educators Archives

Beyond the ban: Rethinking cell phone policies in schools with smarter solutions

May 29, 2026May 29, 2026 by Taki Skouras, Cellairis

Schools can implement systems and policies that allow for access to student devices while limiting their use during instructional time.

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…

AI in Education

How AI helps teachers spend less time on assessments and more time on impactful instruction

May 27, 2026 by Dr. Carla Braun, Community Unit School District 201

AI should never replace teachers in collaboration or expertise, but should shine a light on the insights that spark deeper conversations.

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,…

Emergency Planning & Response

How comprehensive school safety planning protected our teachers and students

May 19, 2026 by Gregory Vaughn, S.L. Mason Elementary School, Valdosta City Schools

Why in-building coverage is a lifeline for school safety

When people outside of education talk about comprehensive school safety planning, it can sometimes sound theoretical: a checklist of protocols or a compliance exercise.

AI in Education

In Illinois, charting a path for responsible AI use

May 14, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

Illinois educators urge that statewide AI guidance be grounded in classroom realities, empower teacher leaders, and center human connection.

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…

Teacher Professional Development

What higher ed can do about getting research into the K-12 classroom

May 11, 2026 by Dr. Steve Baule, Dr. Tammy Champa, and Dr. Jessa Cook

A lack of structured collaboration between K-12 and higher ed contributes to a disconnect between research and practice.

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,…

District Management

What it takes to build teacher confidence in math: 4 lessons for district leaders

May 4, 2026May 4, 2026 by Olivia Paris, Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit 19

$As teacher confidence grows, the way that math feels in the classroom begins to shift and evolves into a move positive experience.$

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…

Literacy

5 ways to make reading click for teens

April 23, 2026 by Carey Sweet, The Reading League Florida Chapter

Five classroom-tested approaches that make reading engaging, relevant and sustainable for teens and middle school students.

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…

Newsline

School Specialty Honors Top Educators with 12th Annual Crystal Apple Awards

April 21, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

GREENVILLE, Wis., April 21, 2026 — School Specialty, a leading provider of learning environments and supplies to the pre-K-12 education ... Read more

AI in Education

The screen-time debate’s blind spot

April 17, 2026April 15, 2026 by Adriana Perusin, IASEA & Flip Education

The point of AI is not to replace the teacher--it is to give her more of what he or she actually needs: time and structure.

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…

Teaching Trends

The next wave of K-12 innovation: How educators are shaping the future of edtech

March 30, 2026 by Dr. Matthew X. Joseph, New Bedford Public Schools

Edtech innovation can come from teachers who remove learning guardrails and show students the joy and excitement in trying something new.

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…

Digital Learning Tools

As classrooms go digital, are educators ready?

March 9, 2026 by Emma B. Kassan, Sy Doan, and Julia H. Kaufman, RAND

Educators can develop best practices that ensure digital learning fulfills its promise rather than amplifies its problems.

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…

District Management

Too many apps, too many missed messages

March 3, 2026 by Crystal Famania, Phoenix Elementary School District #1

How a 100 percent Title I district strengthened family trust through consistency and unifying school communication.

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…

Newsline

Celebrating Teachers: Nominate Outstanding Educators for Crystal Apple Awards

February 17, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

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.

Teacher Professional Development

A new PLC model that builds collective efficacy and fights teacher burnout

February 13, 2026 by Douglas Fisher & Nancy Frey, San Diego State University & Health Sciences High and Middle College

Why modern professional learning communities need to focus on adult learning, real problems, and spreading innovation--enter PLC+.

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…

Literacy

What’s in and out in literacy instruction for 2026

February 11, 2026 by Stacy Hurst, Reading Horizons

Solving the literacy crisis requires commitment to implementation and letting go of familiar approaches that aren't serving students.

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

February 9, 2026February 5, 2026 by Vcarlson

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

Newsline

School Specialty Expands Learning Beyond the Screen with New Outdoor Furniture Line

February 3, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

Childcraft expands early learning beyond four walls and screens with durable, sustainable furniture designed for outdoor discovery.

AI in Education

Despite platform fatigue, educators use AI to bridge resource gaps

February 2, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

Better integration between AI tools and digital learning tools may help relieve educator frustration, according to a new survey.

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.

District Management

Beyond the dashboard: Why K-12 educators need data literacy, not just data

January 20, 2026 by Dr. Curt Merlau, Resultant

The power of any data dashboard isn't in the dashboard itself--it's in the conversations that happen around it. Data literacy is critical.

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…

Teaching Trends

5 tips for educators using video

January 9, 2026 by Karl M. Kapp, Ed.D., Learning and Development Mentor Academy

Educators can create instructional videos to save time, expand their reach, and create greater impacts on their students

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 in Education

AI use is on the rise, but is guidance keeping pace?

January 2, 2026 by Laura Ascione

As AI becomes a fixture in schools, educators and students need reliable guidance on how to use it well--especially as AI use evolves.

