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Addressing Atlanta’s Attendance Problem

September 30, 2024 No Comments

Addressing Atlanta’s Attendance Problem

Metro Atlanta can turn around chronic absenteeism

September is National Attendance Awareness Month, an occasion to highlight the connection between regular attendance and student success. This is especially relevant in Atlanta, where many students do not attend class. 

There are many reasons why any student might be absent a few days of the year. While not ideal, this occurrence is common and likely won’t have lasting impacts. However, chronic absenteeism, measured by a student missing 10 percent or more of the school year (typically 18 or more days), can have a significant impact, including diminished health and fewer job opportunities later in life. 

The pandemic exacerbated an existing problem. In 2019, 15 percent of Atlanta Public Schools students were chronically absent, but the next year that rate jumped to 38 percent and has not fallen. Attendance was even worse for economically disadvantaged students, 47 percent of whom were chronically absent. Surrounding counties are doing better but still see concerning numbers, with Clayton County reporting a nearly 31 percent chronic absenteeism rate and Cobb County reporting 23 percent. 

We’re less than three months into the 2024-2025 academic school year, and families are facing challenges that include the growing housing affordability crisis. According to a recent article in the Atlanta Civic Circle, nearly 2% of the 631,274 public school students in the five-county metro area live on the streets, in shelters or extended-stay motels, double up with other families or couch-surfing. Families lacking a permanent residence contribute to chronic absenteeism and stop gaps in their students’ education.  

This isn’t just an Atlanta problem. Nationally, chronic absenteeism has almost doubled and now includes 14.7 million of the roughly 50 million students enrolled in public schools. Children living in poverty, children of color, and children with disabilities are disproportionately represented. This learning loss could represent a more than $2 trillion loss in expected lifetime earnings.  

We cannot accept this as the new normal. 

While no one cause can take the blame for rising absenteeism, there are several barriers that can affect attendance, including health problems, lack of safe transportation, and food insecurity. Lori Miller at the Truancy Intervention Project explained to the Atlanta Civic Circle how many children in Atlanta have experienced multiple traumas with family deaths, financial struggles, and more. 

“Very rarely is it just a kid who doesn’t want to go to school. Often, there are all kinds of barriers in their life,” she told the ACC. 

Nationally, some schools have experienced success by utilizing tiered and individualized systems and building a network of support that extends beyond the schools’ walls. Atlanta schools are using new technology to do just that. DeKalb and Fulton County schools have been using EveryDayLabs to send mail and text nudges, offering reminders and support for families. These automated messages only kick in after several absences, intentionally targeting students at risk of chronic absenteeism. 

“We really shifted from a truancy-focused attendance lens to a chronic absenteeism lens, and with chronic absenteeism, it’s about re-engagement, where truancy is about … threatening language and consequences,” Charity Trowbridge, Fulton County School’s director of attendance and improvement, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

Fulton County reported a nearly four percent decrease in chronic absenteeism during the 2023-24 school year. 

One school in particular was the Barack and Michelle Obama Academy, which saw increased school attendance with the investment of a family and community engagement grant from redefinED atlanta. The support of the grant helped the school’s Never Been Absent (NBA) program, designed to engage parents and caregivers in deeper conversations with families around academics and attendance. Among the 31 scholars who participated in the pilot program, 10 showed continuous improvement in attendance throughout the school year. 

In closing, September’s National Attendance Awareness Month serves as a critical reminder of the profound impact that regular school attendance has on our students’ futures, particularly here in Atlanta. While we face significant challenges—from the lingering effects of the pandemic to socio-economic barriers—it’s essential to recognize that we have the power to foster change. By understanding the root causes of chronic absenteeism and supporting our schools in innovative ways, we can help create an environment where every student feels valued and motivated to attend.

Let’s make attendance a priority, not just in September, but every day of the year.

redefinED atlanta Grants $150,000 to Nonprofits Aimed to Support Career and College Readiness for Atlanta Public School Students

August 22, 2024 No Comments

redefinED atlanta Grants $150,000 to Nonprofits Aimed to Support Career and College Readiness for Atlanta Public School Students

redefinED atlanta prioritizes work that addresses the systems that have historically oppressed Black, Latinx, and under-resourced communities, anchoring our efforts in K-12 public education. 

We know systemic racial inequities persist as significant barriers to a thriving Atlanta. We believe that community members’ knowledge, experiences, and strengths are essential in improving it. Since our launch in 2016, we have invested over $20 million to build community power and catalyze change for schools.

