Urban school districts are introducing various initiatives for the 2025-26 school year to enhance attendance and educational programs. Some of these initiatives include campaigns to boost student participation, the opening of new schools with innovative programs, and the implementation of math and literacy programs. Here’s a roundup of what’s new in urban school districts city by city:

Anchorage

As part of its back-to-school readiness efforts, Alaska’s Anchorage School District has implemented Stopfinder, a secure, real-time school bus tracking application. The platform allows parents to monitor pick-up and drop-off times, view bus stop locations, and receive live alerts as buses approach specific points along their routes.

Baltimore

Baltimore City Public Schools launched a pilot program last year in 25 schools to explore various methods of reducing students' use of cell phones and electronic devices. Based on the successful strategies identified during this pilot, district officials will introduce a new cell phone policy for the 2025-26 school year. Under this policy, students are allowed to bring devices to school, but they must be powered off and kept away and secured during the school day. The district is also increasing support for its multilingual learners by introducing Student Success Liaisons who will collaborate closely with schools to provide resources and assistance to multilingual students and families. Watch Baltimore's welcome back to school video.

Broward

In an effort to improve security, Florida’s Broward County Public Schools in Fort Lauderdale, is providing all employees with a CrisisAlert badge that allows them to instantly alert first responders with the press of a button – providing faster emergency response throughout schools and district facilities.

Charleston

Charleston County School District in South Carolina is launching its “Be Here, Be Great: Boots on the Ground” initiative to strengthen attendance, build relationships with families, and support schools in keeping students engaged. The initiative involves home visits and direct communication with families to encourage students to return to the classroom.

Chicago

The nation’s third-largest school district is beginning the 2025-26 school year with the lowest number of vacancies in recent history for teachers and education support personnel, a result of innovative recruitment and retention strategies under the Teach Chicago program. In addition, Chicago Public Schools is offering all high school students free virtual counseling sessions through a partnership with Hazel Health. 

Clark County

Nevada’s Clark County School District in Las Vegas is opening seven new schools this fall, including the South Career and Technical Academy, which will offer nine workforce and career readiness programs to students. The programs include Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Cyber Defense and Advanced Computing Technology, Early Childhood Education, and Entertainment and Sports Marketing.

Cleveland
Cleveland Metropolitan School District used $3.7 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to open three new school-based health clinics. Each clinic is equipped with health supplies, medical equipment, and telehealth capabilities to improve student access to healthcare services. With the addition of these clinics, the district now has a total of six school-based health clinics.

Dallas

Dallas Independent School District is launching an AI-powered tool to help middle school math teachers improve instruction and student outcomes. Funded by a $1.7 million grant from the Texas Instruments Foundation to Educate Texas, the program will provide personalized feedback so teachers can better support students with new math concepts. The district is also opening the $80 million John Lewis Social Justice Academy, which will emphasize advocacy and leadership, providing students with a learning environment where they can study civic literacy, practice public speaking, and connect their academic work to real-world leadership skills.

Denver

Denver Public Schools recently formed the Office of Student and Family Empowerment, combining support teams focused on families and students, with the goal of prioritizing student and family voices in every conversation and decision.  The department aims to foster collaboration with students and their families to enhance engagement and empowerment, support continuous improvement, and accelerate students' academic success.

Detroit

Detroit Public Schools Community District is implementing changes to its Exceptional Student Education (ESE) programming to better support students, reduce travel time, and improve academic outcomes in inclusive environments that promote peer-to-peer interaction. The changes involve realigning ESE programs to ensure students can attend schools closer to their home, with 1,034 students receiving placements at schools within or near their neighborhoods. Watch their video

El Paso

Texas’ El Paso Independent School District is launching the district’s first Esports Lab at Guillen Middle School, which blends technology, teamwork, and learning in a state-of-the-art environment designed to prepare students for the future. Students will participate in structured competitive gaming, as well as develop essential skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

Fayette County

Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, Ky., is launching Fayette Forward, an online initiative to help students explore learning options and career paths. When using the service, students will select their current school, interests, and desired education outcomes, and then be matched with available programs and career pathways. 

