Berkeley County School District is committed to improving educational outcomes for its students – and working in partnership with schools to challenge and advance the system.
This school year, BCSD is participating in an initiative provided by the University of Virginia’s Partnership for Leaders in Education (also known as UVA-PLE) geared at improvements in student success. These schools will work with teachers and administrators to launch significant changes that have been proven nationwide to drive academic growth and improve student performance.
UVA-PLE is a joint initiative between the Darden School of Business and the School of Education and Human Development. It is a multi-year engagement with superintendents, principals, and other leaders that combines world-class executive education and thought partnership grounded in research. The UVA-PLE Core Partnership is the only remaining research-proven effort in the country supporting K-12 educators through leadership development, capacity building, and collective problem-solving. This is UVA-PLE’s 21st cohort; it officially launched this summer and will continue through spring 2026.
School district partners collaborate with UVA-PLE to identify and address key challenges within their systems and schools, including reducing absenteeism, improving classroom instruction, enhancing teacher recruitment, and more.
With support from UVA-PLE, BCSD will enhance district-level assistance to better meet the needs of teachers and students. Five schools met UVA-PLE’s readiness criteria and are set to participate: Berkeley Middle, Sedgefield Middle, Macedonia Middle, Westview Middle, and Sangaree Middle.
Westview Middle Principal Taylor Bradley said the five selected middle schools engaged in this work will be trailblazers in Berkeley County.
“We have collectively decided to look beyond what has always been done and instead look at what is possible when we unleash the true power of education,” he said.
The improved learning environments will focus on establishing and maintaining consistency with fundamentals and state standards. Teachers will benefit from more frequent classroom visits, reviews and feedback from administrators and instructional support staff.
BCSD officials will work with school staff to establish specific goals at all five schools. The school goals will focus on student achievement and instruction, as well as professional development for teachers.
Since BCSD is particularly hitting hard on instructional infrastructure, the district will conduct assessments in all of the core content areas in the middle schools. This will be achieved through day-to-day conversations and by increasing the amount of school visits (making weekly visits). There is also a focus on tracking more feedback from teachers throughout the process. The five individual schools will also identify additional goals that pertain to their own school climate and culture.
Melissa LaBerge, Executive Director of Leadership and Support, and Shameka Washington, Chief Administrative Services Officer for BCSD, said the district is very excited about this initiative.
“By prioritizing high-quality classroom instruction, we are reinforcing a foundation rooted in critical thinking and deep understanding of state standards for middle school students to be successful in all core subjects to unlock their full potential and make a positive difference,” Washington said.
LaBerge said district officials are feeling encouraged by the hard work taking place at the aforementioned middle schools, and that all schools are committed to the action plans that have been put in place.
“I feel confident we will see positive outcomes for students because of these commitments,” she said.