E ducators in Bradley County Schools in Cleveland, Tennessee, were faced with some staggering numbers: 48 percent of third-grade students were reading on grade level. That meant five out of every 10 were not. "We were above the state average of 43 percent" says Terri Murray, supervisor of Federal Programs/Media Services for the district where […]
K12 STEM programs are evolving, incorporating new tools and technologies to better prepare students for rapidly changing college and career environments. Makerspaces, drones, coding and robotics are all part of this next generation of STEM learning that is just beginning to have an impact in districts. This web seminar focused on incorporating these new tools. […]
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 […]
In the Ventura USD in California, one low-achieving middle school at risk of closure was instead transformed into the De Anza Academy of Technology and the Arts (DATA), a high-achieving magnet school. A significant component in DATA's dramatic turnaround has been its innovative project-based and collaborative learning environments and makerspaces, which employ technology as a […]
Leaders know the necessity of upgrading digital devices. The longer we put it off, the more likely a system will fail. The upgrade is part of the modern digital world. The digital age brings a comparable call to action for administrators, who must upgrade their leadership brand. Maintaining trust is a key reason for a […]
Just about every major company uses sophisticated enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to streamline procedures, automate purchasing and monitor finances. Now, some early adopters in K12 education have deployed ERP to manage a range of operations more efficiently. The technology has the power to automate many routine events—from payroll to procurement to recruitment—that keep school […]
Fourteen teachers in Utah's Ogden School District reached the classroom via a nontraditional, perhaps looser route. Rather than attend a teaching college and earning the standard credentials, they leveraged their bachelor's degrees and professional expertise. The new state rule that allows this—called Academic Pathway to Teaching—mimics new policies a handful of other states have passed […]
Illinois has revamped state education funding to provide extra support to economically challenged K12 districts. Evidence-based funding, which goes into effect in 2018, considers each district's needs and local funding resources when allocating state aid, with extra emphasis placed on high-poverty districts. Previously, nearly two-thirds of funding for each district—compared to a national average of […]
While the increasing number of concussion-related injuries in the NFL—and the player lawsuits that followed—have captured the country's attention, less attention has been paid to the rise of similar claims coming from high school student-athletes. The litigation exposes high school districts to an increased risk of class-action lawsuits and significant monetary damages. Schools must determine […]
Talk about using primary sources to drive students' content knowledge and build critical-thinking skills. I'm a huge proponent of using primary sources to support social studies instruction. Primary sources make history real and relevant and help students understand multiple perspectives. When teachers use primary sources, students don't just hear facts and figures or read an […]
