Great Principals Are Strong Instructional Leaders First

School principals must feel a lot like circus performers. Just as a performer is expected to juggle multiple balls, bowling pins, or torches while dangling…

When We Talk to Our Students, Let’s Focus Less on ‘Learning Loss’ and More on Their Learning Leaps

In the winter and spring of 2021, as the year of remote and hybrid learning continued, I started to notice a drop in attendance, particularly…

Here’s How We’re Helping New Orleans Kids Return to School Stronger Than Ever

This year, for many children, school was a respite. They could see their friends, whether virtually or in person with precautions. They could ask questions…

COVID-19 Impacts Graduating Seniors’ Postsecondary Choices. Here’s How We Can Help.

Once a happy inflection point for many young people, high school graduation—and what comes next—is now chaotic. COVID-19 has dramatically raised the barriers to accessing…

Children of Military Families Face Challenges Not Always Evident in School

As an educator, I work in a Purple Heart school serving a high number of students from military families, most of whom are connected by…

Parent Partnerships Are Key to Student Success

The Center for Universal Education at Brookings recently released survey results about parents’ beliefs and goals for their children’s education. Almost 25,000 parents across ten…

Teachers Legally Hitting Students as a Disciplinary Measure Has to Stop

Here’s a familiar scene: You are attending a professional workshop about America’s school-to-prison pipeline. The gray-suited speaker concludes his presentation to thunderous applause, and yet,…

Want a National Effort to Combat COVID Learning Loss? Study Your Black History.

We know all too well Black and brown students in marginalized communities are now bearing the brunt of the pandemic’s effect on schools—with inadequate technology,…

What AP Classes Can Teach Us About Building Stronger Curriculum for All Students

When millions of parents became de facto teachers during COVID-19, they saw firsthand a deep-seeded, widespread problem in American education: lackluster content and curricula that…

We Must Be Disciples for Our Students in 2021

This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, educators nationwide, and the world over, have had to adapt how they provide services to children and families.…