Policy Archives

Transformational leadership: Safe harbors, or turbulent seas?

February 27, 2025 by Dr. Phil Lambert, University of Sydney

Leaving the sanctuary of a safe harbor is necessary to undertake genuine transformational change in education.

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…

Education Policy & Funding

Immigration arrests at schools loom after Trump changes longstanding policy

February 7, 2025 by Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

The end of treating schools as sensitive locations is just one of many executive actions on immigration from the new Trump administration.

The Trump administration has cleared the way for immigration arrests at or near schools, ending a decades-old approach.

District Management

6 ways to boost district engagement with a unified communications platform

January 30, 2025 by John Cabral and Cynthia Johnson, Taunton Public Schools

A unified district communications and engagement platform helps maximize time--a limited resource in most districts.

When we were in the middle of the pandemic and everything in education was turned on its head, we realized that we needed a better way to communicate…

Education Policy & Funding

Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education

March 12, 2025January 28, 2025 by Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Bessemer City Schools & William Howard Taft University

Advocates for dismantling the Department of Education argue for local control and efficiency, while critics highlight risks to equity, access.

In light of Donald Trump assuming a second presidential term in 2025, conversations concerning dismantling the United States Department of Education have resurfaced.

District Management

Sailing through adversity: 4 Olympic-sized lessons in educational leadership

November 19, 2024 by Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer, Women Leading Ed

Leveraging diverse collaboration and learning from setbacks can propel educational leadership team to success.

When Lara Dallman-Weiss and Stuart McNay set sail together at the 2024 Paris Olympics, they weren't just navigating open waters--they were challenging traditional norms in a sport historically…

Educause Sneak Peak

October 1, 2024 by Kevin Hogan

Click below to listen to the full conversation: eCampus: We’re just a few weeks away from EDUCAUSE 2024 in San ... Read more

District Management

Reimagining attendance: A curriculum approach for K-12 students and parents

August 29, 2024August 29, 2024 by Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus

Regular attendance means students have the opportunity to be present, engaged, and successful in their educational journey.

In the landscape of K-12 education, attendance has long been viewed as a logistical issue—a checkbox to be marked, a statistic to be tracked. But what if we…

Digital Learning Tools

Lax NYC school cell phone policies put burden on teachers, leave students confused

July 2, 2024 by Amy Zimmer, Chalkbeat

Policies on cell phone bans in NYC schools create confusion for students and a challenging learning environment for teachers to manage.

On its face, the cell phone policy at Forest Hills High School seems clear: Phones cannot be used in school and must be turned off during the day,…

AI in Education

Despite guidance, generative AI remains a challenge for educators

June 6, 2024 by Laura Ascione

K-12 teachers have embraced generative AI detection tools, but the biggest risks of generative AI use among students remain unaddressed.

Teachers are still struggling with generative AI use even with policy-setting and training around the technology, according to new survey research from the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT).

Education Policy & Funding

Moving beyond transparency to accessibility and awareness

May 6, 2024 by Steven M. Baule, Ed.D., Ph.D.

Useful school transparency requires a shift from simply providing information to actively ensuring its comprehension and usability.

In one of my graduate courses for future PK-12 educational leaders, students are asked to review a student handbook and provide their recommendations on how to improve those…

Digital Learning Tools

How edtech is transforming bilingual education in the U.S.

March 21, 2024 by Abbas Manjee

Bilingual education will only continue to grow, but we need to look at it as a strength to support and develop with the right edtech tools.

Millions of students within the United States public school system are non-native English speakers. As this increases, true bilingual education is becoming more vital to equitably support student…

Featured on eSchool News

Why experts say now is the time to assess your district’s edtech use

March 20, 2024 by Stephen Noonoo

With ESSER funding expiring, districts need to align their edtech decisions with new budget realities and determine if tools meet their needs.

Assessing whether a district should continue using—and paying—for a tool is dedicated work involving backend data collection and surveying teachers and students for their thoughts.

AI in Education

Districts call for guidance in developing classroom AI policies

February 26, 2024February 26, 2024 by Laura Ascione

Without federal regulation and few states guiding AI use, 47 percent of districts nationwide plan to develop their own classroom AI policies.

