Janine takes it upon herself to fix every problem when she notices a flicking light bulb in the hallway. Gregory asks Barbara for help talking to a parent, which leads him to spend his lunch period in an unexpected way.

After Jacob reveals a detail about his personal life, Janine realizes she doesn't know the other teachers as well as she thought; Gregory's stern teaching approach is causing his whole class to underperform.

While on Abbott's annual zoo field trip, Tariq reveals that he has been offered a job in New York; Janine struggles with a big choice; Barbara starts questioning her future after finding out her favorite tuatara has been retired because of old age.

The teachers are back for development week, a time to prepare for the upcoming year. Janine is determined to start the year off right and leave her problems at home. Ava runs a side hustle out of the school parking lot.

The teachers are appalled after seeing a commercial in support of charter schools criticizing Abbott Elementary. When students begin to transfer schools, Jacob, Ava and Melissa invite the leader of the charter school organization to Abbott and ask him to take down the ad. Elsewhere, Janine and Gregory talk about Janine’s relationship with Tariq .

Abbott Elementary rallies together to fight the threat from Legendary Charter Schools. Ava pitches a festival to draw parents to school and collect their signatures for a petition. However, Draemond shows up with the intention of derailing the event.

Gregory is hesitant when kids start hanging out in his classroom at lunch, looking to him for advice; Barbara is shocked to find Tariq is dating the mother of one of her students; Janine and Jacob try to hire an ASL interpreter.

Ava and Gregory are invited to speak on a panel about public schools. Elsewhere, the other teachers must complete CPR training, and Janine faces challenges securing district approval for her librarian extension program.

Two teachers head out on a double date, but when they run into familiar bar patrons, it proves to be an unfortunate distraction. At Ava’s first book club meeting, the group ends up in a debate over who would be the best post-apocalyptic leader.

Barbara invites Gregory to her family’s Mother’s Day brunch. Jacob scrambles to figure out how to organize a school field trip.

When it’s revealed that a student in Jacob’s class has ringworm, the faculty must band together to stop it from spreading through the entire school.

Gregory forms a bond with one of his students, but the student’s dad becomes jealous of their relationship and seeks a confrontation. Melissa suffers a fall but avoids receiving medical attention for the injury.

Despite a few setbacks, Barbara is determined to make Abbott Elementary’s first-ever holiday show a success. Meanwhile, Jacob’s brother arrives for his visit earlier than planned.

A debate over a controversial book leads Ava to remove it from the library, but some parents push for its return.

Ava and the Abbott teachers go to the district to plead for Ava’s job back. Meanwhile, Gregory handles duties as interim principal.