Questions increase as Empower Schools expands turnaround model's reach

The Empowerment Zone model is gaining traction as a turnaround model, but some are questioning whether it is really just another form of takeover.

By Amelia Harper • Aug. 23, 2019

2 Chicago schools merge to address segregation

A Near North Side community found merging an affluent school with a poorer one gave all students the same access to better facilities and helped bridge the racial gap.

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 22, 2019

3 ways districts can prepare facilities for back to school

Todd Amiet of the South Brunswick School District in New Jersey details why scheduling and communication are crucial to preparing for the school year. 

By Todd Amiet • Aug. 22, 2019

New grant program will focus on executive function, math

Targeted to Title I schools serving grades 3-8, the NewSchools Venture Fund initiative will pair teachers with researchers and developers to design instructional tools.

By Linda Jacobson • Aug. 22, 2019

Changes in pay, policy may be required to address school bus driver shortages

Roughly 90% of districts and transportation contractors are struggling to find qualified school bus drivers, but there are strategies to help address the issue.

By Amelia Harper • Aug. 22, 2019

Districts launch CTE programs geared toward middle school

More school systems are eyeing earlier exposure to career pathways to help students better define educational goals through high school and beyond.

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 21, 2019

First-day relationship-building key to setting student expectations, boosting success

One English teacher based in Brazil says she doesn't even bring out the syllabus until students know they are the biggest priority.

By Lauren Barack • Aug. 21, 2019

NYC program helps English learners prevent summer slide

Some of the 99 available EL summer camps include cooking classes and field trips, and despite accommodating an additional 1,000 students this year, some schools still had waitlists.

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 21, 2019

Report: More states setting higher 'proficiency' standards on assessments

But some education leaders argue the term continues to create confusion.

By Linda Jacobson • Aug. 21, 2019

Spotlighting district staff's contributions key to building positive school culture

One California superintendent is doing just that by participating in student-produced YouTube spoofs of the TV show "Undercover Boss."

By Amelia Harper • Aug. 21, 2019

Does freedom of the press extend to school newspapers? Some states say 'yes'

Students' press rights are protected in 14 states, and attempts to stifle their voices can often backfire for administrators.

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 21, 2019

Charter parents express greater satisfaction with schools

But a new analysis finds no significant differences between charter and traditional public school parents on a variety of parent participation activities.

By Linda Jacobson • Aug. 20, 2019

Ed Next poll: Support for choice increases, but confusion over charters remains

This year's results also show gaps between adults and their high school-age children when grading local schools.

By Linda Jacobson • Aug. 20, 2019

Report: Bay Area teachers struggle to find affordable housing near their schools

To meet the needs of workers, the San Francisco area would reportedly need to develop more than 26,000 affordable housing units by 2023.

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 19, 2019

More districts grappling with concussion concerns in athletics

While football gets the bulk of attention, female high school soccer players had the highest incidence of concussion in the 2016-17 school year.

By Amelia Harper • Aug. 19, 2019

Summer Reading: Best practices on school safety and discipline

Administrators often face a delicate balancing act between keeping students secure and fostering a positive learning environment. To help sort through the issue, we've rounded up some of our recent coverage on these topics.

By Roger Riddell • Aug. 19, 2019

California district highlights post-disaster challenges

In Paradise, only about a third of students are expected to return after almost half of the district’s schools were destroyed in last year’s fire.

By Amelia Harper • Aug. 19, 2019

LAUSD's Beutner expects public ed funding to be on 2020 ballot

Speaking at his State of Schools address, Superintendent Austin Beutner said it's important to separate "fact from fiction" about the nation's second largest school district in order to win support for increased spending. 

By Linda Jacobson • Aug. 16, 2019

More states are making it easier for schools to innovate

A growing number of traditional public schools are getting the go-ahead to try new approaches, much like their charter school counterparts.

By Natalie Gross • Aug. 16, 2019

NYC adopting waitlist system to simplify high school admissions

The admissions process for selective high schools in the nation's largest school district has been criticized by Mayor Bill De Blasio for perpetuating "massive segregation." 

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 16, 2019

Some districts turning to agencies to fill temp teaching jobs

Staffing agencies can offer incentives to substitutes that are not practical — or sometimes legal — for school districts to offer, said one district spokeswoman.

By Amelia Harper • Aug. 16, 2019

Emerging teen health dangers spark lawsuits against Juul

School leaders need more information about the dangers of vaping so they can educate students and develop new policies addressing the issue.

By Amelia Harper • Aug. 15, 2019

Strong communication key when implementing ed tech

Experts suggest teacher, student and parent buy-in starts with inclusion in the decision-making process. 

By Shawna De La Rosa • Aug. 15, 2019

Survey: Teachers turn to peers for guidance on instruction

But the latest from RAND Corp.'s American Educator Panels shows they seek advice from principals on nonacademic issues like behavior and attendance.

By Linda Jacobson • Aug. 15, 2019

These 3 ingredients are key to districtwide transformation

Devin Vodicka, former superintendent of California's Vista Unified School District, lists meaningful engagement and a well-defined strategy among the essentials in his recipe for innovation.

By Devin Vodicka • Aug. 15, 2019