TURNER: Inside, 6-year-old M'Lyah proudly shows off her sparkly silver and orange fingernails. And I ask one little boy, waiting with his grandmother, if he's feeling ready. TURNER: On the first morning of school at North Jackson Elementary, new kindergarteners line up outside. So Jackson public schools serve about 21,000 students in Mississippi's capital city. That said, as much as Jackson stands out, there is a lot happening there right now that I think will resonate with educators and families all over the country about pandemic learning gaps, staff shortages and just, you know, the way folks are feeling right now.įADEL: Yeah. You know, the city's aging water system is also a slow-motion disaster. It has to do more for its students with less money than many of its neighboring districts. And I found Jackson's story really interesting, you know? Like so many big city districts, it struggles with poverty. TURNER: Over the pandemic, I interviewed Superintendent Greene, who we just heard there, a few times. Good morning, Cory.ĬORY TURNER, BYLINE: Good morning, Leila.įADEL: So Cory, why'd you choose Jackson? NPR education correspondent Cory Turner went to Mississippi to find out. But whereas the first was defined by school closures and the second by fights over masking, we wondered what stories will define this school year. So began the third school year in the shadow of COVID-19. UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: What grade y'all in?įADEL: At North Jackson Elementary in Jackson, Miss., students got a special visit on their first day from Superintendent Dr. Across the U.S., more than 50 million kids are getting back to or getting ready for the new school year.