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…

AI in Education

25 predictions about AI and edtech

December 30, 2025 by Laura Ascione

As generative AI tools mature, AI predictions contend that K-12 education will leverage AI in new ways to transform teaching and learning.

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…

Teacher Professional Development

How AI can fix PD for teachers

December 10, 2025 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

Too many PD sessions remain generic, compliance-driven, or disconnected from day-to-day teaching realities--but AI can help.

Many teachers have experienced PD sessions that are disorganized, disconnected from practice, or delivered by outsiders who misunderstand the local context.

Students with Special Needs

Modernizing the special education workforce is a national imperative

December 9, 2025 by Kevin Eberly, FillerB

Teaching vacancies are most acute in special education due to attrition, burnout, and early retirements--workforce support is critical.

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…

Literacy

Solving the staffing crisis is key to the Science of Reading movement

December 5, 2025 by Laura Stewart, 95 Percent Group

Every time a new leader or teacher steps in, the hard-won progress on a literacy initiative can be jeopardized--staffing is critical.

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.

College and Career Readiness

The end of one-direction career pathways: Why empowering students sets the best course for future success

November 24, 2025 by Nick Gross, Find Your Grind

Schools have the opportunity to help students identify their desired lifestyle, existing strengths, and possible career pathways.

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 Education

AI in the classroom: Preparing for a new era of teaching and learning

November 18, 2025 by Ian McDougall, Yuma Union High School District

AI is not going away in teaching or learning--whether we’re ready or not, it’s going to shape how our students live and work.

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…

Personalized Learning

From explaining to empowering: How tutors can support student thinking

November 11, 2025 by Dr. Halley Bowman, Saga Education

Building cognitive lift doesn’t require a complete overhaul--it comes from small shifts tutors can make in every tutoring session.

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…

Classroom Management

Room to grow: Creating a classroom built for success

November 5, 2025 by Dr. Sue Ann Highland, School Specialty

Classroom design can directly benefit student outcomes and success, and can also contribute to teacher well-being.

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.

AI in Education

How AI is streamlining special education

November 3, 2025 by Laura Ascione

As special education teams face mounting caseloads and staffing challenges, AI can relieve administrative strain and strengthen compliance.

Districts nationwide are grappling with increased special education demands amid persistent staff shortages and compliance pressures.

Literacy

3 strategies to boost student reading fluency this school year

October 31, 2025 by Dr. Carolyn Brown, Foundations in Learning

All students can become strong, proficient readers when they are given the right tools, instruction, and support in reading fluency.

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.

College and Career Readiness

Making career readiness meaningful in today’s classrooms

October 29, 2025 by Jessica Stanford, RN, Baldwin Preparatory Academy

Career readiness programs help students see the relevance of their learning and give them the confidence to pursue their goals.

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.

AI in Education

Why busy educators need AI with guardrails

October 28, 2025 by Nick Koprowicz, Prometric

Trust in AI begins with thoughtful design, expert oversight, and acknowledgement of the work educators do every day

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…

K-12 Cybersecurity

How Windows 11 is powering the next generation of K-12 innovation

November 5, 2025October 23, 2025 by Laura Ascione

K-12 leaders can strengthen cybersecurity, simplify IT management, and deliver inclusive, AI-driven learning experiences with Windows 11.

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 in Education

AI, CTE are key to preparing students for future careers

October 8, 2025 by ESchool Media Contributors

Rising educator confidence in CTE and growing urgency for AI tools that build--not bypass--students’ essential skills.

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…

Curriculum & Assessment

Why critical data literacy belongs in every K–12 classroom

October 2, 2025 by Evan Shieh, Young Data Scientists League

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).

Literacy

Strengthening middle school literacy: What educators need to know

October 1, 2025 by Laura Ascione

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…

Literacy

Building a literacy framework that works: A district leader’s journey in Peoria

September 23, 2025 by Lindsay Bohm, Peoria (Ill.) Public Schools District 150

AI can be more than a tool--it can help every student reach their fullest potential, and teachers who are supported help students achieve.

When I stepped into the role of curriculum coordinator for Peoria Public Schools District 150 in 2021, I entered a landscape still reeling from the disruption of COVID-19.…

AI in Education

Why AI’s true power in education isn’t about saving time

September 16, 2025 by Melissa Serio, GoGuardian

AI's purpose in education isn't to automate teaching, but to clear space for the creativity, experimentation, and human connection.

As a former teacher, educator coach and principal, I've witnessed countless edtech promises come and go. The latest refrain echoes through conference halls and staff meetings: "AI saves…

AI in Education

5 keys to AI success: A roadmap for K–12 administrators

September 9, 2025 by Ben Talsma, Van Andel Institute for Education

AI and its growing presence can make teachers nervous, but it doesn’t change the fundamental mission of education.

Like many educators, I have strong feelings about the abundance of artificial intelligence now used in schools. Some teachers choose to take a Gandalf approach to AI and…

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