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SXSW EDU: 4 effective ways to bring students of color back to learning

Meaningful relationships, engagement practices, mental health initiatives and policy reviews are among measures necessary to support students of color and other marginalized learners, panelists said. 

SXSW EDU: How can learning science improve virtual classrooms?

Experts suggested intentional strategy, planning and PD will be key for teachers and students to succeed in future iterations of virtual learning.

Deep Dive

8 ways a year of dueling crises is shaping the future of K-12 schools

The impacts of a pandemic disrupting school from the ground up and the nation's reckoning with systemic racism will be felt for years to come.

Q&A

Curricular Counsel: What factors are mitigating COVID-19 learning loss?

Kelly Rosario of Pennsylvania's Parkland School District said variables like parent engagement have been crucial to keeping schools on track.

3 strategies for helping students in crisis return to school

Response plans and evidence-based de-escalation techniques can better support struggling students compared to punitive measures, experts say.

How teachers are inspiring students to read during the pandemic

Access to textbooks is difficult, but teachers are using creative ways — even recruiting NFL stars — to find reading resources and make literacy engaging.

4 considerations for districts weighing school name changes

Schools named for Confederate leaders and other controversial figures are facing greater scrutiny and pressure to change. Administrators shared best practices and lessons learned from their communities.

How are districts prepping for an unprecedented assessment season?

As school leaders await word from their states following recent Department of Education guidance, their districts are preparing for multiple scenarios.

How one district built a comprehensive COVID-19 testing program in a month

A California district's successful school-based testing program benefited from partnerships with health and technology experts.

4 strategies for building trust among families as schools reopen

Administrators say reopening is more than a science-based decision — it's also a matter of trust, especially for families of color.

Q&A

Lessons In Leadership: How a suburban Chicago district went 'all-in' with teacher training

Superintendent Ken Wallace credits strong student achievement and educator retention to a model that prioritizes experimentation, coaching and teacher leadership.

EL assessment challenges remain despite testing flexibilities

In-person, socially distanced proficiency testing of English learners has been logistically complex, particularly for schools in all-remote or hybrid formats.

Promising Practices: How a school overturned schedules for student choice

Ohio's Butler Tech adapted during the pandemic to move ahead with a model that allows most Fridays to be used for exploratory and vocational options.

Using texts to boost Pre-K to 3 learning during the pandemic

Tennessee officials hope an early literacy texting pilot program in three-fourths of districts can help stem learning losses for the youngest learners.

Q&A

Curricular Counsel: Trust, options key to navigating PE amid COVID-19

Physical education curriculum specialist Brett Fuller discussed how to address student engagement and confidence, which are already difficult in-person but more so online.

Deep Dive

Proactive approaches help districts avoid COVID-19 special ed litigation

Despite challenges, districts have worked to communicate effectively with parents, document efforts and use early dispute resolution approaches throughout the pandemic.

Telehealth, motorhomes helping school nurses respond to drops in preventive child health services

As pandemic disruptions persist, school nurses are bringing care directly to students who are behind on regular immunizations and checkups.

3 curricular models for building a sense of classroom community online

Educators say the collaboration that comes with projects, workshopping and other models can be adapted and maintained in virtual learning.

Opinion

5 strategies for ensuring educator professional development is 'all-in'

Ken Wallace, an Illinois district superintendent, shares tactics for developing and maintaining effective adult learning programs for educators.

Deep Dive

Districts brace for pandemic-related special ed litigation

As the COVID-19 crisis persists, school districts nationwide are increasingly vulnerable to challenges under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Promising Practices: How a network of male teachers of color expanded leadership opportunities

The Compton Male Teachers of Color Network is helping its district strengthen professional problem-solving skills and empower educators.

How an innovative district went 'old school' in its remote, hybrid approaches

For one of Michigan's top districts, adapting an alternate take on a familiar component of traditional classrooms helped students acclimate to the change.

3 summer program strategies to address learning loss, support emotional health

Despite logistical and funding hurdles, districts are using summer programs to try different instructional approaches and build community partnerships.

A year into COVID-19, school leaders are still adapting as uncertainty persists

In light of concerns identified in a mid-year survey from NAESP, school and district leaders shared their perspectives about safety protocols, attendance issues, learning loss and more.

4 K-12 professional development trends to watch in 2021

Even when schools return to "normal," changes forced by the COVID-19 pandemic will benefit professional learning in several ways, district leaders say.