Alleghany Highlands
What We Do
Through an extensive data collection effort in 2016, the team used surveys and interviews to understand the educational goals and needs of students and families in the two school divisions that make up Alleghany Highlands, Alleghany County Public Schools and Covington City Public Schools.
Who We Are
CASTL's Social Development Lab research team has partnered with the Alleghany Highlands community in an education reform initiative supported by the Alleghany Foundation.
Project Info
Project Status: 2016 - Present
Funding Source: Alleghany Foundation, EHD IDEAs, U.S. Department of Education
Principal Investigator: Sara Rimm-Kaufman
The data revealed six recommendations for educational investment in the community. Now, the team aims to support the workgroups in the Alleghany Highlands, each tackling one of these recommendations through their decision-making and strategic planning.
Recommendations:
- Build a community of support for continuous improvement in support of student learning.
- Establish a culture of collaboration in each school that includes ongoing dialogue and reflection around a common language of high quality teaching and learning.
- Promote a school culture that values both academic achievement and respect for each other.
- Enhance the quality of early childhood experiences in the Alleghany Highlands.
- Develop and implement new strategies to engage families as partners in their children’s learning.
- Enhance the quality of instruction in key academic content areas, starting with English Language Arts.