As a part of our commitment to create equitable opportunities for students in Atlanta Public Schools (APS), we adopted participatory grantmaking practices in our 2020-2025 strategic plan. The inaugural Atlanta Reimagining and Innovating for Schools Everywhere (A.R.I.S.E.) participatory fund launched in 2022. 

The fund is a grant managed by participants in our A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship, a nine-month program that aims to grow community power and influence by exploring the levers that drive systemic change for all of Atlanta’s children. 

Through the fellowship, participants learn about the history of the APS district, explore student achievement trends, and identify opportunities to partner with communities to grant funds for community-driven solutions. Ultimately, graduates of this program are able to clearly articulate their dedication, goals, and role in advocating for positive change in public education.

The 2024 ARISE Fund is a one-year $150,000 grant to support Atlanta Public Schools’ career and college readiness goals for the Carver Cluster’s middle and high school students. The investment aims to provide wrap-around support that helps students excel academically and leads to achievement at home and beyond. Wrap-around services include: 

  • Summer learning and experiences that develop curiosity, skills, and knowledge (i.e. Work-based learning)
  • Out-of-school/after-school learning (i.e. literacy support, tutoring, discovery, and exploratory project/problem-based learning)
  • SAT/ACT and ASVAB prep and support
  • Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship
  • Mentorship and apprenticeship for college and career (ie. Technical and trade opportunities)

 

The grant criteria, application, issue area of focus, and community of impact were developed and selected by community members participating in the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship. 

This year’s A.R.I.S.E. Fund Grantees include:

Close Ties Leadership Program is a 501c3 nonprofit that equips Black boys with the skills and experiences necessary to lead in the pathways of their choice by providing early exposure to college and career opportunities, in-school mentorship, and individualized social-emotional support. The A.R.I.S.E. Fund will support college tours where they expose middle school Black boys to at least five colleges throughout the school year with quarterly local college tours and annual long-distance college tours. Each college tour is led by a current Black male student who shares his steps to be accepted and his experiences while on campus so that our boys can see themselves following similar paths.

National Black Arts Festival builds bridges into schools through accessible, inclusive arts programs that expose students to opportunities in the creative industries – Atlanta’s fastest-growing job sector. NBAF helps students develop knowledge and skills that support academic success and prepare them to participate in the creative economy fully. The A.R.I.S.E. Fund will support students currently involved in NABF through mental, physical and social wellbeing and providing authentic learning through real-world experiences.

RE:IMAGINE ATL is dedicated to fostering pathways for marginalized youth to access paid opportunities within the film and creative media industry. Their vision is cultivating a nurturing, inclusive, and equitable environment that empowers emerging talent, ensuring sustained opportunities for future generations.  The A.R.I.S.E. Fund will support their Embrace the Mess program, which guides students in the Carver Cluster through storytelling and focuses on literacy skills. Led by teaching artists, students learn screenwriting, production, and post-production, working in teams to develop projects. The program includes peer reviews and trust-building exercises, preparing students for post-secondary education or other paths with transferable skills in a supportive setting.

Congratulations to the second cohort of A.R.I.S.E. alums and the three grantee organizations: Close Ties Program, National Black Arts Festival and RE:IMAGINE ATL. 

Meet our 2024 A.R.I.S.E. Fellows

We are excited to move into our third year of the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship and have selected the community members who will make up Cohort 3. Each member represents a cluster from the APS school district. This year’s fellows include:

  • Jimmie Lee – Carver Cluster, Atlanta Public Schools
  • Lola Green – Douglass and South Atlanta Clusters, Urban Indigo Foundation
  • Roy Cogdell III – Douglass Cluster, Grove Park Foundation, Inc. 
  • Davida Huntley – All APS Clusters, City of Atlanta
  • Egypt Noboa – South Atlanta Cluster, Global Village Project
  • Honesty Brennan – North Atlanta, Midtown and Washington Clusters, Young Entrepreneurs of Atlanta Foundation
  • Kayla Sledge – South Atlanta Cluster, The Kindezi Schools
  • Aireane Montgomery – All Clusters, Educators for Equity and Justice
  • Joshua Moore – North Atlanta Cluster, Community Advocate
  • Safa Asfaw – South Atlanta Cluster, Friends of the Park

To learn more about the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship and fund, please visit www.redefinEDatlanta.org. 

