School Turnaround Initiative

The School Turnaround Initiative embarks on a deep exploration of urban education, actively seeking solutions, and sharing inspirational stories that catalyze positive change. The primary goal of this initiative is to raise awareness of pressing needs inside our school system, provide solutions to struggling schools for successful turnaround efforts, and foster sustainable education practices in our community. This initiative launched in 2024 based on the Sabbatical research of our Executive Director, Chance W. Lewis, Ph.D.

We aim to inspire, inform, and engage our community for change by being a central clearinghouse of resources to support successful School Turnaround efforts. By bridging research and practice, we hope to make a real impact on the field of education in the 21st century. Check out our resources below. Contact Chance W. Lewis, Ph.D at chance.lewis@charlotte.edu if you have any questions.

School Turnaround Resources

The School Turnaround Podcast

• Podcast Website

The School Turnaround Report

• Urban K-12 School turnaround in large metropolitan cities: A call to action for major Universities, National Report: Urban Education Collaborative

The School Turnaround Lecture

• Dr. Chance Lewis Lecture – Texas A&M School of Education and Development

The School Turnaround Research Resource Center
High-Quality Research: Best School Turnaround Practices

• Schueler, B. E. (2019). A third way: The politics of school district takeover and turnaround in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Educational Administration Quarterly, 55(1), 116-153
• Osborne, D. (2021). Black Minds Matter: What Should Our Leaders Do about Failing Schools?. Progressive Policy Institute.
• Osworth, D. (2022). Looking toward the field: A systematic review to inform current and future school takeover policty. Research in Educational Policy and Management. 4(1), 1-21.