"This is a great moment for school leaders to look for opportunities to give classroom teachers the flexibility they need to serve students with varying degrees of proficiency, like flexible schedules and adding staff that can support dynamic student grouping," said Chase Nordengren, principal research lead for Effective Instructional Strategies at NWEA.

Now is the time for district and school leaders to revisit the levers of people, time and intervention in addressing learning loss.

After taking the helm at Allenbrook Elementary School in 2020, she quickly turned the school from a below F level to nearly a B, making it the number one growing elementary school in the district.

Trustees want at least 41% of Dallas ISD third graders reading on grade level by the end of the year, putting the district on track to reach 56% by June 2025. If Elizalde can facilitate this, she’d earn a $20,000 bonus.