Addressing learning loss for students with disabilities: Could Universal Design for Learning be one answer?
This is the third blog post in our Notes from the Field: Special Education blog series. Data on students’ academic progress during the pandemic is scarce, but early signs show that many students with disabilities struggled to stay on track. Our year-long study of special education in a sample of 15 schools revealed that most already-weary teachers and […]
In thousands of districts, 4-day school weeks are robbing students of learning time for what amounts to hygiene theater
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made clear(link is external) that good ventilation and consistent mask wearing are far more effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 than disinfecting surfaces. This clarification was long overdue. Scientists have long suspected that the virus is mainly airborne. They recognized that measures like deep cleaning and […]
It helps to start small: Lessons on launching schools of choice in a pandemic
“How are we going to [recruit students and families to] this school, because we can’t do anything in person?” This question, which we heard expressed by one founder of a new-school-to-be in Washington State, is being asked by thousands of schools of choice across the country, ever since most of them closed their campuses last […]
A national corps of mentors: Lessons from the pandemic on elevating teachers’ craft, at scale
As the new school year approaches, big-city superintendents everywhere confront the chasm between their students’ needs and their districts’ capacity to meet them. Many children will return to school a year or more behind. Speaking in confidence, superintendents will tell you that the capacity of their teaching force to meet the moment is a grave […]
A national corps of mentors: Lessons from the pandemic on elevating teachers’ craft, at scale
As the new school year approaches, big-city superintendents everywhere confront the chasm between their students’ needs and their districts’ capacity to meet them. Many children will return to school a year or more behind. Speaking in confidence, superintendents will tell you that the capacity of their teaching force to meet the moment is a grave […]
First look at ESSER priorities: Districts are placing their bets on what they know
A $189 billion infusion of federal COVID relief funding gives America’s school districts an unprecedented opportunity to invest in lasting improvements in public education and make their students whole after a year and a half of disruptions.
Now’s the time for states to invest in making online learning better
Many school districts have launched a full-court press to convince these families it’s safe to return to classrooms. But what should schools do about families who refuse to come back?
Most Students in Urban Districts Will Have Summer Learning Options, But Schools’ Plans May Miss the Mark
CRPE’s latest review found that 97 of 100 reviewed districts have now announced some form of summer school programming.
Will national wedge issues cripple local education leadership?
This fall, school and district leaders will encounter kids at vastly different levels of academic readiness and needs for mental health intervention, and parents and teachers with varying concerns over safety. Though many schools will follow similar strategies, the specific problems schools will face will lead them in different directions. This puts a premium on […]
What a diverse group of 20 school districts are doing right in their COVID-19 reopening plans
Districts across the country have devised new ways of supporting students, connecting with families and measuring progress despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
