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 […]
Educators in a school district that conducts well-designed formative assessments should be able to accurately predict how students will perform on midterms, finals and high-stakes exams. A growing number of experts and administrators insist that if a district excels at formative assessment, its students shouldn't have to sit through so many high-stakes tests. "We don't […]
Before this new school year started, the Hartford Union High School District in Wisconsin wanted to hire a tech expert to oversee the district's network. But a well-qualified candidate, who had been working for a healthcare company, wanted $20,000 more in salary than the district was willing to pay. "It took my breath away" says […]
Syracuse City Schools in New York took a stand in 2015 to protect students from what leaders saw as a prejudice in the college application process. The district stopped releasing the graduates' disciplinary records to colleges, a practice that continues in many other districts nationwide. Syracuse schools also had been under pressure from New York's […]
With personalized learning on the rise, more K12 educators are looking for learning management systems that easily identify content based on individual student needs. Platforms can pinpoint specific concepts students don't understand, allowing instructors to help struggling learners more effectively by focusing on the areas that need extra attention. Some systems can even identify gifted […]
Pre-K programs for students with special needs vary widely in quality and scope. Some states and districts have long included students with special needs in pre-K classes alongside their more typically developing peers.
Barely 5 miles from the hustle and bustle of LaGuardia Airport in Queens, students at John Browne High School in Flushing are plowing and tilling a field, tending to chickens and picking apples to sell. While John Browne is the only New York City high school with a dedicated agriculture department, many other urban schools—such […]
As founder of Research for Better Teaching— an organization dedicated to improving instruction and leadership— Jon Saphier says underperforming students need to believe that "smart is something you can get." As founder of Research for Better Teaching— an organization dedicated to improving instruction and leadership— Jon Saphier says underperforming students need to believe that "smart is something […]
High school students in the tiny Magazine School District in Arkansas receive three hours of sex education a year in grades 9 through 12—an approach that Superintendent Brett Bunch acknowledges is inadequate.
In the wake of a divisive presidential election, hundreds of students from about a dozen high schools in Oakland, California, cut class last November to voice their discontent with President-elect Donald Trump. Rather than demand students return to school, faculty at Oakland USD supported the peaceful demonstration, where students could express their feelings, says David […]