Guilford

Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, N.C., has opened two new schools: Kiser Middle and Peeler-Hampton Visual and Performing Arts Elementary. The district has also partnered with the Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) to launch a pilot program that will increase bus stops between four comprehensive high schools and Guilford Technical Community College, to help students access free college courses.

Hawai‘i

In an effort to increase locally sourced ingredients and products for students, the Hawai‘i Department of Education is partnering with Kapiʻolani Community College’s Culinary Institute of the Pacific and the Culinary Institute of America to create 50 new recipes featuring Hawai‘i-grown ingredients that also meet USDA nutritional standards. The district is also developing plans to create regional kitchens — centralized facilities designed to receive and prepare meals using local ingredients on a larger scale.  

Indianapolis

Indianapolis Public Schools is introducing a new K-12 swimming program designed to make swimming accessible for students by utilizing underused district pools and collaborating with local organizations. A $40,000 grant from Riley Children’s Health will support the program, which aims to serve over 1,000 students in its first year. The program prioritizes students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, with district officials aiming for 80 percent of participants to achieve basic swimming proficiency.

Jersey City

In an effort to help school personnel communicate with parents who might need help expressing their concerns, Jersey City Public Schools is launching a Parent Hotline, which will be monitored and managed by a trained administrator for parents.

Little Rock

The Little Rock School District has launched a podcast called "Wright On Education" to spotlight the people, policies, and progress influencing the school district. Hosted by Superintendent Jermall Wright, the new monthly series will cover timely topics and feature the voices of students and staff, as well as open discussions about the district’s goals, challenges, and successes.

Long Beach

California’s Long Beach Unified School District’s Center of Black Student Excellence, which opened in May, will be fully operational this fall, providing academic support, cultural enrichment, and community engagement opportunities.  The district’s Black Literary Society is established at all high schools, giving students space to strengthen literacy, celebrate Black history and culture, foster belonging, and develop leadership skills while helping shape the program’s design. In addition, the district is rolling out its new Student Phone Use, Cyberbullying, and Social Media Safety Policy, with full implementation beginning in February 2026.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles Unified School District is accelerating its shift to clean energy by retiring older bus models and deploying 180 fully electric buses across the school system. All district buses are equipped with Wi-Fi. Watch Los Angeles' welcome back to school video here.

Madison

Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin recently unveiled a new brand identity that reflects the district’s values and aims to strengthen recognition across the community as well as position Madison as a destination school district. The new brand features a districtwide logo created with input from students, families, staff, community leaders, and the Board of Education.

Miami

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is implementing a new policy that allows families who homeschool, or whose children attend private schools, to enroll their children in individual courses. The district is also expanding its early admission partnerships with Miami-Dade College, providing students with an opportunity to begin their college education while still in high school.

Milwaukee

This fall, Milwaukee Public Schools will implement a new “learning community” model, where academic superintendents will lead approximately 15 to 20 schools and support school principals. The district is also rolling out a new literacy plan using a science-based early literacy instruction, known as the “science of reading.” The goal of the plan is to provide high-quality literacy instruction to all students, and to put it in place, the district is providing 40 hours of intensive training to teachers this year. The district is also making efforts to successfully address lead paint issues in schools by hosting three free clinics so students and community children can be tested for lead.

Minneapolis

Minneapolis Public Schools has launched a new bus routing and GPS system for the 2025-26 school year. The My Ride K-12 app allows families to submit a "Save Your Seat" form for busing, receive bus schedules, and get real-time notifications of bus in route locations and estimated arrival times.

Newark

New Jersey’s Newark Public Schools partnered with the Pratt Institute to establish the Newark School of Architecture & Interior Design to prepare high school students for careers in the building industry. Pratt faculty worked closely with Newark educators in shaping the school’s curriculum, including designing a new course in architecture and interior design. The school recently welcomed 212 ninth graders and enrollment will grow by one grade each year. In addition, the district launched Newark Saves, a college savings program aimed at creating college savings accounts for 3,000 incoming Newark kindergartners starting this fall. The initiative is funded by a $150,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation.

