Many elementary school students in Marion County Public Schools spend more than 20 minutes per night reading with family members. Parents in the central Florida district also report their children feel less stressed this school year.
Paraeducators constitute more than one-quarter of the instructional staff in U.S. schools and districts. They play a critical role, from providing behavior support to teaching both academic and social and emotional skills to students. Despite their important work, training opportunities for paraeducators are limited. Due to reduced contract hours, paraeducators are not often included in […]
To expand support for its at-risk students, Berkeley Township School District three years ago held six meetings with teachers, parents, businesses, nonprofits, the Berkeley Police Department and the Division of Children Protection and Permanency. Administrators in the New Jersey district—working with guidance counselors, nurses and parents—identified at-risk students struggling socially, academically and at home. "We […]
Colleges blame high schools. High schools blame middle schools. Middle schools blame elementaries—and everyone tends to blame funding, poverty, bad parenting and other factors for low student achievement. A new movement that promises closer cooperation between higher ed and K12 aims to end this legacy of passing the buck. Educators from New York City to […]
For most school districts, internet filters are crucial for complying with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which requires restricting students from accessing inappropriate online content. Filtering also allows districts to manage limited bandwidth. At West Rusk County Consolidated ISD in East Texas, for example, too many people running too many applications at once was […]
BARTLETT, TENNESSEE—Only a handful of superintendents have launched a brand-new district. Even fewer have done it only months after being involved in a large-scale merger. Meet David Stephens, superintendent of Bartlett City Schools in a middle-class Memphis suburb. Stephens—whose father, grandfather, aunt and uncle all taught in Tennessee school districts—was chosen in 2013 to lead […]
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 […]
Five years ago, Windsor Locks Public Schools in northern Connecticut was designated an Alliance District, meaning it was one of the 30 lowest-performing academic districts in the state and needed help. The good news was that the designation came with funding to improve instruction, inspiring district leadership to go in a new direction—doing away with […]
Welcome to the second annual game-based learning special report in District Administration. Games continue to grow in popularity in K12 lessons ranging from science and math to English and social studies. They include alternate reality games that hook students' imaginations and introduce social-emotional learning lessons to help students process feelings and thoughts. In a soon-to-be-released […]
