S9 E2: Year of Acceleration for All (Yes, that includes Black Males)

Khalid Oluewu, principal of Webster Elementary School in Chicago, has done what many principals would love to do: He has created structures and practices at his school to ACCELERATE learning for all, and in particular for Black males.

 Wow. The idea started when he was a teacher and taught middle school math and had students come to him years behind. He looped with the students and in three short years he not only got them on grade level, but when they went to high school they were able to skip Algebra and start with Geometry.

 Now as a principal he put four things in place to accelerate learning - to have students learn one and a half years' worth in just a year):

1. Have teachers focus on PRIORITY standards

2. Have teachers provide JUST-IN-TIME supports not live in remediation

3. Provide more individualized learning by having teachers use small groups and by partnering with organizations who could provide high-impact tutoring

4. Using tech platforms for more individualized learning

The results? In one year the overall proficiency level leaped from just 6% to 50% and for Black boys, it went from just 2% to 30%! Truly impressive. And those numbers keep climbing up, far from the single-digit proficiency levels they were before.

 To learn more, check out these resources:

• Read Khalid's research paper: Year of Acceleration for All (Yes, that includes Black Males)

• Visit Webster Elementary School if you're in Chicago

• Reach out via email: koluewu@cps.edu

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