Stege Elementary in the East Bay sits at a crossroads. It’s slated for a complete redesign by the start of the 2020-21 school year. But, the school faces many challenges including a dwindling number of students, inexperienced teachers and high teacher turnover. It’s a challenge faced by 481 of the state’s 10,000 schools cited as lowest-performing in 2017-18 based on low state scores, high student suspensions and chronic absenteeism. Each school is eligible for $150,000 in federal aid to come up with a plan to turn itself around. West Contra Costa School District Superintendent Matthew Duffy is calling on the community to help shape what Stege will become. Can they succeed? EdSource will follow Stege’s journey to describe what it takes to transform a school.
