When hiring teachers, districts are more likely to select better candidates if they use screening tools designed to align closely with actual classroom experiences and expectations, according to a recent study of Los Angeles USD undertaken by CALDER, an education policy arm of the American Institutes for Research. A hiring process that reflects specific classroom […]

After February’s deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, there was no shortage of suggestions for improving school security, ranging from adding more guards to arming teachers. One area not widely addressed, however, is how to prepare teachers and administrators psychologically for dealing with a crisis. For example, although teachers […]

The New School Rules: 6 Vital Practices for Thriving and Responsive Schools Corwin Administrators can learn organizational and management strategies in this book about pursuing education reform. The New School Rules describes effective ways to build team trust and to lead faculty without micromanaging. Authors talk about positive decision-making practices and discuss the importance of […]

More than half of the states have earned passing marks for developing financially literate students, but nearly 30 percent of states scored a D or worse, according to the most recent National Report Card from the Champlain College Center for Financial Literacy. The survey assesses state (and Washington, D.C.) efforts to improve financial literacy in […]

Repurposing buses no longer suitable for daily transportation has provided schools with mobile makerspaces, traveling cafˆš©s and bookmobiles. The practice allows for extended use of an asset and adds a mobile dimension to programs that districts cannot always find space for in traditional classrooms. Cheatham County Schools in Ashland, Tennessee, is in the process of […]

Finding quality professional development for science teachers continues to be a challenge as school districts expand STEM programs. Many science centers and museums offer STEM-related PD, and want to partner with districts to develop programs that align with school curriculum and Next Generation Science Standards. “One thing we hear from teachers is they appreciate science […]

School districts are elevating physical education standards and expanding athletic activities beyond traditional sports to provide a more well-rounded education as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act. Instead of old favorites such as dodgeball and basketball, many districts have introduced more individually focused activities such as rock climbing, cross-training and yoga. “We are seeing […]

In the wake of the hurricanes that pounded the Southeast last fall, many local public school facilities served as emergency shelters. In Florida, however, only three of the state’s 654 charter schools could be used because the majority were not built to the state’s education facility requirements. Florida’s charter schools are not required to comply […]