New Orleans

NOLA Public Schools is collaborating with Lipscomb University to strengthen the pipeline of school psychologists in response to a nationwide shortage. The partnership aims to train highly qualified graduates who can effectively meet the needs of schools and improve pupil appraisal services.

New York City

The nation's largest school district is opening seven new schools this fall, including the HBCU Early College Prep High School. This tuition-free early college high school will offer college courses and provide students with the HBCU experience starting in ninth grade. Students attending the HBCU Early College Prep will have the opportunity to earn up to 64 college credits towards an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Delaware State University (DSU) and be guaranteed admission to DSU. New York City Public Schools will also launch a student-driven initiative focused on anti-bullying and anti-vaping.

Philadelphia

For the first time in 22 years, The School District of Philadelphia is implementing new Core K-12 Science Instructional Resources. The district is also partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education to launch the Algebra 1 Fellowship, a three-year initiative that will provide nearly $5 million in professional development for Algebra 1 teachers. In addition, the school district’s Horace Howard Furness High School and the High School of the Future have been selected as the first participants in The Academy at Penn, a five-year, $8 million initiative with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Starting in the 2025–26 school year, the program will welcome 50 ninth-graders each year, providing them with opportunities for internships, college visits, mentorship, and immersive learning experiences on Penn’s campus.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Public Schools is launching a new marketing campaign aimed at demonstrating that the “grass is not always greener,” as the district seeks to retain families. The campaign’s tagline is “Get the Facts,” and features advertisements across television, print, radio, and online platforms. The district is also introducing a new ethnic studies class that will focus on racial, ethnic, and cultural groups of people from around the globe who are often overlooked in traditional social studies courses.

Portland

Oregon’s Portland Public Schools is partnering with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to launch a pilot AI literacy platform aimed at helping students, especially students who struggle with reading and a lack of confidence in the classroom. The Lumi Story AI will enable students to create their own stories, comics, and graphic novels using AI-powered chatbots and image-generation tools. The platform will be piloted with a select group of middle and high school students this year, and if successful, may be expanded to others across the district.

Rochester

New York’s Rochester City School District launched its “Strive for Five: Show Up Strong, Five Days Long” attendance campaign, with the goal of improving attendance through a community-driven, student-centered approach that engages families, builds trust, and encourages students to be present and ready to learn every school day. As part of the campaign, the district has partnered with WDKX Radio, which will host a quarterly celebration for the school with the most improved attendance.

San Francisco

San Francisco Unified School District is launching a new math curriculum for grades K-8 designed to expand access to high-quality instruction and integrate engaging digital tools. The district also partnered with SPARK SF Public Schools to launch a citywide public awareness campaign called “Be Here!” to boost student attendance. The campaign will feature celebrity public service announcements, physical posters, bus ads, and partnerships with major organizations such as the Golden State Warriors, the San Francisco Giants, and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. In addition, SPARK will fund a full-time position at the district to provide critical oversight on attendance and support schools with their individual school-site attendance plans.

St. Paul

Minnesota’s St. Paul Public Schools is implementing an operating engineers pathway, a partnership with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 for students interested in learning how to operate heavy equipment. A new “sandbox” is being built adjacent to the union hall to allow for hands-on learning. High school seniors can enroll in four rigorous courses and receive high school, college, and apprenticeship credits.

Tulsa

Tulsa Public Schools is launching the One Team Ambassador program, aimed at fostering deeper connections and enhancing student well-being by placing caring adult ambassadors in schools. This program allows community members who are interested to apply online to become ambassadors, with placements determined by their interests, availability, and chosen school or geographic location.

Washoe

Nevada’s Washoe County School District is opening a new Aviation Academy as well as a new Criminal Justice Academy at the Academy of Arts, Careers & Technology High School. Aviation students will learn about aviation engineering and receive hands-on training with aircraft structures and materials. The Criminal Justice Academy will provide training in forensic science and law enforcement.