Still an impossible job? Large district leaders navigate hazards—and need new solutions
Big city districts face a sea of troubles—from persistent pandemic-related learning loss to student and teacher absenteeism, to declining enrollment, to political pressures and fiscal cliffs. Can district leaders keep this turbulence from disrupting schools and focus on instruction? We raised a similar question over twenty years ago in our report, “An Impossible Job? A […]
When challenges never let up: School district leaders steer through hazards in Baltimore and Chicago
In the face of financial, political, and capacity constraints, leaders within the Baltimore City Public School System and Chicago Public Schools are making progress toward closing post-pandemic gaps in student learning. They’ve had to choose among imperfect strategies and navigate significant, growing challenges. At times, this has meant taking risks, following strategies they might not […]
Taking advantage of the pandemic’s lessons: Remote and hybrid learning in Colorado
Amid the chaos and multiple hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators in the St. Vrain Valley School District vowed to extract long-term lessons from the crisis. We have been rethinking student time, instructional delivery systems, and teacher roles. While the pandemic presented myriad difficulties, it also shed light on the undeniable benefits of technology in […]
Feigned outrage over the education of students with disabilities in school choice won’t close opportunity gaps
This op-ed originally appeared in K-12 Dive. In the raucous debate over state initiatives to expand access to private educational options, the plight of students with disabilities has taken center stage. Researchers, policymakers, advocates, and parents alike have pointed out that private schools are not beholden to federal rules and regulations that guarantee students with disabilities access […]
“Give us more:” Reimagined report cards at Ednovate thrill students
Who would have expected high school students to be excited about a report card? Ednovate Charter Schools’ new Whole Child Report Card rolled out in our seven schools this year. We knew the updated report card would provide a much more accurate, holistic perspective on how our students are doing. Grades and test scores are […]
Early evidence of improved educator outcomes in Next Education Workforce models
Concerns about the teacher workforce are rising, with fewer teachers recommending the profession and decreasing interest among students. In response, school systems are redesigning teacher roles to make the job more appealing and sustainable. This brief examines early outcomes from the Next Education Workforce™ (NEW) team-based models in Mesa, Arizona, which shift from the traditional […]
Using AI to combine relevance and rigor while empowering students and teachers
AI allows us to do what would have been inconceivable just a year ago. I had a student who loved art. She would have never considered taking a course on computer-integrated manufacturing—challenging even for engineering nerds—until she learned it could help her create a laser-cut flower. Another student passionate about music used computer-aided design and […]
AI is coming to U.S. classrooms, but who will benefit?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving at lightning speed, but will U.S. classrooms be able to evolve with it—and take advantage of its potential benefits? A new report by the American School District Panel (ASDP), a research partnership between the RAND Corporation and CRPE, gives an early look at how AI is influencing teaching and learning, […]
“I have expensive dreams.” Preparing students for college and career in the face of widening equity gaps
Expensive dreams Eraste Talla Ngoualadjo always planned on attending a four-year university in the United States. But when his family emigrated from Cameroon to Boston in 2022, they were astounded by the high cost of even the country’s public universities. “I didn’t know about the reality of affording college here,” Ngoualadjo says. “It’s just a […]
A “good life” after high school: How schools can help students prepare
Today’s students are struggling after they leave the K-12 system: fewer students are enrolling in college, and more of those who enroll are floundering and at risk of dropping out. Meanwhile, many who seek to enter the workforce must discover and select a career pathway on their own if their school focuses mostly on college […]
