‘The American Classroom’ Celebrates Contributions of Educators and Explores Challenges Facing Both Students and Teachers Across the Country During American Education Week
The Series Includes New Enterprise Reporting From ABC News’ Investigative Unit on Lead Levels in School Water, Plus a Closer Look at Chronic Absenteeism, a Report on Teacher Shortages and More
‘The American Classroom’ Kicks Off Sunday, Nov. 12, on ‘This Week with George Stephanopoulos,’ Airing Across ABC News Programs and Platforms All Week, and Culminates With the ABC News Live Special ‘The American Classroom,’ Streaming Friday, Nov. 17, at 8:30 p.m. EST, Next Day on Hulu
ABC News announced today a network-wide, week-long series in honor of American Education Week reporting on “The American Classroom” (#TheAmericanClassroom), which will highlight the substantial contributions of educators and students across the country while taking a closer look at the future — and challenges — of education in America. The series kicks off Sunday, Nov. 12, on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” airing across ABC News programs and platforms all week and culminates with the ABC News Live Special “The American Classroom,” streaming Friday, Nov. 17, at 8:30 p.m. EST, next day on Hulu.
ABC News’ coverage, which will feature dozens of new enterprise reports, will air across all programs and platforms, including the following:
ABC News’ Investigative Unit and ABC News affiliates collaborate on a report about the levels of lead in school water, which remain concerningly high in some areas across the nation. The report will also examine a school district in New York that is being likened to the Flint, Michigan, water crisis and is being accused of violating the rights of Black and Latinx students for failing to address the problem adequately seven years after it was identified.
“Good Morning America” will feature a diverse range of topics throughout the week, including a segment dedicated to Veterans Students of America, an organization committed to assisting veterans in their transition from service to higher education and career paths; the impact of student debt and government initiatives aimed at providing relief; an insight into the world of homeschooling through expert perspectives and a firsthand account from a family who created a co-op learning environment with other children living at home; and more.
“World News Tonight with David Muir,” in collaboration with the Investigative Unit, will look at schools across the country combating learning losses and fighting for equal access to success. The show will also highlight educators and students who have persevered, inspiring others toward success.
“This Week with George Stephanopoulos” will examine the teacher shortages facing classrooms since the pandemic, with reporting on one Dallas suburban school district’s efforts to recruit and retain teachers, profiling two educators who entered the field through unique paths, and a veteran administrator who is working to get more teachers into the classroom.
“Nightline” will air an in-depth report into the nationwide spike in chronic absenteeism in schools across the country in a post-COVID world, systematic failures that lead to this issue and how schools are working to get students back on track. The report will include interviews with teens who have dropped out, truancy officers who go door-to-door to engage with absent students, a physician’s assistant who runs an in-school medical clinic to help kids who have chronic health issues, and a Nashville juvenile court judge who works with kids to prevent their dropout rates from going even higher.
ABC News Live will have segments covering book bans, education for students with disabilities, safety in schools, higher education options outside of college and more. The channel’s primetime program, “ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis,” will report on teacher retention, the Innocence Project and college graduation and investigate chronically high lead levels in some schools nationwide. The award-winning streaming platform will close the week with a 30-minute special titled “The American Classroom,” hosted by ABC News anchor Deborah Roberts.
“The View” welcomes Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona to discuss the challenges facing education today, including teacher shortages, banned books, discrimination and protests on college campuses, and post-COVID issues impacting classrooms across the country. Plus, Hot Topics discussions will focus on the latest education headlines in the news.
“GMA3: What You Need to Know” will include daily segments featuring a live interview with Secretary of Education Dr.Miguel Cardona, discussions on affordable sports gear for kids, the success of some English language learners, the impact of artificial intelligence in the classroom, and a Kansas City non-profit sending kids to college and trade schools. Plus, a very special surprise will be in store for viewers.
“World News Now”/“America This Morning” will talk with young students about world affairs and what concerns them most, plus profiles Brooklyn’s Invictus Bakery, which employs and trains students with autism.
ABC News Digital and Social will cover and share related stories throughout the week with the hashtag #TheAmericanClassroom.
ABC News Radio will feature a special one-hour edition of the newsmagazine “Perspective,” focused on education with various topics, including truancy and absenteeism, bans on books in schools across the country, and the influence of AI in schools. The platform will also air two original features on how the Maui wildfires have affected students and how a school in Pennsylvania is creatively handling a school bus driver shortage.
ABC NewsOne, the affiliate news service of ABC News, will be reporting on the impact of recess in schools and how more states are no longer making it a requirement for students.
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