To date, only six states have formulated a comprehensive AI policy absent federal guidance for districts to look to, according to findings from The 2024 Administrator AI Report: Perceptions,…

Literacy

States need to strengthen reading instruction policies

January 22, 2024 by Laura Ascione

To improve literacy outcomes for students, teachers should be prepared to implement and sustain scientifically based reading instruction.

While many states seek to improve literacy outcomes for students, they focus too little on a key component to strong implementation and sustainability: effective teachers.

Innovation Insights

Big Deals: Making AI Safe; New STEM Platforms; How To Fix Learning Loss

December 22, 2023 by Kevin Hogan

El Segundo Unified School District (ESUSD), in partnership with EdSAFE AI Alliance, is proud to announce the establishment of a ... Read more

Education Policy & Funding

What a 4-day school week might mean for your district

December 21, 2023 by Erin Werra, Content Writer & Strategist, Skyward’s Advancing K12 Blog

evidence is mounting that a 4dsw could help attract and retain teachers, manage scheduling for rural districts, and impact students’ sleep

West of the Mississippi, a new approach to seat time is catching on. Roughly 1,000 different schools have transitioned to a four-day school week, which amounts to a…

Newsline

CASEL Announces 2023 Social and Emotional Learning Leaders of the Year (SELLY) Awards

December 6, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

CHICAGO – CASEL announced the recipients of the 2023 SELLY Awards, honoring outstanding achievements of seven “Social and Emotional Learning ... Read more

Newsline

U.S. Education Secretary Appoints Baldwin Schools Superintendent to Board Overseeing the Nation’s Report Card

November 6, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona today appointed Baldwin Union Free School District Superintendent Shari Camhi to serve on the National Assessment Governing ... Read more

Newsline

SETDA Launches Cybersecurity Resource Focused on Small, Rural, and Under-resourced Districts

October 18, 2023 by ESchool News Staff

Washington, D.C. — Today, SETDA is pleased to announce the release of a cybersecurity resource focused on small, rural, and under-resourced districts. ... Read more

Innovation Insights

A new battle in the war for cybersecurity in schools: Part 1

September 8, 2023September 7, 2023 by Kevin Hogan

Frank Pileiro, Supervisor of Technology and Data for the Linwood Board of Education in Southern New Jersey, discusses new initiatives that every district can use to defend against…

Teacher Well-Being

Could empathy become extinct?

August 1, 2023 by Jesse Florang Ed.D., LIMHP, MTSS Coordinator, Kearney Public Schools

Educators must practice self-care before they can create safe and supportive environments conducive to teaching empathy to students.

The endangered species list attempts to save animals before it is too late. Although not a living organism, empathy is on the verge of becoming an endangered social skill.…

Innovation Insights

How Phys Ed and Ed Tech Can Fit

July 26, 2023July 21, 2023 by Kevin Hogan

Playscapes Founder and CEO Pamela Gunther, has some suggestions on how the two can play together. In this conversation, she breaks down the various scenarios schools face when…

Machine Learning in Education

Edtech leaders offer guidance on safe AI classroom integration

December 12, 2023June 19, 2023 by Laura Ascione

A new global framework for computer science and AI education will have input from education, policy, and technology experts around the world.

Code.org, ETS, ISTE, Khan Academy, and World Economic Forum have formed TeachAI, bringing together education, nonprofit, and technology partners to assist governments and education authorities with integrating artificial…

School Management

3 innovative ways to help teachers feel engaged and valued

January 23, 2024January 17, 2023 by Melissa Anne Brevetti, Ph.D., Coordinator, Teacher Education Programs, Oklahoma Teacher Connection, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Here are key ways school administrators and leaders can help enhance and value the education profession and ensure teachers feel heard.

As research reveals that relational trust leads to engagement and success, we are reminded that teachers hold our students’ stories and hopes—and here’s how school leaders can lay…

Newsline

New Report: Equity, Cybersecurity Top List of State Education Technology Priorities

September 26, 2022 by ESchool News Staff

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, and that means educators across the globe are still finding inventive and innovative ways to support and teach students in classrooms, during hybrid instruction, and in virtual settings.

As students return to another school-year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report sheds light on how state education ... Read more

Teacher Well-Being

5 ways to support educator well-being this school year

December 7, 2022September 19, 2022 by Danielle Sullivan, National Director of Content and Implementation, Curriculum Associates

Educators are likely feeling burned out, exhausted, and overwhelmed--here's how to promote educator well-being and mental health.