2024 Georgia Milestones Literacy Results

August 20, 2024 No Comments

Georgia Milestones Results Show Slight Literacy Recovery for Metro Atlanta Districts; Still Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

Two years ago, redefinED wrote about the significant drops in both national NAEP scores and Georgia Milestones scores during the 2021-22 school year. We cautioned about the gaps continuing to grow. “With the lingering impact of COVID-19 on students’ proficiency,” we wrote, “we must all move with urgency to support students, encourage bold and innovative ways to accelerate learning and close the opportunity gap.”

Georgia Milestones ELA scores for the 2023-24 school year are now available, and they show improvement statewide. Atlanta Public Schools ELA proficiency increased by 2.2 percentage points, and Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Fulton school districts also had similar gains. However, the district – like the metro area more broadly – is still behind its pre-pandemic achievement levels.

A handful of schools that serve students in Atlanta stood out for their exceptional year-over-year growth in ELA, including these schools that earned an increase of over 8 percentage points each: 

  • Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School
  • Fred A. Toomer Elementary School
  • Barack and Michelle Obama Academy 
  • Bazoline E. Usher Collier Heights Elementary
  • KIPP Vision Primary Charter School
  • Tuskegee Airmen Global Academy 
  • Resurgence Hall Middle Academy
  • Amana Academy West Atlanta

     

Unfortunately, other schools in APS and across the metro area saw a regression.

Metro Atlanta still has a lot of work to do:

  • New data shows that learning loss and other enduring effects of the pandemic may be impacting the youngest students the most nationwide. 
  • In the latest Milestones results, we already see evidence of this trend in APS and surrounding counties, with gains by 8th-grade students outpacing gains by 3rd-grade students. 
  • While the strongest literacy gains came among 5th-grade students, 3rd-grade students (who would have been in the pivotal transition grade of kindergarten during the height of the pandemic) showed a slight decline. 
  • This continues the trend from 2022, when over half of third-grade students were not ready to progress to fourth grade. 


Both state and APS schools have been working to address early-grade literacy gaps. Teachers are currently training to implement new literacy standards that will take effect during the 2025-26 school year and more closely align Georgia schools with the science of reading and structured literacy instruction. The state has also invested $6 million to hire literacy coaches in rural and other low-income districts and new literacy training programs like Let’s READ, Georgia! have been successfully launched. Additionally, the new APS superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson has emphasized his commitment to prioritize every student’s right to read in his new 100-day plan. 

These encouraging signs are reasons to double down on these efforts, not ease up. Getting back to pre-pandemic levels will be significant, but we can’t pretend that these pre-pandemic levels were satisfactory. There is plenty of room for improvement, and now is the time to move forward together. To continue being bold and innovative to accelerate learning and close the gaps for all students. To give every student opportunities, a sense of well-being, and self-determination. 

Our goal should not be to return to pre-pandemic proficiencies but to envision a better future for all Atlanta students. 

redefinED atlanta Announces Clayton County Community Engagement Grant Recipients

July 8, 2024 No Comments

redefinED atlanta Announces Clayton County Community Engagement Grant Recipients

Grants will help organizations and schools in Clayton County Support Community Engagement Efforts for Clayton County Public Schools Students

In 2023, we began engaging with families and community members in Clayton County to learn more about their desires for K-12 public education. In January 2024, we launched our Clayton County Grant Advisory Council. Nine grassroots leaders were selected to represent the entire Clayton County Public Schools district and advise us about current Clayton County initiatives, organizations supporting public schools, and family and community engagement.

Our first investment in Clayton County aims to strengthen family and community engagement in K-12 public education. We granted $100,000 towards family and community engagement programming, empowering families with tools and knowledge to support their child’s learning and education experience. 

Each eligible nonprofit organization and public school serving Clayton County Public Schools students had the opportunity to apply for up to $25,000. This grant program has the potential to significantly impact the educational experience of our students and the operations of schools and organizations.

We are thrilled to introduce the 2024 Clayton County Community Engagement grantees and express our heartfelt gratitude for their partnership and dedication to our mission.

Riverdale Elementary School is part of the Clayton County Public School District. Its mission is to empower scholars to achieve academic, professional, and personal goals by providing equitable access and experiences that build literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. The community engagement grant will support Riverdale’s Full Steam Ahead (FSA) program, an innovative initiative addressing math and literacy access for students, particularly those with disabilities, at Riverdale Elementary School.

