School & District Management Video

A Passion for Saving Schools on the Brink

February 22, 2017 3:01

Sharon Griffin, the chief of schools in Tennessee’s Shelby County Schools, has led an urgent effort to turn around the academic performance of more than 20 low-performing schools in Memphis. Several of the schools in the district’s iZone have made important progress on student achievement and are cited as evidence that with the right resources and freedom to experiment, homegrown educators like Griffin are in the best position to turn around schools in the most dire circumstances. “I believe a school shouldn’t have to be in critical condition to get help,” Griffin says. This video was produced as part of Education Week’s Leaders To Learn From project, recognizing outstanding school district leaders from around the country. More at http://leaders.edweek.org

Coverage of leadership, expanded learning time, and arts learning is supported in part by a grant from The Wallace Foundation, at www.wallacefoundation.org. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

Video

Artificial Intelligence Video Is the ‘AI Glow’ Starting to Wear Off? What to Expect in 2026
Artificial intelligence is now integrated into a wide variety of products and services that K-12 schools use, making it almost inescapable.
1 min read
English teacher Casey Cuny reads in his classroom as a screen displays guidelines for using artificial intelligence at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025.
English teacher Casey Cuny reads in his classroom as a screen displays guidelines for using artificial intelligence at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Education Funding Video School Funding: The 3 Big Questions to Watch in 2026
2025 was a disruptive year for school funding, here's what we're anticipating in the year ahead.
Illustration in blue of huge hands holding money as silhouette people run towards it.
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy Video How Reading Instruction Evolved in 2025, and What’s Ahead
Throughout 2025, Education Week has covered how states and districts are continuing to incorporate new instructional methods and materials.
Anjanette McNeely teaches a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
Anjanette McNeely teaches a reading block with her kindergarten students at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
Niki Chan Wylie for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Video What Happens When Middle and High Schoolers Still Struggle to Read?
When it comes to reading, teachers and experts alike say that many older students still struggle with the basics.
1 min read
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
Sophie Park for Education Week