Publications

The Council of the Great City Schools and WestEd developed this research-informed playbook to help districts design and sustain inclusive dual language immersion (DLI) programs for dually identified students, or English learners who also have disabilities. Drawing on current research and the expertise of district practitioners, the publication examines the intersection of bilingualism, language development, and disabilities; explores common systemic barriers to effective service delivery; and highlights how DLI can serve as a model for supporting this growing student population. The resource provides practical guidance for district and school leaders on planning, implementation, staffing, family engagement, and continuous improvement to ensure that dually identified students have access to biliteracy, grade-level content, and disability-related services.

The Council and the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) jointly launched this innovative resource to provide district leaders with a comprehensive list of factors to consider before implementing Gen AI solutions within their school districts. Supported by Amazon Web Services (AWS), the K-12 Gen AI Readiness Checklist offers a curated list of questions to help district leaders devise implementation strategies across six core focus areas: Executive Leadership, Operations, Data, Technology, Security, and Risk Management. The resource focuses on ensuring that Gen AI solutions are free from bias or algorithmic discrimination, protect data privacy, and have a clear understanding of the sources of generated information.

Safety & Security Framework aims to assist urban school districts in creating a safe and welcoming environment by compiling practices from across the country to help districts assess and improve their safety strategies. School districts are encouraged to evaluate their current safety practices within the following categories: structure, prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery. Each section offers an opportunity for districts to self-assess how well they align with best practices and the most effective options for reducing risks.

Responding to the needs of newcomer students in an appropriate and timely manner requires understanding their educational experiences. This guide supports districts in defining and identifying newcomers and SLIFE, determining what background information is needed, collecting it through a customizable Educational Background Questionnaire (EBQ), and using that information to inform placement decisions, instructional programming, and wraparound supports.

Over the years, the nation’s large urban school districts have consistently learned from the progress of their peer districts across the country. Great City School districts that have embraced the challenge of