Los Niños Primero (Children First) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to empower Latino students and their families from early childhood to college through holistic academic, leadership and community programs. The community engagement grant will help support year-round literacy and STEAM programs serving students at Fountain Elementary School and Unidos Dual Language School. 

Family Literacy of Georgia, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aims to strengthen communities of color by increasing access to quality books and literacy resources. It sees children and their families reading for pleasure, making reading a lifelong adventure. The community engagement grant will help Family Literacy of Georgia equip parents with strategies and resources to support students’ literacy development in grades 5 to 8.

Clayton County Public Schools Magnet Programs support the mission of CCPS by providing scholars with choice programs designed to attract all Clayton County students. They take pride in their programs and continue to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by offering programs that attract students from different neighborhoods and backgrounds. The redefinED atlanta grant will support CCPSMP’s family and community engagement by promoting culturally responsive educational practices, academic success, educational involvement, and enhanced civic engagement for members of the Hispanic and Vietnamese communities.

“Partnering with families and the community is not just important, it’s essential to driving student outcomes and providing equitable education,” said Meiling Jabbaar, community engagement manager at redefinED atlanta. “The active involvement of the Clayton County community is a key factor that will help advance our mission of every child in every community receiving a great K-12 public education.”

The 2024 Clayton County Community Grant cycle will end on June 30, 2025. To learn more about the grant or to apply in the future, visit https://redefinedatlanta.org/investments/clayton-community-grant/. 

Read Our June 2024 Newsletter

June 17, 2024 No Comments

June 2024 Newsletter

Check out our June newsletter! Applications for our third A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship are now open through June 24. We’re bringing back the Community Dialogues on July 9. So, make sure you reserve your spot to get in on the action. Share the link with your friends. 

Read More

Meet Tanya Frazee, Advocate and Philanthropist

June 12, 2024 No Comments

Donor Spotlight - Meet Tanya Frazee, Advocate and Philanthropist

Tanya Frazee, a firm believer in the transformative power of quality education, has made a significant impact through her monthly donations. Her commitment to causes like redefinED atlanta, which shares her community-based approach, has been instrumental in driving real change in education. Tanya’s words reflect her satisfaction, “It brings me joy to know that my gifts are working all year long to improve equity in schools.” Her partnership with us is a testament to her vision of a future where every child, in every school, in every community of Atlanta, has access to a great K-12 public education.

“It’s so important that as a parent, I look out for not only my own kid but also others’ kids. If our own kids are thriving but others are not, we have a responsibility in that. It’s critical to me that when my kid has an opportunity of any sort, I make sure that opportunity is available to every other kid.”

Join Tanya in Making a Difference

Are you inspired by Tanya’s commitment to educational equity and her drive to make a lasting impact? You can join her in this noble cause by becoming a monthly donor today. Your contribution will help us ensure that every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to thrive. Together, we can create a brighter future for all.

[Become a Monthly Donor]

Join our community of dedicated supporters and make a difference year-round. Your consistent support will help us continue our vital work, improving equity in schools and empowering communities.

Meet the 2023 ARISE Fellows

May 28, 2024 No Comments

Meet Our 2023 ARISE Fellows

Congratulations to the second cohort of redefinED atlanta’s Atlanta Reimagining & Innovating for Schools Everywhere (A.R.I.S.E.) Fellowship, a nine-month program that aims to grow community power and influence by exploring the levers that drive systemic change for all of Atlanta’s children. 

The A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship was co-designed with EdConnect, TeachX, Father’s Incorporated, Goodie Nation and Next Generation Men and Women. With their support, we were able to select 10 individuals who work in industries ranging from education to nonprofit.

Meet this year’s fellows!

  • Brandon Jones
  • DeAndrea Byrd
  • India Gooch
  • Keiana Raven
  • Latisha Blackburn
  • Michelle Lockhart
  • Tameika Ham
  • Ty’Sheka Lambert
  • Vernetta Nuriddin
  • Yalwanda McGruder

Click the link to learn more about the fellows and read their bios!

Through this fellowship, the cohort will learn about the history of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) district, explore student achievement trends and identify opportunities to partner with communities to allocate capital to community-driven solutions. Ultimately, graduates of this program will be able to clearly articulate their commitment, goals and role in advocating for positive change in K-12 public education.

