America is misreading its urban schools: op-ed

This is a guest opinion column.

If you have been following the latest Education Scorecard, the narrative surrounding American public education seems bleak, dominated by buzzwords like “crisis” and “learning recession.” However, if you dig into the actual data, a much more encouraging story emerges from the very districts frequently dismissed as failures.

Urban Schools Are Outpacing National Recovery

Contrary to the common cautionary tales, big-city public schools have actually outperformed the national average in post-pandemic improvements. This success isn't just a sudden spike; for many, it is the result of long-term progress that began well before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Math Turnaround

The data from 60 major urban school systems shows a significant shift. Between 2022 and 2025, 49 of these systems improved in math at a faster rate than the nation as a whole. This group includes major hubs like Atlanta, Baltimore City, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis-Shelby County, Miami-Dade County, Nashville, and Philadelphia. While 40 percent of districts nationwide lost ground in math during this period, these urban systems—which serve high concentrations of low-income students, multilingual learners, and children with disabilities—are clearly finding a winning formula.

Nuanced Progress in Reading

While reading progress remains mixed, urban districts are again defying the typical narrative of decay. In this study, 20 of 59 urban systems outpaced the national improvement average. Furthermore, cities like Baltimore, Cincinnati, the District of Columbia, and Richmond posted impressive gains, reaching half a grade-level or more above the national average. This uneven but tangible growth serves as a powerful counter to the claim that urban education is inherently broken.

Hard-Won Gains, Not Accidents

This improvement is no accident. Over the last two decades, cities—including Birmingham under the leadership of superintendent Mark Sullivan—have prioritized higher expectations, instructional coherence, and targeted support for those furthest behind. By leveraging stronger curricula, teacher support, and strategic federal investments in tutoring and literacy, these districts have made gains that many commentators are simply missing by relying on outdated stereotypes.

A Call to Shift the Narrative

It is time to stop viewing urban public schools as permanent symbols of decline and start recognizing them as leaders in educational recovery. While challenges like chronic absenteeism remain, these districts are navigating immense burdens and consistently beating the odds. As a nation, we need to stop talking past the evidence and start paying attention to what is actually working in our cities.

Michael Casserly is a Strategic Advisor and former Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools and the author of The Enduring Promise of America’s Great City Schools. Akisha Osei Sarfo is the Research Director of the Council of the Great City Schools.