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Commentary: Schools must know if their learning-loss programs work — before ESSER funds end
Since the pandemic began in March 2020, the federal government has provided nearly $190 billion in education funding to states and districts. The three rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding represent the largest infusion of federal funds in history for reopening schools, updating buildings and supporting learning recovery. Now, over three years...
By Anu Malipatil | June 15, 2023
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‘Achievement gap’ vs. ‘education debt’: Why the language of testing matters
Language matters when it comes to talking about student learning, tests, achievement and accountability. Our country needs a K-12 accountability system that centers on justice, not deficits. For this to happen, policymakers should: (1) meaningfully partner with marginalized stakeholders to determine the outcomes that matter to these populations and then measure those outcomes; (2) use transparent, honest...
By Jennifer Randall | June 7, 2023
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Commentary: Black community college enrollment is plummeting. How to get those students back
Community colleges are uniquely positioned to support their local communities with pathways to economic and social mobility. But a recent report draws attention to a decline in Black college students, particularly at community colleges, which enroll over one-third (36%) of Black students entering postsecondary education. From 2011 to 2019, Black enrollment declined at twice the rate (26%) of the...
By Karen A. Stout and Francesca I. Carpenter | May 31, 2023
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Opinion: Better pay, better materials, training, respect — what survey says teachers want
Teacher Appreciation Month is a time when educators are recognized for their many contributions to students, families and communities. It’s also a time to ask: “Are the teachers all right?” With the recent release of Educators for Excellence’s annual Voices from the Classroom national teacher survey, it’s clear the answer is “not really.” This survey is made for...
By Sydney Morris | May 24, 2023
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Commentary: The pandemic’s virtual learning is now a permanent fixture of America’s schools
The rocket’s engine roars to life, and moments later, it slides up, up and up and away from the launchpad. An embedded video of the flight deck shows a worried, bug-eyed face behind the helmet visor — the astronaut’s pulling some G’s. He’s gone positively green. But wait — because this is a launch in Kerbal Space...
By Conor Williams | May 18, 2023
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Commentary: ‘This changes everything’ — AI is about to upend teaching and learning
In April 2022, I attended the ASU-GSV Summit, an ed tech conference in San Diego. I’d recently become an official Arizona State University employee, and as I was grabbing coffee, I saw my new boss, university President Michael Crow, speaking on a panel being broadcast on a big screen. At the end of the discussion,...
By Robin Lake | May 15, 2023
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Commentary: Lessons from a 9-month design sprint in how to link K-12, college & work
Three years after COVID struck, high school students’ pathways to postsecondary education remain at risk. Despite the clear importance of higher education for long-term economic stability and success, direct-to-college enrollment rates for high school graduates have dropped across the country, perpetuating inequities for students in poverty and those of color. In response, state and community leaders and...
By Sara Allan and Ryan Reyna | May 4, 2023
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Commentary: Teachers are on the front lines of preserving democracy. They can’t do it alone
The early May release of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data on student achievement in civics and U.S. history is likely to generate renewed discussion about the urgent need for improved curriculum and instruction in these subjects. Calls for reforms are not new; previous NAEP results that revealed low achievement levels, with disparities across...
By Laura S. Hamilton and Corey Savage | May 1, 2023
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Commentary: 40 years ago ‘A Nation at Risk’ warned of a ‘rising tide of mediocrity’ in US schools – has anything changed?
The National Commission on Excellence in Education’s release of a report titled “A Nation at Risk” in 1983 was a pivotal point in the history of American education. The report used dire language, lamenting that “the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very...
By Morgan Polikoff | April 24, 2023
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Case studies: 6 principles for using student-powered improvement in your school
In a small conference room off the main office of a large high school near Tulsa, Oklahoma, eight students gathered with a language arts teacher and a youth development specialist to identify a problem that they could tackle in their school. Students immediately talked about the mental health crisis among their peers. “When hard things...
By Kari Nelsestuen | April 21, 2023