From teaching through a global pandemic to adjusting in real time to teacher shortages and policy changes, from worrying about school safety to trying to manage more disruptive…

District Management

9 priorities for a future-focused education system

August 11, 2022 by Laura Ascione

Newly-released Aurora Institute policy priorities call on policymakers to transform K-12 learning to a future-focused education system.

The Aurora Institute, a national education nonprofit focused on education systems change, has released its annual report outlining key federal policy issues aimed at transforming our K-12 education…

District Management

6 findings to inform your state’s principal preparation

June 13, 2022 by The Wallace Foundation

Access to high-quality principal preparation programs has improved, but varies, indicating a need for policies that enhance opportunities.

As state leaders continue to weigh the best use of federal funding to improve education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a major new research report by…

District Management

Making indoor air quality a top priority

March 31, 2022 by Laura Ascione

Indoor air quality is paramount to continued in-person classroom learning--here's how to take stock of what's happening in your district

As schools move toward making masks optional for students and teachers, concerns are turning to the best ways to mitigate COVID-19 infections--and indoor air quality is a major…

District Management

The best ways to monitor your school’s indoor air quality

February 28, 2022February 24, 2022 by Laura Ascione

COVID-19 ushered forth a plethora of new safety guidelines and strategies intended to bring students and teachers back to the classroom as safely as possible. Indoor air quality…

District Management

How to assess your school’s indoor air quality

December 23, 2021 by Laura Ascione

Indoor Air quality is critical, especially as COVID-19 continues--here's what you need to know to protect educators and students

COVID-19 ushered forth a plethora of new safety guidelines and strategies intended to bring students and teachers back to the classroom as safely as possible. Indoor air quality…

District Management

Taking stock of your classroom air quality

November 18, 2021 by Laura Ascione

COVID-19 brought with it new safety guidelines and strategies. And classroom air quality has topped the list of school leaders' concerns.

Newsline

CASEL Releases Recommendations for SEL Investments with American Rescue Plan (ARP) Dollars

May 12, 2021 by ESchool News Staff

Online learning can bring students a sense of community and support--a critical element during COVID

CHICAGO, IL – The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 represents a $123 billion infusion in K-12 education, including ... Read more

Education Policy & Funding

10 policy recommendations for educator preparation programs

December 7, 2022October 15, 2020 by Laura Ascione

The global COVID-19 pandemic has cast a light on the need for highly-qualified educators--and a new report outlines needed improvements to educator preparation programs

Ten new recommendations from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) address critical state policy changes necessary to support innovative improvement in educator preparation programs and…

Newsline

eBOARDsolutions Announces Major Update to Simbli Policy Module

October 14, 2020 by ESchool News Staff

eBOARDsolutions Inc., today announced a major update to their online policy management software, the Simbli Policy Module. One of six ... Read more

Education Policy & Funding

10 post-COVID policy issues facing education

December 7, 2022October 8, 2020 by Laura Ascione

Education leaders are tackling tough topics to transform the K-12 education system

A new report from the Aurora Institute examines the top 10 K-12 education policy issues that have surfaced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, Education…

Newsline

GoGuardian Finds Three Factors That influence K-12 Student Engagement Online and In-Person

September 16, 2020 by ESchool News Staff

The GoGuardian Research and Insights team today announced its comprehensive findings on the factors that create an engaging learning experience ... Read more

Newsline

Online research program offers first ever covid-19 independent study

July 28, 2020 by ESchool News Staff

Pioneer Academics, the college-accredited online research program for high school students, has launched Pioneer Open Summer Study (POSS), a free ... Read more

STEM & STEAM

3 key parts of a K-12 coding or robotics program

February 18, 2021October 4, 2019 by Dennis Pierce

Implementing a coding or robotics program can be challenging--here are key elements that can make the process easier, illustrated by these students working on a robotic arm.

K-12 teachers and administrators have been listening to policy makers and industry leaders warn of the need for computer science instruction, such as a coding or robotics program,…

District Management

5 different ways IT directors handle student data privacy

May 6, 2019October 24, 2018 by Ellen Ullman

As districts continue to go 1:1 and encourage teachers to integrate digital tools into their lessons, IT directors need to pay close attention to the way edtech companies…

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