Akron Life September 2023

Services, according to APS. Many stu dents were told they wouldn’t make it, but Davis believes they have potential. “I don’t see any kind of deficits,” says the Akron native and Hudson resident. “When I look at a kid, I see lots of opportunities to increase the likelihood they’re going to be successful.” Her work is cut out for her. Before the first day of school July 31, an Akron Board of Education meeting July 24 re vealed low I Promise School test scores that sounded an alarm nationwide. The state labeled the school as an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement school because Black students and students with disabilities tested in the lowest 5 percent in the state, accord ing to APS. About 60 percent of its 555 students are Black and 28 percent have

disabilities, including half of sixth grad ers. But Davis isn’t backing down. She is ready to step in to help students. “We will do whatever it takes academi cally, socially, emotionally, behavior ally to guarantee their success,” she says. “We are a family. We value every child.” The path to success is a tough one. The I Promise School opened in July 2018, and Davis is its third full-time principal. The school started strong. In its first year, 90 percent of third and fourth graders met or exceeded their expected

growth goals in math and reading on fall-to-winter MAP tests, outpacing many other APS schools, according to APS. Then the pandemic hit, and the school was remote for parts of two school years. During the 2021-2022 school year, the school’s founding principal resigned in a tumul tuous exit, and two interim principals followed along with a full-time one who left in late May 2023. Over the last two years, 17 teachers have left, according to APS.

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SEPTEMBER 2023 | akronlife.com