When a list of the worst elementary schools in Tennessee came out in 2000, Chattanooga was stunned to find that nine of its schools were in the bottom 20. These schools were plagued with problems: high teacher turnover, student behavior problems, terrible reading scores, poor teachers (many with tenure), and inefficient leadership.
Embarrassed, the community decided it had to act. Two local foundations pledged $7.5 million–after the superintendent promised to do whatever was necessary to turn these schools around.
This program follows what they did, and whether it worked.
This program is made possible by the following funders:
Grade Level Reading Fund of the Tides Foundation, The Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
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The Process
Once they determined that nine of their schools were performing so poorly, Chattanooga needed a plan. This podcast details that. Listen to the story.
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The Enthusiastic Eight
Eight extraordinary teachers from Chattanooga speak out about what needed to be done — and how change was embraced. Listen to the story.
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March 1, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Learning Matters content on PBS NewsHour | Learning Matters: Reporting you trust on education stories that matter says:
[...] You can watch this program and listen to its two companion podcasts right here. [...]