiative launched in the summer of 2017 by the Fort Worth school system and pairs the school dis- trict with local barbershops in an effort to boost literacy. Each participating barbershop is equipped with bookshelves, a variety of books, many with multicultural themes, and helpful and willing bar- bers ready to support their young pa- trons reading skills. The initiative is specifically aimed at boosting the literacy rate of the dis- trict’s African American students, who make up 23 percent of the student population. In 2016-2017, only one in four black students in the district were reading on the appropriate grade level. The partnership has expanded to include nine barbershops, who not only provide students with extra read- A student in Texas’ Fort Worth Independent School District reads while getting his hair cut by a ing practice, but a comfortable envi- barber as part of the district’s Books with Barbers program. Photo credit: Joyce Marshall, Fort Worth Star-Telegram ronment. “We know the barbershops

Executive Director Editor Associate Editor Staff Writer Michael Casserly Henry Duvall Tonya Harris Darrell Robinson [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Council officers A newsletter published by the Council of the Great City Schools, representing 69 of the nation’s largest urban public school districts. Chair Darienne Driver Albuquerque Chicago Fresno Milwaukee Philadelphia Seattle Superintendent, Milwaukee Anchorage Cincinnati Greensboro Minneapolis Pinellas Co. Shelby Co. Chair-elect Arlington, TX Clark Co. Hawaii Nashville Pittsburgh St. Louis Lawrence Feldman Atlanta Cleveland Houston New Orleans Portland St. Paul Board Member, Miami-Dade Austin Columbus Indianapolis New York City Providence Tampa Baltimore Dallas Jackson Newark Richmond Toledo Secretary-Treasurer Birmingham Dayton Jacksonville Norfolk Rochester Tulsa Eric Gordon Boston Denver Kansas City Oakland Sacramento Washington DC CEO, Cleveland Bridgeport Des Moines Long Beach Oklahoma City San Antonio Wichita Broward Co. Detroit Los Angeles Omaha San Diego Buffalo El Paso Louisville Orange Co. San Francisco Charlotte Fort Worth Miami-Dade Palm Beach Santa Ana

All news items should be submitted to: Find the Council on: Urban Educator Council of the Great City Schools 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Suite 1100N • Washington, DC 20004 (202) 393-2427 • (202) 393-2400 (fax)

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Changes at the Helm: Chicago, NYC, L.A., and Richmond School Districts

The nation’s third of Education and lead the nation’s largest geles Unified School District. A gradu- largest school sys- school district, with 1.1 million students in ate of the school district, King has led the tem begins 2018 more than 1,800 schools. 588,696-student school system since 2016. with new leadership. The veteran educator recently an- King, who is undergoing treatment for Janice Jackson, the nounced that she plans to retire from the cancer, will retire at the end of June. Vivian district’s chief educa- district after serving for four years. Ekchian, the district’s tion officer, was -re During her tenure, she has seen the associate superinten- Janice Jackson cently named chief expansion of universal pre-kindergarten dent overseeing hu- executive officer of the to more than 53,000 4-year-olds, an ex- man resources and the 400,000-student Chicago Public Schools. panded Community School model to pro- office of parent and She succeeds Forrest Claypool, who re- vide more services to community services, cently resigned from the school district he students and families, is currently serving as has led since 2015. and increased funding acting superintendent. Jackson is a graduate of the school for arts education and Michelle King Under King’s lead- system and began her career as a history after-school programs ership, graduation rates teacher in a district high school. She has for middle students. have risen and in an effort to improve com- also served as a principal of two small Chi- And under her lead- munication throughout the district, she has cago high schools she helped create. ership, test scores and created interactive Listen and Learn Tours As CEO, she said she will focus on aca- Carmen Fariña graduation rates for to connect with students, parents and com- demic progress, stabilizing district finances students increased. munity leaders. and improving the integrity and public The daughter of Spanish immigrants Last year, the National Association of trust of the Chicago Public Schools. and the first in her family to graduate col- School Superintendents selected King as “But no role in CPS better prepares me lege, Fariña began her career as a classroom its 2017 National Superintendent of the than being a CPS parent,” said Jackson in teacher at an elementary school in New Year, and in June the board of education the Chicago Sun Times, whose daughter at- York City specializing in social studies. In gave her a two-year contract extension to tends a school in the district. “Know that her five decades with the district, she has serve until 2020. in the CEO you have somebody who has served in various positions, including prin- King has a 30-year career with the Los experienced the district, and owes all of my cipal, district superintendent and deputy Angeles school system, having served as a success to CPS, but I look at it through the chancellor for teaching and learning. teacher, principal, chief of staff to the su- lens of a parent.” In a letter announcing her retirement, perintendent, senior deputy superinten- Fariña recalled that when New York City dent and chief deputy superintendent. NYC Leader Leaving Mayor Bill de Blasio asked her to become the chancellor four years ago she accepted New Leader in Richmond In 2014, Carmen Fariña came out of re- because of her faith in the promise of pub- tirement at the age of 70 to become chan- lic education to level the playing field and Virginia’s Richmond Public Schools cellor of the New York City Department give every child opportunities regardless of recently named an home zip code. “I took the job with a firm administrator from belief in excellence for every student, in the nation’s capi- Books, Barbers continued from page 2 the dignity and joyfulness of the teaching tal to lead its school profession, and in the importance of trust- system. Jason Kam- lack the confidence to read aloud and that ing relationships where collaboration is the ras, was named the because of peer pressure many students are driving force,” Fariña wrote. “These are the superintendent of afraid to let people know that they’re intel- beliefs that I have built over five decades as the 24,000-student ligent. a New York City educator and they have Jason Kamras school district, suc- But the barbershop is the one place boys been at the heart of the work we have done ceeding interim super- are provided with a sense of community, together for the past four years.” intendent Thomas Kranz. not competition. Kamras has held various positions in the “They come to the barbershop, and we L.A. Leader to Retire District of Columbia Public Schools, in- not only cut your hair, but we’re here to help you, too,” said Foggle in an interview Also announcing retirement is Michelle At the Helm continued on page 11 with the Fort Worth Star -Telegram. King, the superintendent of the Los An-

