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Education City Examples: Improving Public Schools
Akron, Ohio
(population 209,704)
The Mayor of Akron organized an education summit in partnership with the Summit Education Initiative (SEI), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving schooling and learning for all children in Summit County. The forum brought together school district and community teams from similar communities across the nation that have engaged in effective strategies to improve student achievement.
Topics covered in the course of the summit included: teacher preparation and professional development; strategies to improve student performance and close the academic achievement gap; community use of schools; and social needs of students. The education summit initiated a collaborative process to engage key community stakeholders in the challenges of local school improvement.
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Boston, Massachusetts
(population 590,763)
In 1996, Boston's mayor pledged that within five years all 130 schools would be wired with high-speed Internet access. He also promised a 1:4 computer-student ratio, a computer for every teacher, and high-speed Internet access for Boston's public libraries. The mayor committed $50 million in capital money to develop the infrastructure and partnered with dozens of regional and national corporations and raised over $30 million in resources.
In 1998, Boston was the first major urban school district to network all its schools. Currently, the city's schools have a 1:5 computer-student ratio, 80 percent of teachers have received professional development on instructional computer usage, all 27 public libraries are networked and there are over 100 community-based technology centers throughout the city.
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Fort Lauderdale, Florida
(population 185,804)
The City of Fort Lauderdale established the Education Advisory Board (EAB), comprised of 20 community residents appointed by the City Commission to serve as a conduit for the interests and concerns of parents and educators. The City Commissioners work with the EAB to address broad issues related to youth and schools, and to take action on targeted issues.
The City has funded selected EAB initiatives, including an Education Summit and the publication of a Guide to Fort Lauderdale Schools. The EAB also serves as an advocate for the public schools and has been actively involved in issues related to educational equity and quality in terms of facilities, programs and resources.
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Martinsville, Virginia
(population 14,945)
The City of Martinsville retained a management consultant who specializes in strategic planning to lead a one-day retreat for city councilmembers and school board members. The goal of the retreat was to improve communications and foster teamwork.
Participants sought to understand how education and community needs are interrelated and to identify ways in which the city council and school board could improve their working relationship. Each group’s responsibility for policy, budget, salaries, and other matters were identified. Following the retreat, a brief report was produced to summarize recommendations for improved collaboration.
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Phoenix, Arizona
(population 1,512,986)
The City of Phoenix established the School-Based Program, a partnership between the City of Phoenix Human Services Department and various schools throughout the city. The program enhances social and academic success for students and their families through a coordinated delivery of services, using the schools as the focal point to serve students whose problems interfere with their learning or place them at risk of dropping out.
The School-Based Program also has strong ties with a number of community agencies. School coalitions meet regularly to share information, address systemic barriers to service delivery for youth and families, and provide updates on community-based programs and services. One unique example is the School Safety Team, which is a partnership between school officials, police, juvenile probation, and school social workers.
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Portland, Oregon
(population 537,081)
The Schools Real Estate Trust was established to acquire the rights to Portland Public Schools (PPS) properties and prepare them for redevelopment. PPS owns several properties that are either no longer needed or that are larger than needed to meet its educational mission, draining school finances. By delegating the responsibility to develop properties without granting title, the Portland Board of Education maintains control of the property and secures any future facility needs.
A board of community leaders with expertise in development governs the Trust and advises on redevelopment and reuse issues. The City of Portland was instrumental in leading the effort to establish the Trust and saw the project through its completion. Innovation Partnership, a non-profit organization that was formed to identify and bring innovative solutions to persistent community problems, housed the effort to establish the Trust, and two senior city officials sit on its Board of Directors.
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Tukwila, Washington
(population 17,111)
The Tukwila Equity and Diversity Commission is a unique partnership of the Tukwila School District and the City of Tukwila. Its goals are to:
- Promote understanding that accepts, celebrates, and appreciates cultural diversity within the community;
- Serve as a resource for the community by providing information and educational forums that will facilitate a better understanding and acceptance of cultural differences; and
- Provide recommendations to the mayor, city council, and school board that would identify opportunities to address cultural diversity issues and promote cultural diversity programs.
The commission is made up of nine members who are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council. Three members represent the city, including a member of city council; three members represent the school district (either district employees or school board members); and three members represent the community, two of whom may be representatives of the business community.
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