Time Archives

We built evaluation for accountability–now it’s time to build it for growth

January 8, 2026 by Jena Draper, RefynED

Real leadership means moving past outdated educator evaluation processes and redesigning it around evidence, clarity, and authentic feedback.

Teacher evaluations have been the subject of debate for decades. Breakthroughs have been attempted but rarely sustained. Researchers have learned that context, transparency, and autonomy matter.

Teacher Professional Development

Rethinking icebreakers in professional learning

November 28, 2025 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

Too often, icebreakers are poorly designed fillers, disconnected from learning goals--they should respect 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…

AI in Education

5 essential AI tech tools for back-to-school success

October 21, 2025 by Jamie MacPherson, Van Andel Institute for Education

Integrating effective AI tools into the classroom can help students build inquiry and critical thinking

By now, the 2025-2026 school year is well underway. The glow of new beginnings has faded, and the process of learning has begun in earnest. No doubt there…

AI in Education

In training educators to use AI, we must not outsource the foundational work of teaching

August 26, 2025 by Timothy Cook, Chalkbeat

The problem is not AI or technology; it’s that educators and systems continue prioritizing finished products over messy learning processes.

I was conferencing with a group of students when I heard the excitement building across my third grade classroom. A boy at the back table had been working…

AI in Education

Integrating AI into education is not as daunting as it seems

August 8, 2025 by Melody Schopp, SAS

Lessons on AI and learning from an education veteran who helped educators through several technological transformations.

Forty-some years ago, students sat in straight rows with books, papers, and pencils neatly lined up on their desks. But beginning in the 1990s, educators faced very different…

District Management

6 steps to transforming parent engagement, one message at a time

November 7, 2025August 1, 2025 by Megan Cahill-Clark, Grove Park Elementary

The right communications platform helps districts foster deeper family and parent engagement and bridge school communication gaps.

We always want to make it easy for families to receive, consume, and respond to our messages, and our new communications platform helps us achieve that goal.

Newsline

First AI-Powered Special Education Management Platform Helps Districts Reach 100% IEP Compliance

July 3, 2025July 1, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

Sanford, N.C. — With school districts nationwide struggling to meet growing special education demands amid staffing shortages and political pressure ... Read more

STEM & STEAM Trends

Many students decide they’re not a ‘math person’ by the end of elementary school, new study shows

June 20, 2025 by Norah Rami, Chalkbeat

$Nationwide student math achievement has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, gaps between the highest and lowest students continue to grow.$

Roughly half of middle and high schoolers report losing interest in math class at least half the time, and 1 in 10 lack interest nearly all the time…

Teaching Trends

4 reflections on the end of the school year

June 18, 2025 by Laura Ascione

As classrooms empty, educators can use insights from this school year to strengthen next year's teaching practices

As the school year draws to a close, K-12 educators can pause, reflect, and intentionally carry lessons forward. The end of the year is not just a time…

Students with Special Needs

Crafting environments where students with autism thrive

May 29, 2025May 27, 2025 by Joie Laykoff, Fusion Education Group

Prioritizing clarity, consistency, and connection helps students with autism meet challenges and celebrate progress.

Recent public commentary about autism has brought new urgency to the conversation. Awareness alone isn’t enough--students on the spectrum benefit from environments where their needs are understood, respected,…

Curriculum & Assessment

The clock is ticking: Why standardized schedules don’t work for learning

May 20, 2025 by George Philhower, Ed.D., Eastern Hancock Schools

Moving away from standardized learning schedules helps schools focus on learning and foster an immersive learning experience for students.

In education, we talk a lot about equity, personalization, and meeting students where they are. But we often ignore one fundamental truth: Learning takes time, and the time…

Literacy

One-Two-Three-Read!: A motivational reading program that works

May 20, 2025 by Dr. Gregory Stephens, Rust College and Mississippi State University

An educator-created reading program inspired genuine excitement, reinforced reading habits, and brought classrooms together.

How can educators transform reading into something students want to do rather than have to do? That’s the question we set out to answer when we created One-Two-Three-Read!.

Saving 55 Minutes per Hour: How AI Improves Teacher Lessons and Student Learning

May 10, 2025 by Jeff Festa

Learn how PowerSchool PowerBuddy™ AI-powered assistant saves teachers time and improves instruction for students.

Integrating AI Can Supercharge Operational Efficiency in Educational Facilities

June 11, 2025April 15, 2025 by Jeff Festa

Embrace a fresh strategy to boost operational efficiency and sustainability within your educational facility. By integrating AI, schools can ... Read more

ELL

Virtual art meets language learning: A tech-enhanced ESL experience

January 14, 2026April 14, 2025 by Nesreen El-Baz, ESL Educator

Using virtual art with ELLs transforms language learning into a rich, human experience, using self-expression to enhance learning.