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Several Urban School Teachers Named 2018 State Teachers of the Year

Vanessa Ching, a teacher at Ewa Makai statewide to win the National Green Rib- Every year, outstanding teachers from Middle School in Hawaii, is the coordina- bon School certification presented by the each state and the District of Columbia are tor of the school’s student activities and U.S. Department of Education. selected as State Teachers of the Year, and green initiatives where she has led her In recognition of her efforts, Ching was this year several big-city educators were school in reducing its carbon footprint. selected as the 2018 Hawaii State Teacher named the best by their states through the Her school would go on to be the only one of the Year. Council of Chief State School Officers. The 2018 Alaska Teacher of the Year was Ben Walker, who has spent his 11- Des Moines continued from page 1 year career at Romig Middle School in the Anchorage School District, where he After crossing the border, she was ap- come her temporary legal guardians. teaches science, as well as applied technol- prehended by immigration officials and “We understood the situation that her ogy, robotics and media technology. And spent the night in a cold detention cen- mother, stepfather, and little sister were in outside of the classroom, he is committed ter. The next day Galdames, who spoke no and what their hopes for Jennifer were,” to organizing STEM (science, technology, English, was moved for a week to a cell said Ahart in an email to the Urban Edu- engineering and math) Career Day events, with 300 people before a lawyer was able to cator. “We were in a position to offer sup- MathCOUNTS programs and a social and get her out, and she took a bus to Iowa to port and felt strongly that we could provide emotional learning committee. be reunited with her mother. genuine help to both Jennifer and her fam- Matthew Bacon-Brenes, a Japanese She lived with her mother, stepfather ily if we took this step.” immersion teacher at Mt. Tabor Middle and 8-year-old sister in Iowa, with the The 17-year-old was nervous the first School in Portland Public Schools, has family moving three times in three years week living with the Aharts, but has settled been named Oregon’s 2018 Teacher of the to avoid detection by immigration officials. in nicely with the family describing them Year. In October, her parents were arrested in the Des Moines Register “as fun, lovely Bacon-Brenes’ has made his greatest when they were dropping her sister off at people. We play games, watch football.” impact as a teacher in the Portland school school. Her stepfather was eventually de- The Aharts call Galdames their daugh- district’s Japanese immersion K-12 pro- ported to Mexico, where he is from, and ter and she has bonded with Eli, Jami’s gram he has led for the past 20 years. He her mother decided to voluntarily return 6-year-old son. facilitates an annual, two-week Japanese to Guatemala along with her youngest She plays basketball, and after gradu- Research Residency trip for 8th-grade stu- daughter, who is a United States citizen. ating from high school wants to attend dents, where they research themes around However, Galdames had applied to ob- college. But she is waiting approval of her Japanese culture, history, and social science. tain legal status and was only a year and permanent residence status, so her post- Paul Howard, a social studies teacher half from graduating from high school. So secondary options are limited and she is at LaSalle-Backus Education Campus in her mother decided she would stay in the not covered under the DACA (Deferred Washington, D.C., was named 2018 D.C. United States and made arrangements for Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. State Teachers continued on page 10 her to live with a relative in New Jersey she And due to an extreme backlog of cases in had never met. the nation’s immigration court system, the Aharts lawyer estimates that it may take a Providing a Home year and a half or longer for Galdames to obtain legal status. When Galdames’ stepfather was arrest- Superintendent Ahart has led the Des ed, Ahart’s wife Jami Bassman, a real estate Moines school system since 2013, and said agent and an actress, became friends with that taking Galdames in has given him a her mother and got to know Jennifer. different lens to gauge the district’s cultural One day while Jami was visiting the proficiency work, as well as a greater un- Galdames’ to bring them supplies for the derstanding of the experiences his students teen to take with her to New Jersey, her face. mother told her that Jennifer did not want “And of course, it has deepened my com- 2018 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year Vanessa to leave Des Moines. After discussing the mitment to our students and families that Ching, right, of Ewa Makai Middle School situation, the Aharts decided that the teen are in most need of advocacy and can really reacts to the announcement of her selection. Photo credit: Hawaii State Department of would live with them and they would be- only find reliable support for a number of Education critical life needs through their school. ”

