Peek inside your average classroom these days, and you'll likely see teachers using apps, websites and software, which borrow elements from video games, to connect with students living technology-infused lives. By all accounts, they're fun to use, and studies have found that some can be effective. But there is also skepticism. Are students who use them better educated, or just better entertained?

Moonlighting at an assembly line might help teachers pay the bills, but it won't help their students learn more. There is a better way, says DA guest columnist Michael Driskill, the chief operating officer at Math for America and a former teacher.

School districts around the country are experimenting with starting classes later to allow students to get extra sleep. While some dismiss the idea as pampering, Nathaniel F. Watson says there are solid scientific reasons to consider it. As we age, our internal circadian rhythms and biological sleep drives change, resulting in later sleep and wake times. […]

Cleburne ISD teachers will now have full access to Nearpod's premium content—such as digital citizenship, engagement-boosting tools and virtual reality—as well as in-person training, support and professional development resources.