By the end of the program, fellows will:

  • examine the educational landscape and history
  • explore innovation and opportunities through national/regional/local cases of districts reimagining education
  • understand the levers of change (people & money, political infrastructure, and ideas & narratives)
  • actively engage with stakeholders serving and fighting for children and families in the Atlanta Public Schools district
  • unearth their pathway toward advocacy and impact within K-12 public education
  • join a growing collective of advocates who are informed, engaged, and advocating for children to receive a great K-12 public education

Interested in becoming an A.R.I.S.E. Fellow?

Applications for the third cohort are now open and close on Monday, June 24, at 11:59 p.m. Click the link to apply today! 

redefinED atlanta and TFA Metro Atlanta Team Up to Strengthen Teacher Retention and Leadership Pathways

May 21, 2024 No Comments

redefinED atlanta and TFA Metro Atlanta Team Up to Strengthen Teacher Retention and Leadership Pathways

The Importance of Teacher Retention

Getting high-quality teachers into the classroom receives most of the public’s focus, but keeping these educators has also proven to be difficult, both in Atlanta and across the country. Between October 2022 and October 2023, 23% of teachers nationally left their positions, including teachers who left their district in search of better working conditions, teachers who moved into new roles in their districts, and teachers who left the profession entirely. 

Much of this turnover happens in schools that serve large populations of students from low-income communities, with 29% of such students losing their teachers. Students in these high-need schools are in greatest need of consistent access to high-quality teachers; unfortunately, greater levels of turnover tend to lead to instability, weaker relationships, and lower student outcomes. 

The 2012 TNTP report The Irreplaceables surveyed 90,000 teachers across 2,100 schools to discover the top reasons that U.S. schools were losing teachers at an alarming rate. They found that actively working to retain top educators was not a high priority for many school districts. Unhealthy school cultures, poor working conditions, and low pay drove teachers away. Sadly, these poor conditions persist more than a decade later, as a recent op-ed from a former Fulton County Schools teacher made clear. 

redefinED and Teach For America Metro Atlanta Partnership

This is where a new collaboration between redefinED atlanta and Teach For America (TFA) Metro Atlanta comes in. Together, we recently piloted the Academic School Leader Fellowship, a 10-month talent development program for mid-level educators. All 14 participants are Teach For America alumni working in Atlanta as teachers, assistant principals, instructional coaches, or other roles. To prepare to move into school leadership roles, participants develop their skills through monthly in-person sessions on advancing equity through instruction, teacher coaching, and individualized support. 

“The Academic School Leader Fellowship was designed to help our aspiring school leaders get the skills they need to be eligible for school leader positions,” said Tamara Rice, Managing Director of Alumni Leadership at TFA Metro Atlanta. “We take them through different experiences so they can apply what they’re learning and understand what it means to be a school leader.”

This approach has three primary benefits. First, it meets educators’ interest in continued learning and development opportunities. Second, it helps districts retain their top teachers in instructional-oriented roles. Third, it builds a pipeline of strong future school leaders who will serve students and families for years to come. 

According to a recent TNTP survey of schools supported by redefinED atlanta, only half of teachers say they “regularly discuss feedback about my teaching with an instructional leader at my school.” The Fellowship is focused on increasing these results by producing school leaders who are ready for the instructional components of the role. 

“When you think about a potential school leader, there’s a set of skills that a teacher needs to develop before they get into that role, and oftentimes there aren’t opportunities for them to do that,” said Rice. “We take them through the skills related to academic excellence and how to support other teachers so that when they get into school leadership, it lessens the curve of what they need to learn.” 

Impact and Potential 

Even though the program is new, it’s already impacting public schools in Atlanta. 

Parrish Amos

Parrish Amos is a current fellow at Ethos Classical Charter School. He served as a first-grade teacher at Ethos before being promoted to oversee instruction and curriculum for grades K-2. In the middle of this school year – thanks in part to what he learned through the Academic School Leader Fellowship – Amos received another promotion to a director role. 

“I never want to be a leader who doesn’t continue to grow,” saidAmos. “The program has really taught me about delegation and building up your team. By connecting me with other fellows, it has also given me a perspective from outside my school building.” 

It has long been proven that strong operational practices in a school positively impact student outcomes. Through the leadership training in the Academic School Leader Fellowship, Amos sharpened his lens to understand what must be true for teachers and classrooms to operate at maximum impact. With these skills, Amos has the tools to support his fellow teachers in creating classroom environments that encourage every student to thrive.

