The Nation's Voice for Urban Education
May 2021 • Vol. 30, No. 4
Urban School Districts Share Expanded
Summer School Programs
With catchy program titles and an infusion of federal money, urban school districts across the nation are gearing up for expanded summer school offerings in all grades.
Las Vegas Educator Named Teacher of the Year
Juliana Urtubey was born in Bogota, Colombia, and moved to the United States with her family when she was five. As a first-generation Hispanic and a bilingual special-education teacher in Las Vegas, Urtubey takes immense pride in being a role model for her students.
Superintendents in L.A. and Chicago Step Down
Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles United School District since 2018, and Janice Jackson, CEO of Chicago Public Schools since 2017, have announced their departures as their contracts expire June 30.
Tulsa Public Schools Launches Curriculum to Commemorate 1921 Race Massacre
In 1921, the Greenwood community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was home to one of the most prosperous African-American communities in the nation and dubbed “Black Wall Street” because of its affluence and thriving businesses.
Philadelphia Expands Mentoring Program Between School Safety Officers and Black Students
The School District of Philadelphia is expanding the Leaders Encouraging Achievement and Development (LEAD) Program, an effort designed to help support the needs of young Black male students through positive engagement with Black adult males. 
Three Urban Schools Ranked Among the Nation's Top 10
U.S. News & World Report magazine recently released its 2021 “Best High School” rankings, and several school districts represented by the Council of the Great City Schools topped the list.

Philadelphia Student Wins $25,000 Scholarship from the National Honor Society
Sheyla Street, a senior at Central High School in Philadelphia, has been selected as the national winner of the 2021 National Honor Society (NHS) Scholarship.
Legislative Column

Initial Application Cycle for the $7 Billion FCC Emergency Program
To Fund Student-Home Connectivity for
School Year 2021-22
Though shorthanded, a unanimous Federal Communications Commission (FCC) met its statutory deadline in announcing new rules for the $7 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund to support remote home connectivity for students and staff under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP).  
Read more stories here
Upcoming Events
65th Annual Fall Conference
The Council will be holding its 65th Annual Fall Conference in Philadelphia.

When:
October 20 - 24, 2021

Where:
Philadelphia, PA
Executive Director
Michael Casserly
Editor
Tonya Harris
Staff Writer
Joanne Coley
Chair
Michael O'Neill
Board Member, Boston
Chair-elect
Barbara Jenkins
Superintendent, Orange County
(Orlando)
Secretary-Treasurer
Kelly Gonez
Board Member, Los Angeles
A newsletter published by the Council of the Great City Schools, representing 77 of the nation’s largest urban public school districts. Click here to learn more. All news items should be submitted to Tonya Harris (tharris@cgcs.org).