Online camps, added choice key to slowing summer slide amid coronavirus

Giving students more options can help boost their engagement and motivation to learn, learning experts say.

By Lauren Barack • June 10, 2020

Study shows declines in new kindergartners' math skills

The researchers suggest the "timing of the Great Recession had some impact on children’s early home environments" between 2010 and 2017.

By Linda Jacobson • June 10, 2020

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Professional Development

Personalized learning experiences aren't just a goal for the classroom anymore — they're highly sought out for PD over traditional sit-and-get seminars. And there's no shortage of topics to cover.

By K-12 Dive staff

Amid protests, districts re-examine police contracts, policies

Minneapolis Public Schools and others have dropped, or are considering dropping, contracts with local police as equity concerns rise.

By Naaz Modan • June 10, 2020

California (finally) considers a way to measure student growth

With 48 states already tracking growth, experts say the move is "long overdue" and that measuring progress is especially important to see which schools "beat the odds in this crisis."

By Linda Jacobson • June 10, 2020

Plexiglass dividers, health screenings among safety measures in districts' reopening plans

Along with rethinking schedules, districts are also considering classroom redesigns and weighing a variety of health screening tactics.

By Shawna De La Rosa • June 9, 2020

Report: Most districts lacked clear plans in shift to remote learning

The authors said leaving decisions about instruction and student progress up to schools and teachers can hurt those who face "the greatest challenges."

By Linda Jacobson • June 9, 2020

Public ed employment falls significantly as private ed rises

Numbers for May show losses in local government education employment, accounting for almost two-thirds of government job losses overall.

By Naaz Modan • June 8, 2020

Some schools open for in-person summer instruction, but with added expenses

A recent cost analysis from AASA shows reopening could cost an average school district $1.8 million in unbudgeted expenses.

By Naaz Modan • June 8, 2020

GAO: Over half of school districts need major building repairs

The coronavirus pandemic is drawing more attention to school infrastructure decay, with 41% of districts reporting HVAC issues in a recent study.

By Shawna De La Rosa • June 8, 2020

Back to school: 4 IT considerations to help reopen schools safely

At some point, schools will hold face-to-face classes again. When they do, school districts need to prepare for a radically “new normal.”

June 8, 2020

17 states, DC challenge new Title IX regulations' impact on schools

The lawsuit, filed by Democratic attorneys general, suggests districts won't have enough time to implement requirements, and that it could take away from planning for distance learning and fall reopenings.

By Naaz Modan • June 5, 2020

Flexibility, listening without judgment critical to support educators of color

Black educators say protests and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on non-white communities have left them shouldering heavy burdens.

By Naaz Modan • June 5, 2020

School nutrition group to USDA: Provide free meals for all students in 2020-21

The call comes as additional waivers for grab-and-go sites are set to expire at the end of June.

By Linda Jacobson • June 4, 2020

Report: Districts' summer plans show missed opportunities

On Wednesday, experts also advised a National Academies committee on reopening issues related to instruction, SEL and school operations.

By Linda Jacobson • June 4, 2020

All states now approved for emergency education funding

It's unclear how most states will use the money, but they face increasing pressure to share federal relief funds with private schools.

By Linda Jacobson • June 4, 2020

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.

By Maggie Hickey, Anthony-Ray Sepúlveda and Mariam Chamilova • June 4, 2020

Teacher survey: Meeting students' needs, lack of PD among distance ed challenges

Educators are also concerned about academic decline and social-emotional issues when schools do reopen, as well as unrealistic expectations of students getting back on track quickly, the report says.

By Shawna De La Rosa • June 3, 2020

Remote assessment alternatives can go beyond measuring progress

Pandemic shutdowns require a rethinking of testing, weighing opportunities to hone skills while tracking knowledge, writes an education expert.

By Lauren Barack • June 3, 2020

Amid protests, educators prepare for difficult discussions

Experts say additional training and culturally relevant curriculum are key components to guiding students through topics such as police brutality and systemic racism.

By Roger Riddell • June 3, 2020

News literacy critical as students face national 'infodemic'

Twitter flagging the president’s tweets is another example of how students are "inheriting an information ecosystem that has unfolded in ways we never imagined," experts say.

By Linda Jacobson • June 3, 2020

Parents opting to home-school beyond closures add to school finance concerns

The National Home School Association has seen a surge in interest from parents weighing options if K-12 schools remain online-only in the fall.

By Natalie Gross • June 3, 2020

Study finds connections between school climate and attendance — but not much

As schools redefine attendance during distance learning, researcher Dan Hamlin finds reducing absenteeism may be "beyond the control of schools."

By Linda Jacobson • June 2, 2020

Educators call for schools to be 'safe havens' against racism

California state Superintendent Tony Thurmond is among state and district leaders condemning the killing of George Floyd and saying schools must to do more to address racial bias.

By Linda Jacobson • Updated June 2, 2020

Projects cap school year disrupted by coronavirus and defined by remote learning

Teachers dedicated to the project-based approach have found distance learning brings "a larger range of what you’re willing to work through."

By Linda Jacobson • June 1, 2020

Hoping to stave learning loss, some districts allow students to retain devices over summer

Students having devices in hand when school begins in the fall will also make it easier to begin remotely if necessary.

By Shawna De La Rosa • June 1, 2020