Art has a unique power in the ESL classroom--a magic that bridges cultures, ignites imagination, and breathes life into language. For English Language Learners (ELLs), it’s more than…

COVID in Schools

10 ways COVID changed American schools

April 7, 2025 by Erica Meltzer, Chalkbeat

Five years on, the impact of COVID-era closures reverberate through schools and in the lives of students, parents, and teachers.

COVID had already killed thousands of people in other countries and was spreading in the United States when a top federal health official said schools should prepare to…

AI in Education

Most teachers agree AI is a time-saver

April 7, 2025 by ESchool Media Contributors

Teachers who use AI frequently say they believe the technology will have a positive impact on students' learning

More than half of educators (62 percent) are already making use of AI at school, with more than one-quarter using it daily for work purposes, according to a…

Student Well-Being

Breaking the bell curve: Creating more pathways so every kid gets a big win

March 26, 2025 by Dr. George Philhower, Eastern Hancock Schools

When students believe they can succeed, they will show up to school and to classrooms ready to learn and do the hard work

In many classrooms, success still depends on how well a student fits onto a single, familiar bell curve--the one measuring traditional academic achievement in subjects like math, reading,…

DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access)

The fight for educational equity in the face of federal rollbacks

March 24, 2025March 24, 2025 by Dr. Patricia Burch & Dr. Royel Johnson, USC Rossier School of Education

Now is the time for bold and decisive leadership and action in setting the course for more edtech equity in the education system.

The federal government’s latest move to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in education is not just an ideological shift--it’s a direct threat to decades of progress in…

Edtech Trends

Leveraging edtech for differentiated instruction

March 11, 2025 by Sam Bowman, Contributing Writer

Edtech adoption succeeds when it serves clear pedagogical purposes and supports genuine student needs, including differentiated instruction.

Meeting the diverse learning needs of students has long challenged educators who recognize that each student processes information differently and progresses at their own pace.

School Management

Being a principal just got harder–here’s why

March 10, 2025 by Chris DeRemer, Chalkbeat

A principal should create an environment so safe and accepting that students and staff never feel like they must look over their shoulder.

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…

Building & Campus Security

Putting school safety measures at the forefront of district budgets

February 20, 2025 by Dr. Roderick Sams, CENTEGIX

Combining robust school safety plans and proven safety solutions can bolster teacher confidence, satisfaction, and retention.

School safety is a priority for educators, district administrators, parents, and students, making safety technology solutions essential for protecting school environments and the people within them during significant…

One System for All HR Information at Franklin Township Community Schools

February 14, 2025February 13, 2025 by Jeff Festa

How one school district updated its HR systems and brought hiring, onboarding, absence management, time tracking, employee records, and PD ... Read more

Student Well-Being

Expanded learning can improve student well-being

February 13, 2025 by Chris Murphy, Elevo

Out-of-school time programs increase student engagement and help them prepare to succeed in school and thrive in life.

Out-of-school time (OST) programs have received a lot of attention over the past few years as districts across the country continue to address the lingering effects of pandemic-related…

The Crucial Role Digital Signage plays in Emergency Management

April 23, 2025February 7, 2025 by Jeff Festa

Digital signage enhances all four phases of emergency management—Prevent, Prepare, Response, and Recovery—by delivering real-time alerts, safety info, and ... Read more

Students with Special Needs

Crafting technology-driven IEPs

January 24, 2025 by Shannon Keenan, Special Education Teacher

Technology-driven IEPs create more student-centered learning experiences by implementing digital tools and enhancing collaboration.

Individualized Education Plans (IEP) have been the foundation of special education for decades, and the process in which these documents are written has evolved over the years.

Newsline

Lingokids Partners with Moonbug Entertainment to Bring Beloved Blippi Characters to the Leading Early Learning App

January 16, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

LOS ANGELES (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lingokids, the #1 early learning app trusted by over 100 million families worldwide, has teamed ... Read more

AI in Education

6 tips to help your school unlock the most value from AI

January 15, 2025 by Duane Barnes, RapidScale, A Cox Business Company

Data strategies help ensure that AI models are optimized for all stakeholders, especially students, teachers, and administrators.

For campuses and districts that haven’t started their AI journeys, it’s critical to know that AI models are only as good as the data that goes into the…

AI in Education

Teachers: It’s time to make friends with AI

December 13, 2024 by Dan Sarofian-Butin, PhD, Merrimack College

A professor offers some strategies for using AI with students in innovative and thought-provoking ways in the classroom.

My first-year college students have a very narrow perspective of AI. “In high school,” wrote one student on an anonymous survey I give at the start of the…

Students with Special Needs

This season, finding my gratitude in art and teaching

November 28, 2024 by Sara Wodarski, NewHope Academy

Educators guide and support students, but also learn from gratitude from their curiosity, problem-solving skills, and unique ways of thinking

My students surprise me with their creativity and resilience. They’re not just kids in a special education school; they’re individuals who teach me new ways to view art…

Idaho Virtual Academy Named 2024 Cognia School of Distinction

October 17, 2024 by ESchool News Staff

MERIDIAN, Idaho (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Idaho Virtual Academy ( IDVA) has been recognized as a 2024 Cognia™ School of Distinction, a ... Read more

District Management

Maybe it’s time to change up high school to improve student attendance

October 15, 2024 by Dr. Kara Stern, SchoolStatus

When students are engaged in reimagining the high school experience, student attendance benefits and students are excited for school.