In short, the Academic School Leader Fellowship is turning a problem into an opportunity. Offering robust professional development opportunities for mid-career educators helps keep talented professionals working in schools. It prepares the next generation of school leaders to support thousands of students across Atlanta and beyond. 

How to get involved

Applications for the next cohort of fellows are open! Current school leaders can also partner with the Fellowship to have their teachers receive coaching support from the Fellows. For more information or to recommend a fellow, email Tamara Rice, Managing Director, Alumni Affairs and Network Support, TFA Metro Atlanta.

You can also sign up for the redefinED atlanta newsletter to stay up-to-date on all the efforts around Atlanta to support high-quality teacher training and efforts to close the teacher retention gap. 

Cultivating Excellence: Exploring Strengths and Opportunities in School Climate for redefinED atlanta’s Portfolio of Schools

May 20, 2024 No Comments

The New Teacher Project (TNTP) is an organization that collaborates with state education agencies, school districts, and community-based organizations to build partnerships designed for exponential impact. The TNTP team designs and researches to answer the most pressing questions around the state of education today. The analysis of collected data uncovers insights for school leaders and delivers key takeaways in digestible, compelling, and action-oriented formats.

This spring, redefinED atlanta piloted an initiative using TNTP Instructional Culture Insight Surveys to better understand the climate of the newest schools in our portfolio. The following glows (strengths) and grows (opportunities) came out of the survey and reflect the voices of school staff and families from:

  • Liberation Academy
  • Miles Ahead Charter School
  • PEACE Academy
  • Sankofa Montessori
  • The Anchor School

A total of 49 teachers and 260 families participated in this pilot. 

GLOWS

Teacher perceptions at redefinED atlanta’s portfolio schools fell above the national average in 11 out of 16 domains, with 4 domains falling above the national top-quartile of schools (Workload, Career Progression, Teacher Compensation, Hiring Process).

Teacher survey highlights:

  • 89% of Teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “Leaders at my school value all aspects of my identity (e.g., gender, race, culture, ability, sexual identity, learning differences).”
  • 84% of Teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “Families at my school regularly receive useful updates about their student’s progress.”
  • 77% of Teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “My school leaders articulate a clear, overarching vision that drives priorities, goals, and decision-making within the school.”


Family perceptions at redefinED atlanta’s portfolio schools fell above the national average in ALL 8 surveyed domains. The highest Family domain scores were for the Value of Feedback, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and School Leadership.

Family survey item-level highlights:

  • 99% of Families agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “My child’s school is welcoming to students and families of all identities.”
  • 96% of Families agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I feel welcome at my child’s school.”
  • 95% of Families agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “School leaders care about my child’s success.”
  • 90% of Families agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “Leaders at my child’s school value my feedback.”
  • 90% of Families agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “There is someone at my child’s school with whom I feel comfortable sharing my concerns.”
  • Only 6% of Families agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “If I could send my child to another school, I would.”


GROWS

Teacher perceptions at redefinED atlanta’s portfolio schools fell below the national average in only 5 out of 16 domains: Peer Culture, School Operations, Observation and Feedback, Academic Opportunity, and Instructional Planning for Student Growth.

Some of the lower teacher perceptions were about instructional leadership. These insights highlight an opportunity for redefinED to expand investments into mid-level talent pipelines, strengthening school leader development and teacher retention and promotion.

  • 36% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “An instructional leader at my school or network regularly reviews student work from my classes.”
  • 44% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “At my school, I have seen someone model lessons where students are doing the majority of the thinking.”
  • 50% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I regularly discuss feedback about my teaching with an instructional leader at my school.” 
  • 51% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “Teachers at my school share a common vision of what effective teaching looks like.”


Family perceptions at redefinED atlanta’s portfolio schools were lowest in the Rigor in the Classroom and Trusting Relationships with Teachers domains. However, both scores were still well above the national average.

Some of the lower Family perceptions were in the following areas. As you can see, participating schools in our portfolio have opportunities to grow but already perform well compared to national benchmarks, especially for schools in their first year of operation.

  • 72% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I receive enough communication from my child’s teachers about my child’s progress.” 
  • 73% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “Non-academic services at my child’s school, such as buses and school meals, are well managed.” 
  • 74% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “My child’s school schedules events at times that are convenient.” 
  • 75% of teachers strongly agreed with the statement, “My child completes writing assignments in multiple subjects (not just in Language Arts).”

