With students tuning out, it’s time to rethink the classroom
Across classrooms right now, many educators are noticing the same shift: Students are even harder to reach than they were just a short time ago. In a recent…
educators
We need to start giving agency to educators instead of edtech vendors
American schools spent roughly $30 billion on educational technology in 2024--a figure that's projected to nearly double by 2033. Superintendents are constantly bombarded with emails, brochures, and demos…
AI Literacy and PD for Educators
With AI For Education x Frontline Professional growth, you can deliver and sustain AI in ways that support real adoption. ... Read more
Beyond the ban: Rethinking cell phone policies in schools with smarter solutions
Across the country, educators, parents, and policymakers are struggling with a question that schools can no longer afford to avoid: What role should cell phones play in today’s…
How AI helps teachers spend less time on assessments and more time on impactful instruction
The overreliance on AI is a widely discussed topic for teachers, administrators, and families alike. The last thing we want is for technology to stifle the creativity, expertise,…
How comprehensive school safety planning protected our teachers and students
When people outside of education talk about comprehensive school safety planning, it can sometimes sound theoretical: a checklist of protocols or a compliance exercise.
In Illinois, charting a path for responsible AI use
AI is a daily reality in the nation's schools, and in Illinois, it shapes how students research, problem-solve, and create. Now, Teach Plus Illinois and the Illinois Digital…
What higher ed can do about getting research into the K-12 classroom
Educational research has never been more abundant, yet its impact on classroom practice remains uneven at best. While universities continue to produce studies on instructional strategies, student outcomes,…
What it takes to build teacher confidence in math: 4 lessons for district leaders
After 20 years teaching high school math, I thought I understood why students struggled. Then I sat in my first professional learning session focused on early math and…
5 ways to make reading click for teens
Reading is competing for attention in a world built for scrolling. A recent University of Florida study found that the share of Americans who read for pleasure on…
School Specialty Honors Top Educators with 12th Annual Crystal Apple Awards
GREENVILLE, Wis., April 21, 2026 — School Specialty, a leading provider of learning environments and supplies to the pre-K-12 education ... Read more
The screen-time debate’s blind spot
Last fall, during a professional development session I was running with a group of teachers in São Paulo, a fifth-grade teacher raised her hand and asked a question…
The next wave of K-12 innovation: How educators are shaping the future of edtech
Every school year brings an influx of IT solutions designed to reinvent K-12 education. Schools are primed to jump on the latest technologies to address the issues most…
As classrooms go digital, are educators ready?
Today, about 80 percent of K–12 students use computers or tablets at school--up from about 50 percent before the pandemic. Even as parents worry about too much “screen…
Too many apps, too many missed messages
In our district, families were checking multiple apps just to keep up with school communication. One child’s teacher posted in one platform. Another school used something different. District…
Celebrating Teachers: Nominate Outstanding Educators for Crystal Apple Awards
School Specialty, a leading provider of learning environments, instructional solutions, and supplies for preK-12 education, is proud to celebrate outstanding educators with its 12th annual Crystal Apple Awards.
A new PLC model that builds collective efficacy and fights teacher burnout
In schools across the country, teacher turnover and burnout have reached crisis levels. Educators are stretched thin, often working in isolation, and many professional learning communities (PLCs) fail…
What’s in and out in literacy instruction for 2026
The conversation around literacy instruction has reached a turning point. After decades of debate, we're finally seeing a broad consensus around evidence-based practices--but the challenge now is moving…
Retention First: Hire Teachers Who Stay
When staffing eats up 85% of a district’s budget, retention matters. Learn how K-12 districts use cross-department collaboration, smarter planning, ... Read more
School Specialty Expands Learning Beyond the Screen with New Outdoor Furniture Line
Childcraft expands early learning beyond four walls and screens with durable, sustainable furniture designed for outdoor discovery.
Despite platform fatigue, educators use AI to bridge resource gaps
Sixty-five percent of educators use AI to bridge resource gaps, even as platform fatigue and a lack of system integration threaten productivity, according to Jotform's EdTech Trends 2026 report.
Beyond the dashboard: Why K-12 educators need data literacy, not just data
Walk into any data meeting at a K-12 school today, and you'll likely see a familiar scene: educators huddled around printed reports, highlighters in hand, trying to make…
5 tips for educators using video
When you need to fix your sink, learn how to use AI, or cook up a new recipe, chances are you searched on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or even…
AI use is on the rise, but is guidance keeping pace?
The rapid rise of generative AI has turned classrooms into a real-time experiment in technology use. Students are using AI to complete assignments, while teachers are leveraging it…
25 predictions about AI and edtech
As generative AI technologies evolve, educators are moving away from fears about AI-enabled cheating and are embracing the idea that AI can open new doors for teaching and…
How AI can fix PD for teachers
Many teachers have experienced PD sessions that are disorganized, disconnected from practice, or delivered by outsiders who misunderstand the local context.
Modernizing the special education workforce is a national imperative
America’s special education system is facing a slow-motion collapse. Nearly 8 million students now receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), but the number of qualified teachers…
Solving the staffing crisis is key to the Science of Reading movement
As someone who’s dedicated my career to advancing the Science of Reading movement, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to help every child become a strong, fluent reader.
The end of one-direction career pathways: Why empowering students sets the best course for future success
When middle school students make the leap to high school, they are expected to have a career path in mind so their classes and goals align with their…
AI in the classroom: Preparing for a new era of teaching and learning
When I first started experimenting with AI in my classroom, I saw the same thing repeatedly from students. They treated it like Google. Ask a question, get an…
From explaining to empowering: How tutors can support student thinking
Consider the work of a personal trainer. They can explain and model a workout perfectly, but if the athlete isn’t the one doing the lifting, their muscles won’t…
Room to grow: Creating a classroom built for success
For decades, curriculum, pedagogy, and technology have evolved to meet the changing needs of students. But in many schools, the classroom environment itself hasn’t kept pace.
How AI is streamlining special education
Districts nationwide are grappling with increased special education demands amid persistent staff shortages and compliance pressures.
3 strategies to boost student reading fluency this school year
With the new school year now rolling, teachers and school leaders are likely being hit with a hard truth: Many students are not proficient in reading.
Making career readiness meaningful in today’s classrooms
How can we make classroom learning more meaningful for our students? In today’s rapidly evolving world, preparing learners for the future isn’t about gathering academic knowledge.
Why busy educators need AI with guardrails
In the growing conversation around AI in education, speed and efficiency often take center stage, but that focus can tempt busy educators to use what’s fast rather than…
How Windows 11 is powering the next generation of K-12 innovation
As school districts navigate a rapidly evolving digital landscape, IT and academic leaders face a growing list of challenges--from hybrid learning demands and complex device ecosystems to rising…
AI, CTE are key to preparing students for future careers
Educators are embracing AI and career and technical education (CTE) as keys to preparing students for their future after high school, according to the 2025 Savvas Educator Index…
Why critical data literacy belongs in every K–12 classroom
An unexpected group of presenters--11th graders from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago--made a splash at this year’s ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT).
Strengthening middle school literacy: What educators need to know
Literacy has always been the foundation of learning, but for middle school students, the stakes are especially high. These years mark the critical shift from learning to read…