In most of the developed world, high-stakes tests make or break a student's future, sometimes before the age of 12. Many countries use national benchmarks to assess students, and construct tests to gauge understanding of the core curriculum. This was an original goal of the Common Core, but in the U.S., standardized tests have become […]
Our public education system was developed to serve all children, with taxpayers supporting the common good. Recent years have seen the growth of private, charter and voucher schools that divert funding from public schools. The legality of this practice is often challenged, yet legislators still find ways to funnel tax dollars into private schools. How […]
What does the routing process look like at First Student? We provide transportation services to more than 1,000 school districts in the U.S. and Canada. We pride ourselves on having a customized approach to a district's unique transportation needs. At its core, successful routing is still the process of getting all students to school and […]
A student success program at West Valley School District #208 in Yakima, Washington, provides additional support for learners from pre-K through high school graduation. The initiative includes five steps: Collaborations between childcare and district kindergarten teachers that prepare children to start school Small group exercises with a whole-child focus Reading and math interventions in grades […]
At first, the class was like any other at Georgia's Quitman County School District. Kids sat at desks while an adult lectured. Despite appearances, this was no ordinary lecture. Schneider Electric organized STEM activities for the kids in this Quitman County high school class. These activities are part of Quitman County's energy performance contract with […]
When it comes to balancing school budgets, the arts—and particularly music—often suffer most from spending cuts. It's part of a cycle that began in the 1970s, when, in the hope of averting a fiscal crisis, schools laid off thousands of arts teachers. Limited grants and community-based efforts have helped to rebuild programs over the years, […]
Districts are cultivating college and career readiness programs by allocating more resources to guide students, by building new partnerships and by focusing efforts beyond high school. Tennessee recently expanded and rebranded its statewide career and college readiness initiative as Tennessee Pathways, which now focuses on K8 in addition to high school. Part of that effort […]
To prevent lunch debt from adding up, Diane Pratt-Heavner of the School Nutrition Association recommends: Show parents how to apply for meal benefits online or via phone, with assistance in other languages if necessary. High-poverty districts should apply for a federal Community Eligibility Provision to serve free meals to all students without the need for […]
Effective professional development helps educators better address the rapidly evolving needs of students. But with limited budgets and teacher time, how can PD be served up effectively, and integrated and tracked? Education leaders share their best practices for ensuring that professional learning time is well-spent, focused, shared and rewarded. 1. Offer various formats. Just as […]