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Toledo School District Consolidates Career Tech Programs In Aviation and Natural Science

Ohio’s Toledo Public Schools plans to travel times during open a new academy next school year with- the day,” says Paul out reinventing the wheel. Toth, president Instead, the district is combining two and chief executive successful Career Tech programs – The officer of the Tole- Aviation Center and the Natural Science do-Lucas County Technology Center – and adding core Port Authority. He academic subjects for students to take in a adds the Port Au- renovated building at the Toledo Express thority is proud to Airport. partner with the Plans are in the works to offer a Career Toledo school sys- Tech honors diploma, but the main impe- tem on this project. tus behind the creation of the new Aero- And the Natural space and Natural Science Academy of To- Science Technolo- ledo is to train students to be college- and gy Center students Students receive instruction at the current Toledo Aviation Center. career-ready for jobs in the growing fields will have the time of aviation and environmental science, sus- they travel cut tainability and wildlife management. down considerably. Brown is any indication. She had known The aviation industry, for example, an- The new school will be housed in a she wanted to pursue some type of me- ticipates a shortage of more than 113,000 33,138-square-foot facility previously used chanical career but honed in on aviation aviation technicians over the next 15 years, to house simulators for flight training. The after a trip to the current center. according to the district. district has budgeted more than $4.6 mil- “I didn’t know I could be working on And on the environmental front, Su- lion for renovations. This includes more airplanes,” she told the Toledo Blade the day perintendent Romules Durant of Toledo than $1.6 million in building improve- of the announcement. “When I came here Public Schools notes, “Every year in Au- ments, including such items as re-roofing in eighth grade, I was like, ‘… this is what gust and September in northwest Ohio, we and HVAC that would typically be the I want to do.’” talk about the algal bloom. The kids in this responsibility of the Port Authority, the school very well may be coming up with building’s owner. In addition to paying for Pathway to College the solution to that issue.” the improvements, the district’s 10-year The current Aviation Center is a three- lease deal includes zero rent for the first six The Port Authority is not the only year program that prepares students to years. Toledo-area organization supporting the become FAA-certified maintenance tech- District officials are still finalizing staff- creation of the new academy. Both Bowl- nicians, and provides them with hands-on ing needs so there is not an overall operat- ing Green State University and Owens experience in a hangar located at the air- ing cost at this point, but recruitment has Community College have pledged aca- port. They, and their counterparts at the started to enroll 300 students in grades demic support. Students who enroll in Natural Science Technology Center, have 9–12. The academy is a true magnet school, the College Credit Plus program while at split schedules – they travel to their home with Toledo Public Schools administrators the academy can earn an associate degree high schools for core classes and then travel hoping to attract students from throughout through Owens and then can transfer to again to their respective centers for indi- northwest Ohio. Bowling Green to earn a bachelor’s degree vidualized training and then back on the In addition to core subjects such as Eng- only two years out of high school. bus to their home schools for dismissal. lish, math and science, students will learn Bowling Green President Mary El- such necessary job skills as team-building, len Mazey says she is most proud that the Port Authority Involved problem-solving and innovation. Teachers collaboration is designed to help students will attend professional development ses- continue their education without leaving “This new academy, which includes core sions at the start of each school year so they northwest Ohio. curriculum courses, will allow the Avia- are current on the latest industry practices. “The students will have opportunities to tion Center students to spend their entire Recruitment shouldn’t be a problem, pursue coursework that will lead to degrees school day at the airport, eliminating long if Start High School sophomore Faith Toledo District continued on page 11

