student Archives

An early childhood classroom: Supporting emotional well-being amid everyday challenges

September 24, 2026 by Jennifer Fernandez and Lynnette Cornett, School Specialty

Simple design choices can turn sensory overload into calm, predictable learning spaces in early childhood well-being.

Early childhood classrooms are seeing a clear shift. Young children are starting school feeling increasingly worried and overwhelmed compared to years past.

Newsline

Abre Launches “Vera,” Analytics Agent Built to Retire Static K-12 Dashboards

September 23, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

Integrated directly into Abre’s Data Intelligence Platform, Vera delivers real-time, role-aware answers to plain-language questions without compromising student privacy or ... Read more

District Management

5 questions to help every district leader make better decisions

September 15, 2026 by Steven L. Miller, Ph.D., K-12 Research Consultant

Here's what a 33,000-student science meta-analysis teaches district leaders about better decision-making for district students.

As budgets remain tight and expectations for measurable student growth increase, every instructional decision carries greater weight. Choosing one initiative often means delaying another, making it even more…

Literacy

Why reading interventions plateau—and why New York’s new dyslexia center won’t change that

September 8, 2026September 7, 2026 by Russell Van Brocklen, Dyslexia Researcher

New York is investing in earlier dyslexia identification, but identifying struggling readers is only the first step in reading interventions.

I’ve sat across from more than one district administrator staring at a dashboard full of reading intervention minutes and a flat progress line. The pattern is familiar: a…

A Stronger Cybersecurity Foundation Starts with a Modern SIS

September 1, 2026August 28, 2026 by Vcarlson

Your SIS is central to district operations and security. Learn what to look for in a modern SIS, from role-based ... Read more

Teaching Trends

Answering the question behind the question

August 31, 2026August 28, 2026 by Steven M. Baule, Ed.D., Ph.D.

Routine student questions can become an opportunity for better communication, stronger course design, and deeper learning.

Librarians and instructional designers have long understood that the first question someone asks is not always the question they need answered. In a library reference interview, a patron’s…

District Management

Financial education must not sacrifice student privacy

August 24, 2026 by Vince Shorb, National Financial Educators Council

Students need practical experience with financial education, but no classroom exercise should put their personal information at risk.

Financial education is gaining real momentum across the United States. More states are adopting mandates, more schools are adding graduation requirements, and more policymakers are acknowledging that students…

The New Math for EdTech: What Counts When Measuring Technology’s Value

September 1, 2026August 20, 2026 by Vcarlson

Districts are being asked to justify technology spend they can’t yet measure. This report shows how districts hope to close ... Read more

Featured on eSchool News

Today’s classroom isn’t broken–but it wasn’t built for today’s top students

August 18, 2026 by Allison Altvater, Laurel Springs School

To serve today’s most driven students and prepare all learners for what comes next, we have to rethink long-held assumptions about education.

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…

Student Well-Being

The foundation for student success is a positive classroom culture

August 13, 2026 by Tiffany Wilson-Pugh, Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Dr. Luther Riley, & Rachel Campbell, Empower Community School

A positive classroom culture is built not built on a single activity but through thousands of intentional interactions.

As the school year begins, teachers often devote significant time to planning lessons, reviewing standards, organizing classrooms, and establishing routines. While these are all essential components of effective…

AI in Education

Schools are building AI rules before they know the destination

August 12, 2026August 7, 2026 by Scott Laband, Colorado Succeeds

America’s schools are moving quickly to respond to the rise of artificial intelligence, with parents, teachers, administrators, and lawmakers working to wrap their arms around what this means…

District Management

The grade gap: Helping parents understand students’ academic progress

August 12, 2026August 3, 2026 by Scott Peters, PhD, NWEA, & Kara Stern, PhD, SchoolStatus

What closes the grade gap between reporting and understanding is real-time context around what impacts student academic progress.

For as long as school has existed, so has the parental question: How are my kids doing? For nearly two centuries, educators have used some type of report…

District Management

Chronic absenteeism isn’t the problem–it’s the signal

July 22, 2026 by Dr. Natasha Scott, Cumberland County Schools

Chronic absenteeism will not be solved by a stricter attendance policy--it will be solved by people who focus on belonging and support.

Every school leader I know has a version of the same moment: You pull up a student's attendance record expecting to find a discipline problem, and instead you…

Digital Learning Tools

Not all screen time is equal

July 20, 2026 by Dr. Carolyn Brown, WordFlight

Screen time debates should center on if individual technologies, programs, and digital learning experiences support student growth.

