Opinion: Page 5

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders


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  • Supporting states and schools must take priority over costly standardized testing

    Learning Disabilities Association of America board members suggest ensuring the continuation of high-quality learning may require a testing pause.

    Monica McHale-Small, Bev Johns and Collin Diedrich • Jan. 8, 2021
  • A student uses a refreshable braille display.
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    The image by Sebastien.delorme is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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    How COVID-19 is affecting students with visual impairments and their educators

    Among teachers who had visually impaired students taking classes alongside sighted peers, 85% said at least one student had an accessibility issue.

    L. Penny Rosenblum • Nov. 25, 2020
  • Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, isolated from a patient.
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    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Micrograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    From vampires to viruses: Helping students understand exponential growth

    University of Oxford Professor Marcus Du Sautoy offers easy to digest ways to explain exponential growth and the math behind viral spread.

    Marcus du Sautoy • Sept. 16, 2020
  • It's time to rethink how schools use data to implement social and emotional learning

    A director at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning shares how data is informing best practices in three partner districts.

    Ally Skoog-Hoffman • Sept. 15, 2020
  • Family picks up school meals from COVID-19 distribution spot.
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    Lance Cheung. (2020). Retrieved from U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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    USDA makes right move to mitigate food insecurity with lunch program extension

    Free school meals are a critical lifeline for low-income children and build a healthier nation long-term, the president of nonprofit National Grange writes.

    Betsy Huber • Sept. 10, 2020
  • Employee in New Rochelle district applies an antimicrobial coating to desks.
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    Permission granted by City School District of New Rochelle
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    For safety's sake, if schools must reopen, do the following at a minimum

    A high school teacher and Yale University researcher urge great caution in reopening, recommending a long list of minimum COVID-19 safety standards.

    Gerard Bossard and Douglas Rothman • Sept. 3, 2020
  • Distance learning isn't a panacea for educating kids

    The executive director of a Midwest education research organization urges caution in embracing for-profit virtual education providers.

    Gretchen Dziadosz • Sept. 2, 2020
  • Take it outside: Advocating for outdoor classrooms to address COVID-19 and the myopia epidemic

    An optometrist writes that one in three students now suffers from myopia, setting the stage for a public health crisis with further vision problems.

    Dr. Gary Gerber • Aug. 26, 2020
  • African American teen girl wearing headphones learning language online, using laptop, looking at screen, doing school tasks at home, writing notes, listening to lecture or music, distance education
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    fizkes via Getty Images
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    3 ways to build online class culture

    A teacher at an online-only school says connecting with students through video, email and phone has empowered her to create meaningful relationships that encourage students' success. 

    Andrea Teske • Aug. 19, 2020
  • Data clarity in K-12 education more important than ever

    A Philadelphia administrator and a philanthropic program director write that instability caused by COVID-19 raises new questions about what's most important to measure and how to communicate results.

    Elliot Weinbaum and Joy Lesnick • Aug. 18, 2020
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    Getty Images
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    Funding for school facility improvements a requirement for safe reopening

    Officials from four organizations call for Congress to allocate $10 billion for repairs and $25 million for technical assistance on ventilation and air quality.

    Elizabeth Beardsley, Scott Brown, Mary Filardo and David Terry • Aug. 13, 2020
  • 10 postsecondary student readiness questions to consider amid coronavirus

    Numerous contextual factors will influence how rising juniors and seniors think about their futures and the support needed from their schools, write a school administrator and technology provider.

    Joe Belsterling and Herb Monroe • July 20, 2020
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    "Classroom" by Quinn Dombrowski is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    COVID-19 offers students 'extraordinarily powerful lesson' in caring for others

    A middle school English teacher writes students are up to the task of embracing safety measures for the sake of the broader community.

    Caitlin Logan • July 17, 2020
  • 3 superintendents share remote learning, back-to-school prep strategies

    Three superintendents discuss the role of technology in supporting students' — and staff members' — mental well-being during at-home learning.

    Susan Enfield, Tom Leonard and Michael Muñoz • June 25, 2020
  • Assistant Principal Wakefield High School
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    Permission granted by Michelle Gordon
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    Fear of pulling the thread of racial illiteracy

    A North Carolina assistant principal writes about the role of addressing race in reimagining teaching and educational leadership.

    Michelle Gordon • June 22, 2020
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    Retrieved from Piqsels.
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    It's going to take more than one semester to fix the 'COVID slide'

    A principal and an ed tech researcher outline steps for assessing students' learning loss and making curriculum adjustments this fall.

    Claudio Estrada and Mariana Aguilar • June 18, 2020
  • Annie Sheehan
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    Permission granted by Annie Sheehan
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    Teachers can equip students with tools to 'demolish' racism

    Annie Sheehan poses questions she asks herself as a white teacher in Chicago and thinks others should ask about curriculum and instruction.

    Annie Sheehan • June 11, 2020
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    "Churning Stomach" by Joel Penner is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Title IX regulations impose new requirements on K-12 districts

    A former Illinois executive inspector general writes that K-12 school districts will need to make substantial changes to how they address sexual harassment.

    Maggie Hickey, Anthony-Ray Sepúlveda and Mariam Chamilova • June 4, 2020
  • College students walking on campus
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    seb_ra/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
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    Eventually, schools will reopen. Here's how principals can prepare

    Four school leadership experts discuss the central role of principals in welcoming students back to schools that may be forever changed.

    Heather Y. Anichini, Jenne Colasacco, Jennifer Stern and Anne Wicks • May 6, 2020
  • Coronavirus, the definition of 'global' and climate curriculum

    A Maryland high school teacher writes that the pandemic is an opportunity to foster in students a sense of worldwide solidarity and shared responsibility.

    Dylan Craig • May 1, 2020
  • Leveraging new parent appreciation benefits students

    A New Jersey middle school principal writes that school closures present an opportunity to close the "trust gap" between teachers and parents.

    Michael Gaskell • April 22, 2020
  • Why students need looping now more than ever

    Having educators carry over to the next grade with their current students when schools reopen in the fall will maintain a sense of continuity, an Austin 1st grade teacher writes.

    Mark Rogers • April 17, 2020
  • Distance learning: Not the new norm

    An 8th-grade teacher at Leadership Academy in Lancaster Public Schools argues virtual schools should be the method for delivering K-12 public education.

    Talib Abdul-Khabir • April 6, 2020
  • Robert Harvey is superintendent and senior managing director of East Harlem Scholars Academies, a network of five charter schools in New York City.
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    Permission granted by Robert Harvey
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    Project-based learning should fit the projects: Bridging cultural relevance and pedagogy

    Educators have a responsibility to ensure students' starting point "is engagement with content that’s grounded in a personal place," writes charter school leader Robert S. Harvey.

    Robert S. Harvey • March 30, 2020
  • 4 steps for a successful instructional reboot

    Two Ohio middle school teachers share lessons from using an online reading platform to support a complete reading curriculum overhaul.

    ​Polly Walters and Chris Kuenning • March 5, 2020