Curriculum & Instruction

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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” […]