Council of the Great City Schools

As 2024 wraps up, we’re celebrating a year of growth, collaboration, and impact. From leadership development through the Michael Casserly Institute to recognizing outstanding students and educators, urban school districts made remarkable strides this year—including academic recovery gains that outpaced national averages. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our mission of transforming urban education. 📖 Read more about our 2024 highlights here: https://conta.cc/4guYkd6

Computer Science Education Week is designed to encourage students across the nation to explore all that Computer Science has to offer now and for the future. Each year the CGCS-Bernard Harris Scholarships are presented to students in urban school districts. Many of the winners have gone on to major in Computer Science and establish careers in STEM!

Puerto Rico has a significantly higher percentage of students receiving Individualized Education Program (IEP) services for Special Education—46%, compared to just 15% in the U.S. mainland. Yesterday, Council Executive Director Raymond Hart was in Puerto Rico for the Raise the Bar: Attaining College Excellence and Equity event, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education from a recent report conducted by the Council, which provides actionable recommendations to improve special education services within schools operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Education. The Council gathered insights over eight days in February and March, conducting interviews with over 65 individuals—ranging from education administrators to parents, university professors, and more—across central, regional, and special education service offices.

Discover the playlists that kept superintendents from Portland Public Schools Atlanta Public Schools Metro Nashville Public Schools Fort Worth ISD grooving through another transformative year in education. From chart-toppers to hidden gems, see what music fueled the minds behind our school systems! https://lnkd.in/ev9E-g9A

11 Educators to Join Michael Casserly Urban Executive Leadership Institute, Voters Decide on Ballot Issues, Council Names David Lai Director of English Language Learner Policy and Research, and Students Speak Out at Council Town Hall Meeting. The November/December Issue of the Urban Educator is Out Now! https://conta.cc/3ZGytsB

Check out an article co-authored by the Council’s Executive Director Ray Hart and NAGB’s Lesley Muldoon in @School Administrator magazine, published by AASA, The School Superintendents Association. The piece highlights how urban school districts are leveraging NAEP data to inform decisions and drive progress. Kudos to CGCS districts Dallas Independent School District, Guilford County Schools, Albuquerque Public Schools, and Clark County School District for leading the way in leveraging NAEP data to make a difference! And please read a great sidebar by The The School District of Philadelphia’s Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D., who shares how Philadelphia uses NAEP data in their mission to become the fastest-improving urban school district in the nation. https://lnkd.in/erd3sCN4

Join us in congratulating David Lai as the new Director of ELL Policy & Research at the Council of the Great City Schools! 🎉   Executive Director Ray Hart shared, "We are thrilled to have David step into this role. His extensive experience in education and his dedication to the ELL community will be instrumental in continuing our mission of improving the educational experiences for urban students across the country."   Read more about David here https://lnkd.in/gpS-gMvF

Congrats to Baltimore City Public Schools for being selected by the Council and Scholastic as winner of the 2024-2025 Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award. The award, now in its fourth year, is presented annually to a CGCS member school district that has demonstrated notable progress in improving reading achievement.

Congratulations to David Wheeler (Orange County Public Schools) and Edward Romero, NIGP-CPP (San Antonio ISD) -- the 2024 recipients of the Council of the Great City Schools Arthur Hanby Procurement Legacy Award. Thanks to E&I Cooperative Services for sponsoring the award. Cc: Willie Burroughs, Raymond Hart.

Today, Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) and the Council of the Great City Schools announced the addition of the Academic AI Literacy Readiness Domain to the K-12 Generative AI (Gen AI) Maturity Tool. The new module assesses the extent to which educators are prepared to integrate AI technologies into educational practices, ensuring that these tools contribute positively to the learning environment and enhance student outcomes. Read the press release here: https://lnkd.in/gFJ2K5x3