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Puerto Rican continued from page 1 hold goods. In addition to aiding displaced stu- “There was no light, no water, no gas,” dents, the district has encouraged adults said Rodriguez, who was interviewed for who have left Puerto Rico to seek em- a story that appeared on the Cleveland ployment in the school system. So far, its Metropolitan School District News Bu- human resources department has hired 50 reau website. “.... The situation we were in teachers and 27 classified staff members was not livable.” from the island. It was those conditions that forced Miami-Dade County Public Schools Rodriguez and her daughter to leave has enrolled 647 students from Puerto Puerto Rico and journey to the United Rico and has been in conversations with States, along with her friend Keishla Ma- Puerto Rico’s Department of Education rie Marichal Delpilar and her two chil- Tenisha Marie Bennett Rodriguez, left, and Keishla Ma- about the alignment of standards and cur- dren. rie Marichal Delpilar enroll their children in Cleveland’s riculum to ensure a smooth student tran- Thomas Jefferson International Newcomers Academy For Delpilar, it was especially urgent after leaving Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria. sition. District officials have also reached she leave the island because her 4-year- out to members of Congress to secure ad- old daughter has a heart condition and ditional federal funding to accommodate takes medication that must be kept cold. water, has been carrying around the same displaced students. But the hurricane knocked out electricity full, unopened water bottle since her first New York’s Rochester City School Dis- in their entire town, which meant that her day of school, while another child’s mother trict has enrolled 482 new students from daughter’s medicine went bad and she was reported that her son began harming him- Puerto Rico and recently opened a grade forced to go without it for weeks. self after the move. 1-12 Bilingual Language and Literacy In October, the two families flew to “My job is to get parents engaged with Academy for them. In addition to pro- Cleveland, where Delpilar’s two brothers their child’s school,” said Perez, “but right viding students with bilingual teachers, live, and enrolled their children in Cleve- now, I’m focusing on helping them meet who will offer instruction in English and land’s Thomas Jefferson International their basic needs.” Spanish, the school is incorporating social- Newcomers Academy. The PreK-12 school After all they endured, Delpilar and Ro- emotion supports through a bilingual so- is home to the district’s immigrants and driguez, who are living together with their cial worker and a bilingual home school refugees and where Puerto Rican families children in a one-bedroom apartment and assistant. to Hur like Delpilar and Rodriguez have been looking for employment, are adjusting to Buffalo Public Schools in New York has showing up since Hurricane Maria as well their new environment and working to get received 418 students from Puerto Rico, as Hurricane Irma landed on the island. back on their feet. with many students registering in one of Currently, there are more than 120 “I’m grateful to be here and just trying the district’s four bilingual elementary Puerto Rican students displaced by the to live one day at a time,” said Rodriguez. schools, including Herman Badillo Bilin- hurricanes attending Cleveland schools. And Delpilar, whose daughter is seeing a gual Academy. According to Senaida Perez, the district’s cardiologist, said that “everyone in Cleve- The school of 800 has seen an influx of family engagement and student officer, land is so nice. It’s just a little cold.” new students, and enrollment has increased many of the students have come with al- 15 percent with an additional 100 students most nothing, other than the clothes on Other Districts Step Up since families from Puerto began arriving their backs and what they can fit into a bag. in October. School administrators are deal- The district has provided donated uniforms Several big-city school districts across ing with the challenge of enrolling extra and a set of school supplies for each new- the nation are also helping integrate stu- students, sometimes seeing four or five new comer when they’re enrolled. dents from hurricane-affected areas. families a day. Perez is part of a team that has been Florida’s Orange County Public Schools “It’s 100-plus kids–and the same helping families from Puerto Rico regis- in Orlando has welcomed 2,747 students amount of teachers, the same amount of ter their children for school and referring from Puerto Rico and 318 students from rooms,” said school social worker Jennifer them to providers for healthcare, housing the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jalil-Contreras in an article that recently and jobs. The OCPS Foundation continues to appeared in the Buffalo News. “But,” said She also connects students and their collect items and funds for students and Jalil-Contreras, who helps the students and families with mental health services, hav- families needing assistance, with arriving their families get the support they need, ing seen firsthand the trauma that dislo- students receiving welcome kits including “it’s been great to be here and help them. cated families have brought with them. items such as non-perishable food, cloth- And the teachers are very welcoming.” One girl, apparently afraid of a shortage of ing, and gift cards for groceries and house-

