Schenectady Schools Join National Study on Student-Teacher Relationships
Schenectady City School District is participating in The Sankofa Chronicles, a multi-year national study supported by the U.S. Department of Education. The initiative aims to strengthen student-teacher relationships and foster whole-child development.
The Schenectady City School District has joined The Sankofa Chronicles, a national, multi-year research initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program. The project focuses on strengthening student-teacher relationships, enhancing student engagement, and supporting the development of the whole child.
The district will implement the program's multimedia social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum during the 2026–27 school year at Big Picture Learning Community. The initiative is led by the Martin Luther King Sr. Community Resources Collaborative in partnership with Morehouse College and other university partners.
The Sankofa Chronicles utilizes storytelling, historical and cultural content, and multimedia resources to help students develop skills such as communication, self-awareness, and problem-solving. Participating educators will receive professional development, instructional resources, and ongoing coaching.
Schenectady's involvement places the district within a broader research effort examining how strong student-teacher relationships and culturally responsive learning influence educational outcomes. Feedback and implementation insights will contribute to the ongoing refinement of The Sankofa Chronicles.