Teachers tour troubled neighborhoods surrounding schools

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Educators from dozens of local schools went on a bus tour of neighborhoods in Northwest Jacksonville that surround low-performing schools. They were seeking to get a better understanding of the conditions their students face on a daily basis.

"These kids need to be challenged. These are not bad kids," said Michal Bostic-Jones, a history teacher at Raines High School.  "They may come from certain circumstances that are different than others but they have the potential to be as great as any other student on any other side of Jacksonville."

Raines is one of the 36 schools in the so-called transformation zone. High-performing teachers received incentives to teach in these schools through the Quality Education for All fund. 

Schools in the zone are attended by a total of 16,800 students. Students attend one of the. Leaders are hopeful that this investment in resources and people will make a difference in the classroom.

WJAX