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Dallas to Shelter Homeless High Schoolers 3 Urban School Chiefs Tops in Their States It is estimated that more than 3,500 The shelter will open in the fall of the students who attend the Dallas Indepen- 2018-2019 school year. dent School District are homeless, and In 2012, Michael there are at least 112 high schoolers in the Grego was named the su- district who live unaccompanied, in a car, Austin District Gets perintendent of Florida’s park, campground or abandoned building. Pinellas County Schools, In an effort to combat this problem, $4.5 Million For Mental which includes St. Pe- the nation’s 14th largest school district has tersburg. Under his lead- launched a first-of-its-kind program aimed Health Services ership, the graduation Michael Grego at reducing the number of homeless high rate has climbed to 80.1 school students. Crime can lead to extreme mental trau- percent, the highest in school district his- After8toEducate is a new initiative cre- ma, especially in the youngest of students. tory. ated through a partnership between the In Texas’ Austin Independent School Dis- And since 2013, the district has experi- Dallas school system and several local non- trict, 22 elementary schools have been enced a 40.9 percent increase in the num- profit organizations. identified as located in areas with high ber of Advanced Placement (AP) exams Under the program, the district will child maltreatment due to factors that in- taken and a 42.5 percent increase in the repurpose a vacant elementary school to clude elevated neighborhood crime. This number of AP exams with a score of 3 or shelter 35 high school students and provide trauma can be a strong deterrence to stu- higher. them with academic, emotional, and social dent achievement. As a result of these efforts, Grego was service support, as well as offer tutoring As a result, all 22 elementary schools chosen as Florida’s 2018 Superintendent of and job training. will be able to benefit from a $4.5-million the Year. Grego was one of three big-city The renovated school will not only ben- grant that will place mental health ser- superintendents named 2018 State Super- efit those 35 students living there, but serve vices directly on each campus. These men- intendent of the Year in their respective as a 24/7 drop-in center for Dallas youth tal health centers are dedicated to serving states by AASA, the School Superinten- between 14-21 years of age, and provide both students and their families experienc- dents Association. meals, showers, clothing and laundry ser- ing emotional stress. Pat Skorkowsky, the vices. The grant comes from the Criminal superintendent of the According to the Dallas Morning News, Justice Division of the Office of the Gover- Clark County School the district will pay no more than $135,000 nor in Texas, and Austin is the first school District in Las Vegas, a year to the After8toEducate effort, grant- district to receive funding from this source. was named Nevada’s ing the use of the building, and paying for “This grant will help ensure that these 2018 Superintendent of utilities, custodial help and security for a young students’ lives are not defined by the Pat Skorkowsky the Year. He has led the seven-year period, with two possible five- crimes they have experienced, but with the nation’s fifth largest school year extensions. The nonprofit organiza- right help to move on to be happy and pro- district since 2013. During his tenure, the tions will raise approximately $2 million to ductive,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. district has opened 12 new magnet pro- renovate the school and then raise $2 mil- Each participating school will have two grams, and last year he was named Mag- lion yearly for services at the shelter. staff members on campus devoted to pro- net Superintendent of the Year by Magnet The initiative was unanimously ap- viding immediate therapeutic services. “By Schools of America. proved by the district’s board of trustees. providing mental health services on cam- John Allison was “Dallas ISD is proud to be the first school pus, we are able to identify, support, and ef- named Kansas’ 2018 Su- district in the nation to directly partner ficiently provide clinical treatment for our perintendent of the Year. with agencies providing shelter, education students experiencing a variety of mental Allison, who is the cur- and other support services, in addition to a health issues,” said Tracy Spinner, assistant rent superintendent of 24/7 drop-in facility,” said Dallas Schools director of comprehensive health services Kansas’ Olathe Public Superintendent Michael Hinojosa. “Offer- for the district. Schools, served as super- ing these services under one roof, with our Austin has been recognized nationally John Allison intendent in the Wichita partners, will make a vast improvement in for its work on mental health issues, with Public Schools from 2000 the lives of a growing number of unshel- the district creating its first mental health to 2017. As superintendent, he helped the tered youth in our school district.” center pilot in 2011, which has expanded district lead the implementation of system- to 18 middle and high schools. ic reforms that focused on developing and improving students’ literacy skills.

