We are entrusted with creating opportunities for all students to achieve their highest potential. Anyone can relate to this basic need: to be understood for our abilities, not categorized by our challenges. Let's defy the stereotypes and see students for their potential, not their inability to read; let's empower each teacher to change lives; let's […]
Facing state budget cuts, Hillsboro School District in Oregon was searching for a cost-efficient way to offer training to its paraeducator staff (paraprofessionals, educational assistants, instructional aides, etc.), who work with more than 20,000 students across 35 schools. "We have paraeducators in all of our buildings" says Elaine Fox, who is executive director of student […]
What is the most effective way to teach educators effective literacy instruction? We define effective professional development as that which leads to changes in teaching behavior that in turn lead to optimizing student outcomes. Most teachers are not taught any of the finer points of language structure that have to be taught explicitly to students […]
A teacher's time is precious—I can attest to that as a former teacher and school principal. School years are jam-packed with teaching, planning, data analysis, testing, and supporting students as they meet their learning goals. Throughout, teachers make time to hone their skills and to stay current in their subject areas through observation, feedback and […]
Big city districts are taking the lead in funding pre-K programs as states work more slowly to expand access. "While states continue to make progress in expanding access to early education, cities have increasingly taken it upon themselves to supplement those resources with local contributions" says Albert Wat, senior policy director at the Alliance for […]
Many states have enacted laws and guidelines spelling out how schools can help students with dyslexia. Such laws vary by state. According to understood.org, a website on learning and attention issues founded by 15 nonprofit organizations, they generally address issues such as: Link to main story: How schools are disrupting dyslexia The definition of dyslexia […]
When it was time for North Kansas City School District in Missouri to adopt a mathematics resource for its elementary school students, a select pool of teachers was asked to evaluate several resources. Eventually, Everyday Mathematics from McGraw-Hill Education was selected as the resource. "According to all of the professional development that our teachers received […]
Districts are increasingly tasked with providing options for at-risk and underserved student populations to address persistent achievement gaps. While nationwide gains in closing achievement gaps have been made, research shows that underserved student populations still achieve at lower rates than their peers in many areas. In this web seminar, the executive director of the Office […]
Little Falls City School District's standards-based Engineering by Design program strives to build students' resilience while developing their real-life problem-solving skills. Little Falls City School District's standards-based Engineering by Design program strives to build students' resilience while developing their real-life problem-solving skills. "Instead of asking students what they want to be when they grow up, […]
Many states and districts are facing unprecedented teacher shortages. As a result, many have implemented or are expanding existing programs that offer alternative routes to licensure or certification for those seeking to become teachers from another career. The Clark County School District (CCSD) in Nevada has designed an Alternative Routes to Licensure (ARL) Program to […]
