The 2016 Dive Awards for K-12 education

After months of research, we've narrowed down the year's top administrator, district, startup and more.

By Roger Riddell • Nov. 28, 2016

Syracuse academy targets aspiring leaders among teachers, admins

The Syracuse City School District is in its fourth year of offering an aspiring leaders academy, which serves to groom a pipeline of teacher and administrator leaders.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 28, 2016

Report: Barriers hinder equity at home, in school and through funding

Scholastic Education surveyed 4,700 teachers and principals who universally agree equity is an important priority.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 28, 2016

Who is Betsy DeVos, Trump's pick for ed secretary?

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen the Michigan billionaire, charter school proponent and active Republican to lead his Ed Department, but her power could be limited.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 28, 2016

Student-based funding formula possible for Mississippi

Lawmakers could rewrite the state’s ed funding formula, moving to a model that allocates a base student cost and assigns extra money to address at-risk qualities.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 28, 2016

Michigan gov's attorneys argue literacy not a right

Seven students from Detroit’s public schools are suing the state, claiming “slum-like conditions” in schools limit access to literacy and violate their civil rights.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 22, 2016

Ed Sec King calls for end to corporal punishment

More than 110,000 students received corporal punishment during the 2013-14 school year, the latest for which data is available, and a disproportionate number were black.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 22, 2016

Bilingual ed is newly legal in California, but challenges remain

Voters approved the return of bilingual ed in the state earlier this month, but it will be up to individual districts to bring the programs back — and staffing is sure to be a challenge.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 22, 2016

DC schools boost pre-K attendance with home visits

Research makes clear that attendance matters as early as preschool, but getting parents to buy into the importance of daily participation presents a challenge.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 22, 2016

Californians primed to oppose Trump's $20B voucher plan

On the campaign trail, the president-elect outlined a massive federal school choice program that would give money to students from low-income families to leave their public schools.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 22, 2016

Is drug-testing in schools worth it?

Some districts randomly screen students who participate in athletics or extra-curricular activities, while others defer to research that says it doesn’t do much as a deterrence strategy.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 21, 2016

UPDATE: Michelle Rhee removes herself from ed secretary candidacy

The former DC schools chief met with the president-elect this weekend, but in the end decided to remove herself from the running.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 21, 2016

Apprenticeships could be key to preparing manufacturing workforce

If manufacturing jobs do increase under a Trump presidency, apprenticeships could be an important path to filling them.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 21, 2016

How should states rethink accountability under ESSA?

David Griffith and Mike Petrilli, a research and policy associate and president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, respectively, offer their take on the perfect accountability system.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 18, 2016

Districts should have succession plans in place at all times

Many districts wait until positions are open to think about who can fill them, but experts say it is better to be proactive and incorporate succession planning into broader strategic initiatives.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 18, 2016

Benefits of preschool clear, but quality is critical

New research exploring the short- and long-term benefits of preschool in North Carolina say the early childhood program led to higher test scores and fewer special ed placements, to start.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 18, 2016

Rural California district turned to performance-based learning to boost outcomes

Tulare County had high dropout rates and an 80% low-income student population that was nearly half English learners.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 17, 2016

Internal watchdogs can help schools reduce financial risk

James Sullivan, former inspector general for the Chicago Board of Education, advises districts to hire an inspector general or internal auditor to uncover fraud and deter attempts.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 17, 2016

Presidential election could impact ed tech use in schools

How President-elect Donald Trump will approach education policy is largely unknown, but leaders in the space worry his administration could pull ed tech funding and support.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 17, 2016

Report: K-12 system is failing to leverage data

New research from the Center for Data Innovation urges policymakers to build a data-driven education system nationwide, catalyzing significant changes in teaching and learning.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 16, 2016

Los Angeles USD uses range of tools to address suicidal behavior increase

The number of incidents of suicidal behavior reported in the district rose from 255 during the 2010-11 school year to 5,624 last year, and school staff are responding with better supports.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 15, 2016

School conditions can reduce LGBT bullying

Specialized training for teachers, Gay Straight Alliance clubs and enumerated anti-bullying policies that highlight gender identity are among recommendations.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 15, 2016

How are districts measuring progress on SEL?

Districts in California, Illinois and Texas have incorporated social-emotional learning in different ways, but all of them are paying attention to measurement.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 14, 2016

Study: Students less likely to be suspended by same-race teachers

Researchers from American University and the University of California, Davis, studied 1 million students and 50,000 teachers in North Carolina who were in or taught first through fifth grade from 2008-2013.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 14, 2016

Arlington County schools criticized for communication failure in block schedule shift

The high-performing Virginia district has embarked on a shift from period to block scheduling in middle school, but parents feel left out of the decision-making process.

By Tara García Mathewson • Nov. 14, 2016