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College Board Announces Annual AP Honor Roll Teachers Named Finalists for $1 Million For the first time in its history, the across 37 AP exams. In order to make the Houston Independent School District Honor Roll, large school districts had to: Global Prize has made the College Board’s AP District increase participation and access to AP by Honor Roll list. at least 4 percent; increase or maintain the This year’s 8th annual list consists of 447 percentage of minority groups taking and Melissa Collins, a school districts across the United States scoring high on an AP Exam; and improve teacher at John P. Free- and Canada that have increased access to performance levels when comparing the man Optional School Advanced Placement courses for under- percentage of students in 2017 scoring a 3 in Memphis, has cham- represented students, while maintaining or or higher to those students in 2015. pioned the importance improving the rate at which their AP stu- “I am very proud of our students and of science, technology, dents earned scores of 3 or higher on an staff for achieving this distinction,” said Melissa Collins engineering and math, AP exam. Houston Schools Superintendent Richard and has implemented a The Houston school system, the larg- Carranza in a press release. STEM club at her school where students est school district in Texas, has more than Other urban school districts on the 8th receive hands-on training and interact with doubled that number since 2007. Annual AP District Honor Roll are Chica- STEM professionals. A National Board Inclusion in the 8th Annual AP Dis- go Public Schools, Denver Public Schools Certified Teacher, she is the recipient of trict Honor Roll is based on a review of and California’s Santa Ana Unified School several awards, including the Presiden- three years of AP data, from 2015 to 2017, District. tial Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching and the Queen Smith Award for Commitment to Urban Career Opportunities Expand for Toledo Students Education presented by the Council of the Great City Schools in 2015. Partnerships have been launched with Credit Plus program. Glen Lee left a ca- the City of Toledo and a community college An increase in the middle-aged and el- reer as an electrical engi- to expand career opportunities for students derly populations most likely will lead to neer to become a STEM in Ohio’s Toledo Public Schools. more age-related health emergencies, so teacher at a school in Ha- The first cohort of 14 high-school -se the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics proj- waii. In 1999, he launched niors is attending Owens Community ects the EMT field will grow by 24 percent the state’s first robotics College this spring semester to pursue from 2014 to 2024. program and now there studies in becoming emergency medical In the internship program, the Toledo Glen Lee are more than 750 robotic technicians (EMTs). And a new internship Public Schools, the city and AFSCME programs in grades K-12. program with the city government will give Local 7 have launched the Co-Op Initia- The robotics program he leads at Waialua students an opportunity to work in several tive, which is starting in January. It will al- High & Intermediate School serves as a departments. low 18 high school juniors and seniors to model for engaging students in STEM When speaking to the first cohort of learn resume writing, interview skills and subjects and the skills necessary for gradu- students that will go through the EMT other soft skills before beginning their six- ates to succeed in college and careers. training, Toledo Public Schools Superin- week internships in June. Collins and Lee are two of the 50 final- tendent Romules Durant said, “Once you The students will be placed in depart- ists selected from 30,000 nominees from complete the program, you will be certified, ments like Public Services and Public Util- around the world to compete for the $1 and you can truly say, ‘I am career-ready ities, in such jobs as utility workers, clerical million Varkey Foundation’s 2018 Global because I have a certification that allows specialists and service repair workers. Teacher Prize. Established in 2013, the me to be employed … as a basic EMT.”’ Toledo Public Schools Superintendent prize recognizes an exemplary teacher who Students are learning how to assess and Durant is thrilled about the internship has made an outstanding contribution to transport patients and determine emergen- possibilities. the profession and aims to shine a spot- cy situations through the Owens program “Hands-on learning experiences such light on the important role teachers play in and they will take non-EMT classes twice as these internships are invaluable oppor- society. a week on the Owens campus to ensure tunities for students,” he stressed. “The There were only five teachers from the they can fulfill their high-school gradu- guidance they will receive by working with United States chosen as finalists and four ation requirements. Tuition and fees will professionals within the City of Toledo will of those teachers come from school dis- be covered through the district’s College give them an advantage in the workforce.” Global Prize continued on page 9

