Let’s work to keep our students while we still have them
According to research I recently saw , About 16% of young people ages 18 to 24 are not in employment, education, or training. Researchers call them NEETs, or…
leadership
Today’s classroom isn’t broken–but it wasn’t built for today’s top students
Walk into almost any classroom in America, and you’ll see a system designed for consistency: same lesson, same pace, same expectations for every student. For decades, that model…
The grading paradox: Better data is key to understanding real subject mastery
There’s a confusing trend going on in the nation’s classrooms: While national test scores have dropped to levels not seen in decades, average high school GPAs are actually…
In a school emergency, 911 is still flying blind
School safety emergencies are inherently chaotic, frightening, and made even more perilous by a lack of real-time visibility once an emergency is underway. In an active shooter incident,…
Lead with purpose: 3 ways courageous K-12 leadership builds real impact
As the Director of Maintenance and Operations for 42 campuses across our district, my work is never small. From managing facilities and construction to navigating procurement and public…
The best time to be a teacher: Leading with AI and technology in the age of personalized learning
In an era defined by rapid technological advancement and an unprecedented explosion of information, public education stands at a pivotal and exciting crossroads.
Data-driven decision-making is the key to unlocking K-12 district success
Today’s K-12 school districts have numerous responsibilities, from managing staff resources, to ensuring student safety, to fostering a learning environment where all students flourish.
Science achievement is not a one-year event
District leaders are under increasing pressure to improve science achievement while balancing competing priorities, staffing challenges, instructional demands, and accountability expectations.
Outcomes-based partnerships and accountability are the future of education
The answer to stagnating test scores is not adopting technology that has never demonstrated any ability to move test scores. Educators have to finally recognize that hope is not a strategy…
Learning doesn’t happen by accident–it starts with consistency and communication
A student’s school experience can shift dramatically--not just from year to year but from classroom to classroom each day. They may feel seen and encouraged by one teacher,…
Don’t wait for September: Reach students now, when it matters most
Here is a lesson for you: If you wait until the first day of school to address attendance, you've already lost the battle.
Maybe we have too much teacher training
“Maybe we have too much teacher training.” That headline is a sentence I never thought I’d write, given that I run a company built around supporting teachers’ professional…
Leading in the in-between: A multi-track approach to leadership growth
There is a period in the school leadership journey that we do not talk about enough: the time between earning an administrative license and actually becoming a school…
Engaging K-12 families over the summer
It’s easy to connect with the families who show up in September already invested: responding to messages, attending events, kids showing up on time. In most cases, building…
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…
Will schools answer the Canvas breach’s wake-up call?
The recent Instructure/Canvas breach should be a wake-up call for every school and university relying on third-party platforms to power teaching and learning.
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.
Building a better bridge: Prioritizing infrastructure in a pre-K expansion
New York is currently standing at a historic crossroads. With a rare alignment of executive leadership in Albany and NYC and a tireless advocacy community, the state is…
We can’t punish our way out of the attendance crisis
In the Ithaca City School District, we have long understood that relationships are not peripheral to the work; they are the work. A culture of love is not…
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
Protecting teachers from workplace violence as student behavior challenges rise
Schools have seen rising problems with student behavior since the pandemic. For too many K-12 districts, these student behavior challenges are leading to violence against teachers.
Sustainable change starts with educator voice
School leaders everywhere are working to implement change--new initiatives, new instructional frameworks, new technologies, new approaches to student support.
Don’t mistake staff voice for a problem
As children, we play hide-and-seek. There is a kind of logic to it: If you cannot see me, then I cannot see you. As adults, and sometimes as…
5 secrets to stronger high school connections
I’ve been a principal for 14 years, during which time I served as the leader of an alternative school, an early college, and a large middle school. Through…
How to navigate historically high absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism has stabilized at historically high levels, signaling a long-term engagement challenge rather than a short-term pandemic disruption, according to a new national white paper released by…
Data intelligence in education: Building the right foundation for better decisions
Data has become one of the most important strategic assets in education. Yet across institutions, publishers, and edtech companies, it often remains fragmented, inconsistently governed, and difficult to…
When it comes to student attendance, are districts measuring the wrong thing?
Across the country, schools are raising alarms about chronic absenteeism. News stories highlight rising numbers of missed days, legislators are demanding answers from districts, and educators are feeling…
Strengthening the PK-12 leadership pipeline during a succession crisis
Across the country, districts are confronting a growing PK-12 leadership pipeline crisis. Veteran principals, assistant principals, and district administrators are retiring at increasing rates, yet there is not…
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…
Being a principal just got harder–and 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…
4 ways AI can make your PD more effective
If you lead professional learning, whether as a school leader or PD facilitator, your goal is to make each session relevant, engaging, and lasting. AI can help you…
Rethinking icebreakers in professional learning
I was once asked during an icebreaker in a professional learning session to share a story about my last name. What I thought would be a light moment…
From silos to systems: The digital advantage in schools
When I first stepped into my role overseeing student data for the Campbell County School District, it was clear we were working against a system that no longer…
Truth vs. risk management: How to move forward
In the world of K-12 education, teachers are constantly making decisions that affect their students and families. In contrast, administrators are tasked with something even bigger: making decisions…
Funding technology initiatives in uncertain times
Recent policy shifts have caused significant uncertainty in K-12 education funding, especially for technology initiatives. It’s no longer business as usual. Schools can’t rely on the same federal…
Do screens help or hurt K-8 learning? Lessons from the UK’s OPAL program
When our leadership team at Firthmoor Primary met with an OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning) representative, one message came through clearly: “Play isn’t a break from learning, it…
Why education leaders must highlight their people
When I asked my executive assistant to proof my first superintendent’s report for the public board packet, she came back and said that she was surprised that I…
The superintendent survival kit: Transparency and truth in communications
As superintendents come under more political fire and frequent negative news stories about their school districts circulate, it is easy to see where the instinct to not comment…
Rethink the ordinary: 10 benefits of interactive solutions for education
In this era where technology influences nearly every aspect of life, education has an essential technology leadership role to ... Read more