Closing gaps in students' background knowledge levels the playing field

The knowledge gap can occur when educators teach specific skills, such as finding the main idea of a paragraph, but don't give students the background knowledge to practice that skill — such as the actual topic of the text.

By Shawna De La Rosa • April 1, 2019

Virtual conferencing expands SEL opportunities through global connections

A Kentucky educator regularly connects her students to a Syrian refugee in Turkey to help them learn firsthand and better grasp cross-cultural hardships.

By Lauren Barack • March 27, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from K-12 Dive

K-12 Dive has gathered some a selection of our best coverage from 2025 so far as a one-stop resource on the trends to watch in the months ahead.

By K-12 Dive staff

Culturally relevant approaches to literature boost engagement, consciousness

A high school English language arts teacher says tying works like "To Kill a Mockingbird" to social justice and race discussions spurs student participation and self-exploration.

By Lauren Barack • March 27, 2019

Injecting drones into curriculum requires prep before takeoff

Administrators must weigh a number of safety and legal factors, plus federal regulations, before green-lighting flight-capable devices for the classroom.

By Lauren Barack • March 27, 2019

Is a phonics focus the key to unlocking literacy?

A 5th-grade teacher argues that while some students will learn to read regardless, an approach that decodes words with phonics can benefit most.

By Lauren Barack • March 27, 2019

3 tech curriculum strategies that boost student opportunities, IT capacity

Schools are feeding students' tech interests with programs offering real-world experience assisting educators and community members.

By Shawna De La Rosa • March 25, 2019

Roundup: Curriculum in state education policy

Bible education and diversity are two of the top subjects up for debate in state legislatures. Education Dive has updates on each proposal.

By Jessica Campisi • March 20, 2019

Beekeeping offers students hands-on science, business and agriculture experience

Middle and high school science classes that incorporate beekeeping allow students a firsthand look at nature — and at harvesting and selling products like honey and beeswax lip balm.

By Lauren Barack • March 20, 2019

How districts can work effectively to weave tech into personalized instruction

Giving both instructional and tech experts seats at the table and promoting collaboration, an ed tech provider executive says, can make for a more engaging, individualized curriculum.

By Lauren Barack • March 20, 2019

Planning key to Detroit's success in transitioning 2 curriculums in same year

The implementation of new math and English curriculums is showing early signs of growth, but learning curves remain for students and educators alike.

By Lauren Barack • March 20, 2019

Advisory programs reinforce academic, SEL skills

Incorporating sessions into the school day helps students nurture skills they can use when working with college advisors or future managers.

By Lauren Barack • March 20, 2019

Connecting native and second language deepens English literacy for ELLs

English language learners need strong primary language skills in order to flourish in learning English. Experts provide best practices.

By Shawna De La Rosa • March 18, 2019

13 ways educators can transform literacy

Nashville English teacher and Project LIT founder Jarred Amato says avoiding quick fixes, putting students before the "classics," and being willing to ask "What if?" are key strategies to turn the page on reading.

By Jarred Amato • March 18, 2019

Virtual, augmented reality platforms emerge as computer science teaching tool

Students who learn to code with mobile AR platforms reportedly score higher on assessments than those who don’t use them, according to a Georgia Institute of Technology study.

By Lauren Barack • March 13, 2019

Teaching students to think as they read improves comprehension

A reading specialist suggests that getting students in the habit of pausing to ask themselves questions while reading can help them place material in greater context with other areas of learning.

By Lauren Barack • March 13, 2019

Giving lectures in 1,000 words or less leaves more time for deeper learning

By shortening whole-group instruction to around nine minutes, a high school's dean of instruction says students have more time to be creative and collaborative in the classroom.

By Lauren Barack • March 13, 2019

When embedding devices in curriculum, focus on active screen time

A secondary school teacher suggests content that engages students in a productive activity rather than encouraging passive consumption is key to effective digital learning.

By Lauren Barack • March 13, 2019

Digital fluency begins with tech-savvy teachers

The Consortium for School Networking is introducing a series of new resources to help keep educators up to speed on evolving classroom tech.

By Lauren Barack • March 13, 2019

Study: Adopting new textbook doesn't increase students' math achievement

A Harvard University study of over 6,000 schools across six states finds that regardless of which textbook a school used, the average growth in math achievement in 4th and 5th grades was about the same.

By Linda Jacobson • March 11, 2019

SXSW EDU 2019: For LeVar Burton, promoting literacy 'chose me'

We caught up with the Reading Rainbow host, as well as Reading Is Fundamental CEO Alicia Levi, to discuss the digital divide and increasing access to literacy resources.

By Roger Riddell • March 11, 2019

SXSW EDU 2019: How to infuse SEL into core curriculum subjects

Panelists described how making social-emotional skills a constant part of instruction, rather than a separate entity, can give students essential context.

By Roger Riddell • March 8, 2019

SXSW EDU 2019: Making school safety more proactive and teaching students to learn from failure

The final full day of Austin's ed innovation gathering also featured a discussion of Reconstruction's lasting impacts and a handful of big announcements.

By Roger Riddell • March 7, 2019

Urban planning projects can foster team building, new worldviews

Teaching this subject has moved from reading textbooks to students designing their own potential spaces — which experts say promotes key life skills.

By Lauren Barack • March 6, 2019

Game-based learning's collaborative nature can make SEL a natural fit

A 5th-grade Ohio science teacher found that forming games around test prep lets students embrace agency and teamwork, fostering soft skills and academics.

By Lauren Barack • March 6, 2019

4 of 6 science curriculum series 'insufficiently aligned' to national standards

A review by nonprofit EdReports deemed that only one of the series, all designed for grades 6-8, had high usability, coherence and alignment.

By Lauren Barack • March 6, 2019