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Global Prize continued from page 8

tricts represented by the Council of the Great City Schools. Council of the Great City Schools In addition to Col- lins and Lee, the final- Annual Legislative/Policy Conference ists include Joseph Un- Joseph derwood, a television Underwood production teacher at March 17-20, 2018 Miami Senior High. His The Mayflower Hotel • Washington, DC students produce approximately 165 live shows each year and many of his former students now work in the highest levels of the entertainment technologies industry. Saturday, March 17 In 2007, he was inducted into the National Registration Teachers Hall of Fame Continental Breakfast Melinda Wilson is a Fall Conference Planning Meeting teacher at Curie Metro- Blue Ribbon Corporate Advisory Group Meeting politan High School for Discussion on State Policy Issues the Performing & Techni- The “ABC’s” of Federal Education Policy cal Arts in Chicago. She Meeting of Legislative & Federal Programs Liaisons is also the dance director Executive Committee Meeting at an afterschool program Task Force Meetings Melinda Wilson where students from Chi- New Member & New Attendees Orientation cago Public Schools can Welcome Reception take dance. Within one year, the program has tripled in size. Akash Patel is a Spanish teacher at Sunday, March 18 Thomas J. Rusk Middle School in Dallas, Registration where 100 percent of the students come Buffet Breakfast from economically dis- Board of Directors Meeting advantaged families. Great City Colleges of Education Meeting Patel has connected Luncheon with Speaker all of his classrooms Legislative Briefings with Council Staff with people and profes- “Taste of Baltimore” Reception sionals worldwide using virtual platforms such as Akash Patel Adobe Connect, Skype Monday, March 19 and Google Hangout. He Breakfast with Speaker has mobilized more than 1,000 volunteers Policy Briefings with Congressional and from more than 150 countries to join his Administration Staff Global Connect database at the World Luncheon with Speaker Experiences Foundation, a charitable orga- Capitol Hill Visits (You must arrange your own nization he founded. And he has trained appointments) more than 5,000 teachers to use the Global Reception at The Mayflower Hotel Connect database and frequently speaks at local and national conferences about his classroom experiences. Tuesday, March 20 The Global Teacher Prize winner will Breakfast and Briefing be announced at the Global Education and Adjourn Skills forum this March in Dubai.

8 | URBAN EDUCATOR URBAN EDUCATOR | 9 LEGISLATIVE COLUMN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Congressional Delays Leave Everyone Waiting By Manish Naik, Manager of Legislative Services

On January 22, the House and Senate create ways for eligible Dreamers to apply for passed another short-term Continuing Reso- citizenship. The timing of any DACA consid- lution (CR), a temporary funding measure that eration in the Senate remains unclear, however, ended a three-day federal government shut- and the lack of specificity adds to the Dream- down. This latest CR was the fourth extension ers’ anxiety as the March deadline nears. approved by Congress since the federal fiscal year began on October 1, 2017, and delayed The latest CR includes a six-year renewal decisions on FY 2018 spending and other ma- of the Children’s Health Insurance Program jor issues for approximately three weeks. (CHIP), which expired last September and was left unauthorized for almost four months. The government shutdown began when But many pressing issues remain unresolved in Senate Democrats refused to support a CR addition to those dealing with the Dreamers, that did not include a fix for the Deferred Ac- including emergency disaster funding for hur- tion for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program. ricane and wildfire recovery, and a looming breach of the DACA allows undocumented immigrants brought here as federal debt ceiling. children – a group often referred to as Dreamers – the tem- porary right to live, study, and work in the United States. The two parties also continue to disagree on the underly- ing issue of how to split defense and domestic discretion- The President announced last year that DACA would ary appropriations for the current fiscal year--a critical pre- end in March 2018, giving Congress six months to pass leg- cursor to finalizing program funding levels in an FY 2018 islation that would give Dreamers a path to temporary or spending bill. permanent legal immigration status. For most school districts, the major financial impact of Although there were over a dozen Democratic “NO” these protracted battles is the delay in knowing the final votes, most Senate Democrats agreed to end the govern- funding levels for education programs, requiring a post- ment shutdown after Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- ponement of budgeting decisions for school year 2018-19 Connell promised consideration of DACA legislation at until more information is available. some point in the coming weeks. Congressional negotiations are ongoing, but a lack of Multiple bills addressing the legal status of the Dreamers progress before the latest CR expires on February 8th could have been introduced by Democrats and Republicans in the result in yet another extension or government shutdown, 115th Congress, including bipartisan legislation that would leaving everyone waiting even longer.

State Teachers continued from page 4

Teacher of the Year. Nashville, was named the Tennessee 2018 production teacher at Lanier High School Howard has been teaching for six years Teacher of the Year. in Austin, TX, was selected as the 2018 and in 2007 was named the District of Co- A 13-year veteran of Metropolitan Texas Teacher of the Year. lumbia History Teacher of the Year Nashville Public Schools, Woodard was Bordeaux is a former high school drop- Cicely Woodard, an 8th-grade math honored for her outstanding communica- out and prior to becoming a teacher, she teacher at West End Middle School in tion and leadership skills. spent 10 years working in television and And Tara Bordeaux, an audio visual film production in Los Angeles.