With the growing movement to limit technology in schools, parents and educators are right to question how much time students spend on screens. But, as schools reconsider the…

College and Career Readiness

WorkKeys is lowering the bar on student proficiency

July 16, 2026 by Christy Hovanetz, Ph.D, ExcelinEd

Allowing WorkKeys to substitute for ACT proficiency does not redefine success; it lowers the bar for what counts as proficient.

School accountability systems measure whether students are mastering the academic standards states expect them to teach and signal where additional support is needed. Education is one of the largest budget…

Student Well-Being

Rethinking MTSS: How schools can turn student data into meaningful support

July 10, 2026July 10, 2026 by Erin Hornbeck, RethinkEd

The future of MTSS lies in helping educators turn information into meaningful, timely support that improves outcomes for every student.

Schools today are navigating an unprecedented convergence of academic gaps, behavioral challenges, chronic absenteeism and rising student mental health needs.

Student Well-Being

Schools need behavioral assessments to fight chronic absenteeism

August 4, 2026July 9, 2026 by Jennifer Robitaille, Riverside Insights

Districts need evidence-based SEL frameworks and tools to find and quell chronic absenteeism in the earliest stage possible.

Our schools face a paradoxical challenge: chronic absenteeism, which is being treated as an attendance problem, actually isn’t.

Teacher Well-Being

5 ways to rest, reflect, and recharge this summer

July 8, 2026 by Jamie MacPherson, Van Andel Institute for Education

Summer offers educators a chance to focus on self-care, reflect on their teaching successes, and gear up for another academic year.

Summer break has finally arrived, and if you're like most educators, you're probably feeling a lot of conflicting emotions. There's relief that the school year is behind you,…

District Management

Most districts still struggle to fill specialist roles

July 7, 2026July 7, 2026 by ESchool Media Contributors

Specialist roles like special education, psychology, and nursing roles remain among the hardest to fill in the majority of school districts.

As school districts prepare for the 2026–27 academic year, new national data from BlazerWorks reveals a growing staffing crisis across K–12 education, with more than 90% of district leaders reporting increased…

Teacher Well-Being

Teacher burnout is at an all-time high

June 26, 2026 by RAND Media

In addition to teacher burnout, many also report lower pay, second jobs, and out-of-pocket classroom spending.

Teacher stress declined modestly in 2026, but teachers were still far more likely than similar working adults to report higher stress, worse well-being and greater financial strain, extending a…

K-12 Cybersecurity

For schools, cyber resilience starts at the data layer

June 24, 2026 by Katherine Hennessey, Everpure

In cyber resilience, protect the data layer and build recovery plans around the data and services that keep learning and operations moving.

Cyber resilience in education starts at the data layer. That is because the data layer is where schools' most important information lives and where recovery begins when something…

Teaching Trends

The future researcher in every fifth grader: The case for curiosity-first teaching

June 18, 2026 by Dr. Rayna Freedman, Jordan/Jackson Elementary School

A Massachusetts teacher has spent her career building a classroom culture where her students argue, wonder, and bring history home.

I've been teaching fifth grade in Massachusetts for 26 years. I hated social studies as a kid. I found it boring, heavy on dates and facts, and light…

Classroom Management

With students tuning out, it’s time to rethink the classroom

June 16, 2026 by By Patti Clark, Chief Academic Officer at Lakeshore Learning

Disengagement is often less about student behavior and more about how the classroom learning experience is designed.

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…

AI in Education

My students need real connection, not AI feedback

June 5, 2026 by Andrew Rodgers, Chicago High School for the Arts in Chicago & 2025-2026 Teach Plus Illinois Policy Fellow

No AI algorithm can replace the human dialogue that helps students feel seen, challenged, and understood by their teachers.

As I wrapped up my student conferences, one conversation stuck with me. Steven had barely touched his final project for our computer science course, a virtual simulation of…

Curriculum & Assessment

Finding the “low way”: Reclaiming creativity in schools

May 28, 2026 by Joel Kupperstein, Project Lead The Way

Assessment and accountability matter, but we also need space for creativity that allows students to explore, revise, and discover.

When my daughter was little, every time we climbed into the car, she’d look up and ask, “Are we going to take the low way?”

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,…

District Management

We can’t punish our way out of the attendance crisis

May 13, 2026 by Luvelle Brown, Ed.D, Ithaca City School District

Outreach around student attendance must be rooted in humanity, grounded in proximity, and carried out by those who know the community.

