Nearly 30 percent of U.S. high school students admitted to using a connected device to cheat on a classroom exam or project, according to a recent survey. And 31 percent of U.S. students accessed banned content on the internet, according to “Cybersecurity 101: Teens in the Classroom” a McAfee/MSI International survey of nearly 4,000 high […]

As a cost-saving measure, consolidation can help save a struggling district. Consolidation can take two forms. In the first, a district grappling with declining revenues has no choice but to reduce costs or face insolvency. Declining revenues can come from a declining tax base, downturn in the economy or the loss of a major employer […]

Why is contracting a beneficial option for school districts and communities? Contracting allows education professionals to focus on their core responsibility, which is educating young people, not running a complicated logistics operation. Every day contractors safely and efficiently transport millions of children to and from school—it’s their core mission and focus and they are good […]

A drop in football enrollment is forcing some districts to make tough program cuts, and is inspiring others to seek creative ways to keep the sport afloat. Participation in 11-man football teams dropped 4 percent nationwide over the last decade, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Football is still the most […]

The summer break was far from idyllic, marked by demonstrations, marches and even deadly violence across the country. For school leaders, fostering a positive school climate for returning students must be a high priority. In these troubling times, schools must place the highest priority on becoming an oasis of kindness and respect for all of […]

Lockdown drills can pose health hazards, says Dennis Lewis, president of Edu-Safe, a safety training firm. Lewis, who spent 17 years as the public safety director for Springfield Public Schools in Missouri, shares the following best practices: Connect instruction to safety. Rigid, step-by-step drills don’t encourage critical thinking, discussion or variations. Educators can develop lessons […]

Not long ago, I was visiting with a highly capable, senior-level district administrator when he said to me, “There are so many STEM initiatives, resources and vendors out there. I am a little embarrassed to admit this, but I am not even sure of the right questions to ask.” As I considered this administrator’s confusion—and […]

For many youths growing up in the age of Kendrick Lamar, Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, the choice between taking orchestra, band or choir often misses the point. Building a school’s music instruction around more recent artists and hits offers an alternative to a curriculum that’s often based on classical, jazz and marching bands. “For […]