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At the Helm continued from page 3

cluding launching the district’s new Office of Equity, focused on closing the achieve- ment gap. He has also served as chief of instructional practice and chief of human capital. In 2005, he was selected as the Na- tional Teacher of Year. In a news statement, Richmond School Board Chair Dawn Page praised Kamras’ two decades of experience in urban public education. “His nationally acclaimed work to attract, retain and develop outstanding teachers and principals…and his laser-like Newark Grad Becomes Rhodes Scholar focus on equity make Mr. Kamras the per- fect fit for Richmond Public Schools.” Jordan Thomas, a 2014 graduate of University High School in Newark, N.J., is hon- ored, alongside his parents, at a recent school board meeting for becoming the first Contract Extended graduate from the Newark school district to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. He is one of 32 American recipients of the fellowship, which funds two to three years of gradu- Raquel Reedy, the superintendent ate study at the University of Oxford in England. Thomas held many roles as a student of New Mexico’s Albuquerque Public in the Newark school district, including serving as the student representative on the Schools, was recently given a year-long advisory board. He attends Princeton University, where he will earn a bachelor’s degree contract extension. The Albuquerque Pub- from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 2018. lic Schools board of education voted to extend her contract through the 2019-20 school year, citing the increase of public Atlanta District Partners With City trust in the district and the community’s embrace of new Learning Zones designed To Launch Urban Design Curriculum to tailor and deliver instruction based on the individual needs of schools. Atlanta Public Schools is partnering of the city. Created by residents, visitors, Reedy took the helm as acting super- with the City of Atlanta to offer students and design professionals, the design is also intendent in August 2015 and was named an interactive social studies curriculum intended to guide future decisions on ways superintendent in April 2016. based on a new design plan for the city. the city can accommodate a much larger The new curriculum will be implement- population. Toledo District continued from page 5 ed as a six-week exploration into urban The district’s 8th graders will participate planning, the history of the city’s designs in learning modules this spring, with the in aviation studies, engineering technol- and plans for Atlanta’s future. modules culminating with each student ogy, environmental science and biology,” According to district officials, the part- completing a capstone project. And ninth she says. There will be a seamless pathway nership is the first time the school system grade students will be taught the curricu- between the Aerospace and Natural Sci- and the city have joined forces to develop a lum beginning in the 2018-2019 school ence Academy of Toledo and associate and curriculum such as this. year. bachelor’s degree programs at the Firelands City officials teamed with educators in Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent campus of BGSU and the school’s College a collaborative writing camp to design the Meria Carstarphen said in a news state- of Technology, Architecture, and Applied initiative, which will be integrated into the ment that the new curriculum will enable Engineering or the College of Arts and district’s middle school social studies cur- students to have a voice in the future de- Sciences. riculum. sign of their city. All of these plans will further Toledo The Atlanta City Design: Aspiring to the “Eighth graders will have an amazing Public Schools Superintendent Durant’s Beloved Community is the anchor text for opportunity to guide our city toward be- ultimate goal: to have 90 percent or more the urban planning unit of the new curric- coming a ‘Beloved Community’ by experi- of the district’s Career Technology stu- ulum. The Atlanta City Design promotes encing the city from a new lens and sharing dents secure a job, military assignment or sustainable design that incorporates the their visions and plans for the future design higher education when they graduate from social, economic and environmental needs of Atlanta,” said Carstarphen. TPS.

10 | URBAN EDUCATOR URBAN EDUCATOR | 11 Council of the Great City Schools PRESORT FIRST-CLASS MAIL ® 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 1100N U.S. POSTAGE PAID Washington DC 20004 MERRIFIELD, VA PERMIT NO. 2333

2018 Council of the Great City Schools Conference Calendar

Chief Human Resource Officers/ February 6-9, 2018 Fort Lauderdale, FL Chief Information Officers Joint Meeting

Annual Legislative/Policy Conference March 17-20, 2018 Washington, DC

Special Education Meeting of the Great City Schools March 20-21, 2018 Washington, DC

Chief Operating Officers Conference April 17-20, 2018 Atlanta, GA

Bilingual Directors Meeting May 15-19, 2018 Fort Worth, TX

Curriculum & Research Directors Joint Meeting June, 2018 Minneapolis, MN

Public Relations Executives Meeting July 12-14, 2018 Garden Grove, CA

62nd Annual Fall Conference October 24-28, 2018 Baltimore, MD

Chief Financial Officers Conference November, 2018 TBD