     

The TNTP survey has provided valuable insights into the instructional and cultural landscape of the schools that are part of redefinED’s portfolio. The glowing feedback from both teachers and families underscores our schools’ commitment to inclusivity, clear vision, and engagement. While celebrating these strengths, the identified growth areas signal opportunities for further development, particularly in enhancing instructional leadership, fostering trusting relationships, and ensuring academic rigor.

Through continued collaboration and targeted investments, redefinED atlanta remains poised to support these schools in their growth, empowering them to thrive and deliver exceptional educational experiences for their students and families. We intend to scale the TNTP Instructional Culture Insight Surveys to our larger network of school partners in APS, Clayton County, and South Cobb. We will focus our coaching and technical assistance on analysis and growth in the noted areas.

redefinED atlanta ARISE Fellow Champions for Equitable Education

December 7, 2023 No Comments

Advancing Education Advocacy

There are many reasons why people get involved in improving public education. The draw is professional and personal for Kristen Silton, a member of the first group of redefinED atlanta Reimagining & Innovating for Schools Everywhere (A.R.I.S.E.) fellows. 

As the Alliance Theatre’s head of Education Advancement, she explains how the organization’s programming supports school children. “There is a literacy crisis in Atlanta with only about one-third of our 3rd graders reading at grade level, and the U.S. Surgeon General has declared a youth mental health crisis across the country,” says Ms. Silton. “Our programs help mitigate both. Arts and cultural activities enrich communities and are proven to increase resilience, perspectives of tolerance, standardized test scores, and reduce behavioral infractions and absences.” 

With three kids at Parkside Elementary, Ms. Silton also works for change at her local neighborhood school. After two years as an active member of the school’s PTA, she is starting as the co-president, serving a two-year term structured so that one president’s incoming year overlaps the other president’s outgoing year. Even if she hadn’t been part of the A.R.I.S.E. fellowship program, Ms. Silton likely would have pursued a leadership role in the PTA. Still, the fellowship experience has changed how she’s approaching the role.

A Wider Perspective

The A.R.I.S.E. fellowship gives participants context and connections as they learn about the history of Atlanta Public Schools (APS), student achievement trends, and opportunities for partnerships and funding that support community-driven solutions. Participants also articulate their goals and roles as advocates for great K-12 public education. 

Ms. Silton explains that if you’re just involved as a parent with kids, you only see part of the puzzle. “I now bring a perspective from outside the community to how we function as a PTA. I bring an equity focus, that we’re here to serve all students. I also have a better understanding of what the school board and superintendent do. I can help keep things in perspective for other people, especially those who come from a background of privilege about things that do and don’t matter in the grand scheme.”

Parkside’s PTA focuses on school-wide initiatives that support the students and the school community. “We provide a big organizational lift, enhancing what the school is already doing.” Ms. Silton says. “We put on free community events for all students, supporting everyone having access rather than trying to raise money at events.” Some of their activities include movie night, family dances, teacher appreciation, yoga before school, a school garden and community projects like creating a school mural.

More Connected Momentum

The biggest takeaway from the fellowship that Ms. Silton applies at Alliance Theatre and as co-president of Parkside Elementary’s PTA is the importance of not operating in silos. For example, during the fellowship, she focused on literacy work in the Douglass Cluster. “It’s not where my kids are, and I learned a lot and made so many connections that benefit my advocacy overall,” she says. 

She also learned about APS’s Goals and Guardrails, which helped her understand the why behind decisions. “I met key people from city councils to school boards to large nonprofits in the metro Atlanta area,” Ms. Silton says. “I saw how all the different groups work together and gained insights on advocating for not just my children but all children.”

Another epiphany involved the concept of public charter schools. “They were designed to try new things and then bring that learning back to the public school system,” she says, adding that in practice this potential is not being fully realized in Atlanta.

redefinED atlanta grows and participates in coalitions to address intersectional issues that create barriers for student performance and negatively impact students and families. With more advocates having these kinds of realizations, momentum for coordinated progress increases. Ms. Silton imagines the A.R.I.S.E. fellowship continuing and the impact of all those people with knowledge and connections to those working on the ground in schools. “They are selecting the second-year class,” she says. “There’s a goal for alumni of the program to connect for years to come to create a giant cohort of education advocates.”

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