In 2015, as head of a small N-12 school in upstate New York, I learned that Gen Z was predicted to be the first generation of U.S. students…

Future of Filtering: Exploring the Content-aware Hybrid

January 8, 2025October 11, 2024 by Jeff Festa

Learn more about: How to analyze media and blur images on any website in real-time What hybrid filtering is and ... Read more

Curriculum & Assessment

How this educator integrates Dungeons & Dragons into the curriculum

October 7, 2024 by Rob Brant, NewHope Academy

The collaborative game fosters connections among students who are bright and imaginative, but who often struggle with social interaction and teamwork

I grew up in the 1980s, and Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) was a big part of my teenage years. I was definitely a kid who fell through the…

Education Policy & Funding

COVID money countdown: Schools exhaust pandemic aid as federal help winds down

September 27, 2024 by Kalyn Belsha, Chalkbeat

Schools that have any COVID money not earmarked by Sept. 30 could eventually have to return the pandemic aid funds to the federal government.

Schools have to say by the end of this month how they plan to spend the last of their $123 billion from the American Rescue Plan, the third…

Gaining Insight into Student Comprehension and Learning Gaps with AI

October 30, 2024September 11, 2024 by Jeff Festa

Discover how AI-powered tools can help you identify learning gaps and boost student comprehension. Enhance classroom success with real-time insights ... Read more

Educational Leadership

Is imposter syndrome built on a fallacy?

August 8, 2024 by Sean Slade, Alyssa Gallagher, & Max Cooke

Instead of questioning their ability to lead through imposter syndrome, school leaders can reflect on new opportunities to grow and learn.

We have all experienced imposter syndrome at some point in our career. It’s experienced as a feeling or underlying concern that somehow, despite having the job qualifications.

SEL Trends

School sensory spaces are for everyone

August 5, 2024 by Dr. Sue Ann Highland, School Specialty

Thoughtfully designed sensory spaces support emotional self-regulation for students and teachers and can aid in learning.

When I was a principal, my assistant principal and I took over an unused classroom and built a sensory space in it. We created places where students could…

Virtual Field Trips

15 unique virtual field trips for students

July 26, 2024 by Laura Ascione

Virtual field trips are engaging and connect students with opportunities and places they might not be able to access inside a classroom.

Virtual field trips have become widely available thanks to more accessible virtual reality technology, and they saw a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when physical field…

We built evaluation for accountability–now it’s time to build it for growth

Rethinking icebreakers in professional learning

5 essential AI tech tools for back-to-school success

In training educators to use AI, we must not outsource the foundational work of teaching

Integrating AI into education is not as daunting as it seems

6 steps to transforming parent engagement, one message at a time

First AI-Powered Special Education Management Platform Helps Districts Reach 100% IEP Compliance

Many students decide they’re not a ‘math person’ by the end of elementary school, new study shows

4 reflections on the end of the school year

Crafting environments where students with autism thrive

The clock is ticking: Why standardized schedules don’t work for learning

One-Two-Three-Read!: A motivational reading program that works

Virtual art meets language learning: A tech-enhanced ESL experience

10 ways COVID changed American schools

Most teachers agree AI is a time-saver

Breaking the bell curve: Creating more pathways so every kid gets a big win

The fight for educational equity in the face of federal rollbacks

Leveraging edtech for differentiated instruction

Being a principal just got harder–here’s why

Putting school safety measures at the forefront of district budgets

Expanded learning can improve student well-being

Crafting technology-driven IEPs

Lingokids Partners with Moonbug Entertainment to Bring Beloved Blippi Characters to the Leading Early Learning App

6 tips to help your school unlock the most value from AI

Teachers: It’s time to make friends with AI

This season, finding my gratitude in art and teaching

Idaho Virtual Academy Named 2024 Cognia School of Distinction

Maybe it’s time to change up high school to improve student attendance

How this educator integrates Dungeons & Dragons into the curriculum

Is imposter syndrome built on a fallacy?

School sensory spaces are for everyone

15 unique virtual field trips for students

Why interactive solutions are a smarter investment for schools

Lerner Publishing Group Launches Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s Genius and Joy Curriculum

School Specialty LLC Announces Acquisition of Nasco Education U.S.

100 Learning Spaces Transformed, $5 Million Invested: School Specialty and College Football Playoff Foundation Celebrate Impact Across Schools Nationwide

ACT and Texas Instruments Collaborate to Enhance Student Success in Mathematics

Big Ideas Start Young: Games for Change Opens 2026 Student Challenge to Game Creators and Innovators Ages 10–25

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