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…

Student Data Security

The hidden cost of fragmented student data in K–12 schools

May 1, 2026 by Aruna Adoor, SchoolCues

Addressing fragmented student data is not just an operational improvement--it directly impacts the school-home connection

In many K–12 schools today, fragmented student data has quietly become one of the most significant barriers to effective decision-making and day-to-day operations. While digital tools have expanded…

Teaching Trends

The 4 keys to creating meaningful student-led inquiry

April 30, 2026 by Cory Kavanagh, Van Andel Institute for Education

Inquiry-based learning can feel overwhelming, but it is very possible to establish student-led inquiry in the classroom.

Does the thought of student-led inquiry make you nervous? For some teachers, handing over control of the classroom to their students sounds like an invitation for disaster.

Student Well-Being

Why students disengage before they fall behind

April 21, 2026 by Lynna Martinez-Khalilian

The belonging gap emerges when students experience school as a place where they’re not fully known, seen, or valued for who they are.

I once met a student who had attended three different schools before arriving at mine. His parents described him in familiar terms: quiet, disengaged, unmotivated.

Emergency Planning & Response

Protecting teachers from workplace violence as student behavior challenges rise

April 17, 2026April 14, 2026 by Dr. Roderick Sams, CENTEGIX

Violence against teachers in the workplace contributes to issues like burnout and some educators leaving the profession altogether.

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.

Student Well-Being

District leaders must adapt to meet changing student mental health and behavioral needs

April 7, 2026 by Brandy Samuell, M. Ed., & Kay Kelly, eLuma

District leaders across the country are grappling with a deepening crisis: Student mental and behavioral health needs are growing more complex. In a recent national survey, 58 percent…

Student Well-Being

Taking a deeper look at students’ well-being

March 24, 2026 by ESchool News Staff

A new analysis reveals quiet but meaningful improvements in student well-being, behavior, and connection--despite ongoing academic challenges

The dominant narrative around today’s students is bleak: declining test scores, post-pandemic learning loss, and widespread concerns about student behavior and mental health.

District Management

A superintendent’s view: Engagement, not enforcement, is the answer to absenteeism

March 17, 2026 by Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent, Ithaca City School District

Chronic absenteeism rarely begins with a student deciding to break a rule--more often, it reflects a gradual erosion of engagement.

Chronic student absenteeism has reached troubling new heights in the post-pandemic K-12 landscape, with one in four students in many systems now missing significant class time.

AI in Education

The AI-resistant classroom is a myth: Designing assessments that assume AI is present

March 12, 2026 by Steven M. Baule, Ed.D., Ph.D.

The goal is not to eliminate AI from the classroom; the goal is to ensure that human thinking remains central.

Artificial intelligence is no longer approaching the classroom--it is already embedded in it. Students are using generative tools to brainstorm, summarize, translate, draft, and revise.

District Management

When it comes to student attendance, are districts measuring the wrong thing?

March 6, 2026 by George Philhower, Ed.D., Eastern Hancock Schools

As the pressure to improve student attendance mounts, it’s silencing the alarm that kids are still struggling once they return to classrooms.

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…

District Management

In districts, reaching readiness, retention, and success

March 5, 2026 by Laura Ascione

Using data to drive decisions through every district process helps you retain teachers who give their best to students. teacher retention

It's critical that schools create an environment where students thrive and teachers and staff feel supported and empowered.

Teaching Trends

Fueling student passion for STEM with project-based learning

February 18, 2026 by Tami Brook, STEM School Highlands Ranch

Through PBL, students actively engage in real-world problems that require them to use STEM concepts to solve complex problems.

We live in an ever-evolving world, powered by advancements across STEM fields. Today, STEM has become increasingly intertwined with how we live our daily lives--from how we learn,…

Personalized Learning

Tips and tools to effectively differentiate learning for student engagement

February 17, 2026 by Emily Skinner, Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District

When we use differentiation to meet students at their level and celebrate their progress, we help them discover their love for learning.

As a paraprofessional for over 3 years and going on my 5th year as a certified special education resource teacher, I’ve learned that no two learners are ever…

Literacy

5 high-frequency and irregular word teaching strategies rooted in the Science of Reading

February 10, 2026 by Kendall Stallings, Fairfield County (CT) Kindergarten Teacher

When it comes to teaching, educators can move beyond memorization and equip students with the tools they need for fluent, confident reading.

When students learn to read in the early elementary years, developing phonemic awareness, decoding skills, and blending typically take priority. Another essential component of fluent reading, however, is…

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