We know from personal experience as principals and superintendents, and from research, that it takes a dynamic leader with a particular set of skills and knowledge to turn around a school or school system. Sadly, there are thousands of schools across the country that are chronically low-performing, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Layer […]
A K8 school district in Southern California was focusing efforts on increasing the proficiency of its English language learners, a population that makes up 32 percent of its students. It also sought to reclassify as many ELLs as possible before middle school—a time when the defeatist mindset usually sets in. Bakersfield City School District's goal […]
Digital book platforms now provide more than just reading materials. Today, students can listen to audio recordings, highlight text and watch accompanying videos. Meanwhile, teachers can monitor student progress through assessment tools. Some content even caters specifically to educators for use in professional learning communities. e-Books on Gale Virtual Reference Library platform Gale, a Cengage […]
The process to select a new elementary math program for Columbia Public Schools began four years ago. K12 Math Coordinator Dana Hibbard located the highest-performing schools in Missouri and selected their top two math programs for piloting in her district of 18,555 students. It's been barely a year that Everyday Mathematics 4 has been in […]
When Jeremy Baugh took over as principal at Lew Wallace School 107 in Indianapolis in 2014, half of his staff was new. The school had struggled with teacher retention, which was reflected in student success. Only 22 percent of kindergarten students were achieving at grade level. The school's 600 students come from 37 countries and […]
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires all Title I schools to use evidence-based educational activities. It is crucial that administrators understand not only how the law defines evidence-based, but also how to apply that definition to their decision-making process when selecting the resources that will meet their district's needs. This web seminar featured a […]
New approaches to elementary mathematics curriculum, instruction, technology and assessment are providing opportunities to personalize learning for each student, creating highly effective, student-centered learning environments. In this web seminar, the director of curriculum at McGraw-Hill discussed ideas, strategies and resources for delivering a positive, measurable impact on student outcomes through personalized learning in K6 math […]
Holistic intervention strategies for Title I schools that coordinate efforts between all educators and stakeholders are crucial to improving achievement. Through focused professional development, incorporating research-based approaches and utilizing technology, intervention efforts at Title I schools can be the most effective. This web seminar explored how to build an effective intervention strategy for Title I […]
At 1:30 a.m. on the Friday before Labor Day, the Beaverton School District's fire suppression system deployed explosively into the room that housed the heart of the district's computer network. An error in the fire-sensing system sent gases spewing through ceiling nozzles. The chemicals destroyed much of the equipment, leading to the eventual failure of […]
Every weekday during the academic year, more than 50 million children across the United States enter public school buildings, says Lori Peek. Many of these buildings are so dilapidated and poorly designed that children's health and safety are at risk. In a New York Times editorial, Peek called these schools "deathtraps" a term intended to […]
