For many youths growing up in the age of Kendrick Lamar, Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, the choice between taking orchestra, band or choir often misses the point. Building a school's music instruction around more recent artists and hits offers an alternative to a curriculum that's often based on classical, jazz and marching bands. "For […]
Teachers today have more control over how and when they receive professional development. Whether the learning is self-paced, online or partially in-person, more districts measure PD based on the new skills teachers can display in their classrooms rather than on how long they spend listening to an instructor. For example, veteran social studies teacher Kurt […]
There are few topics as divisive among administrators, parents and communities as the prospect of firearms in the classroom. As more states consider allowing staff to be armed, we present two perspectives. Laura Carno is the founder and executive director of FasterColorado.com, an organization that provides firearms training to school staff who are authorized as […]
Requiring high schools to offer at least one AP course would help increase rural student access to rigorous pre-college work, according to a recent report. Although the AP participation rate in rural communities has steadily increased over the past 15 years, it still lags behind participation in suburban and urban districts, according to the report, […]
One month before the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, Turlock USD was still short five speech-language pathologists. The salary offered by the Central California district was high by area standards, but even so, the positions remained unfilled. In fact, no one had even applied. Alice Solis, Turlock's director of special education, struggled to hire […]
Want to start a STEM program that benefits all students? Here are a few tips from our experts: 1. Align preK-12 education with demand from business world. Education should keep up with changing needs of industry, and prepare students to be problem-solvers and design thinkers, says Patty Quinones, assistant superintendent of innovation at St. Vrain […]
Students who graduate from Skyline High School's Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Academy in Colorado's St. Vrain Valley School District receive a special certificate—a STEM seal—along with a diploma. Providing seals are part of a growing trend. At least five states, including Ohio, Nevada, New York and Texas, offer special endorsements for high school graduates […]
Ensuring all students have equal access to educational technology—both in the classroom and at home—often requires innovation. Educators can find cost-effective solutions in new technologies such as open-educational resources and by partnering with the business community. "The vast majority of superintendents agree with the premise that digital equity is a problem, but when we ask […]
A STEAM learning philosophy is just one of many trends that districts will incorporate more over the next five years, according to the latest New Media Consortium/CoSN Horizon Report, which annually tracks short- and long-term edtech trends that will affect districts. Makerspaces have emerged as the key conduit for STEAM because the "act of making" […]
What sets your school apart from thousands of other schools in the country, or even the others in your district? Former educator and now marketing consultant Trish Rubin says it's up to school leaders to become the "storyteller-in-chief" by defining their school's brand. Rubin provides a step-by-step framework to the nuances of spreading good school […]
