U.S. Department of Education slashes staff
The U.S. Department of Education announced March 11 that it’s cutting its workforce nearly in half--a move that Education Secretary Linda McMahon said is a first step toward…
How rest can reignite your passion for teaching
Today’s teachers are coping with a wide range of stresses, from chronic student absenteeism to limitations on what you can teach and parents pressuring you to change grades.
Capitalizing on investments: 4 ways to use calculators beyond math class
While calculators are traditionally used in math classrooms, their application can extend to so much more, which ups the value in the investment and helps broaden students’ application…
Fostering metacognition and AI integration for ELLs
By fostering self-awareness and self-regulation, metacognitive strategies empower students to monitor their learning processes, set achievable goals, and adapt their approaches to overcome linguistic and academic challenges.
Leveraging edtech for differentiated instruction
Meeting the diverse learning needs of students has long challenged educators who recognize that each student processes information differently and progresses at their own pace.
We are just beginning the uphill climb to improve student reading scores
Millions--probably billions--of dollars invested. Not to mention the blood, sweat, and tears of hundreds of thousands of teachers. And yet, we are facing yet another heartbreaking report on…
Being a principal just got harder–here’s why
There is a squeaky old merry-go-round in my neighborhood that my own children play on from time to time. Years of kids riding on it have loosened its…
6 recommendations for AI in classrooms
As states move forward with efforts to adopt artificial intelligence, the nonprofit Southern Regional Education Board’s Commission on AI in Education has released its first six recommendations for…
What keeps boys from reading and girls from STEM? Stereotypes
When pondering the stereotypes girls face early on, there’s an equal but opposite reaction for their masculine peers. As we start breaking down barriers for girls in STEM,…
10 things AI still struggles with in education–and beyond
Artificial intelligence is transforming education, from automating assessments to personalizing learning experiences. But despite its rapid advancements, AI still struggles with many aspects of human intelligence.
New math problems won’t solve our nation’s math problem
How much longer will we keep trying to solve our nation’s dismal math proficiency problem by writing new math problems? Clearly, if that was the answer, it would…
Online learning in high school helps students explore career pathways
Helping students choose a career pathway that’s personally rewarding for them is one of the most important functions of a secondary education. High schools can fulfill this goal…
Going beyond technical education to help students flourish
Educators often focus on how well robotics in education can prepare students for careers in STEM fields. And that's both true and important. Robotics is an engaging way…
How schools can effectively manage student activity funds with digital wallets
Earlier this year, students on a Florida debate team were devastated to discover that their coach had stolen thousands of dollars from the club’s student activity fund, emptying…
Education renovation: Transforming classrooms and districts through an HGTV lens
At a time when schools can be limited by obsolete teaching methods, inequitable policies, and uninspiring school cultures, we should aspire to rehab the features of an antiquated education…
AI in K-12 instruction: Insights from instructional coaches
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes an integral part of modern education, instructional coaches play a pivotal role in guiding teachers on its implementation, bridging the gap between emerging…
Top female district leaders share do’s and don’ts of climbing the professional ladder in 2025
Professional growth is often at the top of New Year’s Resolution lists. As educators and education leaders plan for the year ahead, we asked some of the nation’s…
Transformational leadership: Safe harbors, or turbulent seas?
Depending on the starting point, the challenges encountered in making required policy and practice changes can be considerable. Leadership in and for this context is not for the…
A critical shift in digital instruction in 2025
Most K-12 schools in the US will continue to use learning management systems (LMSs) to deliver learning materials, including documents, videos, and quizzes.
5 ways PBIS boosts morale and increases learning opportunities
There are a lot of preconceived notions centering around the middle school experience, but here’s a truth for you: Positively engaged students perform better, while uplifting those around…
How schools can fight growing ransomware attacks
The education sector is facing a growing and multiplying menace: a surge in cyberattacks by ransomware groups that are leveraging generative artificial intelligence and other sophisticated tools.
Rural areas are poised for unique STEM education, but need more resources
A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers a road map for increasing access to STEM education opportunities and workforce development for students in rural…
Closing the K-2 learning gap through systematic writing instruction
With educators under enormous pressure to make sure students meet grade level standards in reading and math, writing often takes a back seat in the curriculum, as many…
Explicit instruction: Students need more of it
As a progressive educator in New York City for 30 years, I thought I had all the answers. The best teaching had to do with inquiry, with “higher-level…
Putting school safety measures at the forefront of district budgets
School safety is a priority for educators, district administrators, parents, and students, making safety technology solutions essential for protecting school environments and the people within them during significant…
GenAI and cultural competency: New priorities in teacher preparation
Generative AI has the potential to transform teaching practices, improve efficiency, and even promote equity--but if used without care, it can also reinforce harmful biases.
Empowering students to earn college credit from high school classrooms
When I discovered Modern States, a philanthropic organization offering free online courses that give any student the chance to learn college-level content, I knew it could be transformative…
Embracing a growth mindset when reviewing student data
In the words of Carol Dweck, “Becoming is better than being.” As novice sixth grade math and English teachers, we’ve learned to approach our mid-year benchmark assessments not…
10 tips for using analytics and adaptive tech in schools
CoSN’s Driving K-12 Innovation initiative recently announced that Analytics & Adaptive Technologies as a Top Tech Enabler (tool) for 2025 and it’s appeared on the list five of the…
A virtual reality, AI-boosted system helps students with autism improve social skills
For more than a decade, University of Kansas researchers have been developing a virtual reality system to help students with disabilities, especially those with autism spectrum disorder, to…
In Wyoming, enhancing AI-human collaboration in IEP development
The University of Wyoming is utilizing its new CoIEP initiative--a multi-agent system powered by large language models (LLMs)--to significantly enhance artificial intelligence and human collaboration in addressing challenges…
Expanded learning can improve student well-being
Out-of-school time (OST) programs have received a lot of attention over the past few years as districts across the country continue to address the lingering effects of pandemic-related…
Growing communicative, knowledge-building composers: A focus on process
Teaching writing today is much like being a conductor of an orchestra. Just like a conductor brings together different instruments and dynamics to create a cinematic score or…
Edtech teaching strategies that drive sustainability
Educational technology, or edtech, has reshaped how educators teach, offering opportunities to create more sustainable and impactful learning environments.
5 restorative practices that help teachers create connections
It’s hard to overstate the influence of school on a student’s social-emotional development. Outside of their immediate family, a student will spend most of their life among a…
Elevating family leadership to foster student success
Meticulously scrubbing floors until they gleam, braving the scorching sun while securing heavy shingles atop a roof, or navigating the relentless chaos of a packed food line--these aren’t…
Revolutionizing storytelling with AI: Empowering ELLs
As educators, we constantly seek ways to help students overcome these barriers. Enter artificial intelligence (AI)--a powerful tool that transforms storytelling into an accessible and engaging experience for…
Immigration arrests at schools loom after Trump changes longstanding policy
The Trump administration has cleared the way for immigration arrests at or near schools, ending a decades-old approach.
NAEP scores show disheartening trends for the lowest-performing students
Most American students are still performing below their pre-pandemic counterparts in reading and math, while the yawning gap between high-achieving and low-performing students got even wider, data from…
Using free resources to connect the environment to education
As a National Board-Certified Teacher, I love incorporating media literacy, environmental literacy, and civic engagement into my teaching. I want my students to think critically about how things…