Here’s How We Can Make Sure Every Latino Student Feels Like They Belong

During my freshman-year orientation in college, in the fall of 1997, several people asked me if I knew Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the queen of Tejano music.…

Q&A With Paige Kowalski: Getting Transparent About Student Data

Student data. Standardized testing. Accountability. These words set off a lot of big feelings among parents, educators and policymakers — especially fear and anger. Controversies…

These 5 Anti-Racist Books Will Help Level Up Your School’s Professional Development

Over the past year, I have been able to read a ton of great books focused on social justice, culturally relevant pedagogy, and disrupting white…

It’s Time to Dump Deficit-Based Data

As the school year begins, we hear lots of deficit-laden words like “Title I,” “tough,” “low-income,” and “low-achieving” to describe primarily Black and brown students…

Teachers Are Beyond Stress, Self Care Isn’t Optional, It’s Required

Can we finally all agree?  The pressure on educators is significant. According to a RAND study, stress was the most common reason that educators left…

Are Teachers Leaving Because of Pandemic Stress? It’s Complicated.

Plenty of news stories have raised concerns about mass teacher shortages due to pandemic stress. And it’s true that teachers, principals and district leaders have…

Here’s How Student Curiosity Can Advance Racial Justice…If Teachers Just Let It Happen

Curiosity is oftentimes the beginning of learning. When we’re curious, we begin to ask questions. Our questions prompt us to investigate, and our investigations lead…

We Never Learned About Black Wall Street. So, What Else Is Missing From Our Curriculum?

Did you ever learn about Black Wall Street and the Tulsa, Oklahoma Massacre? I know I did not. It was not until I was an…

Students Should Know What’s in Their IEPs

If you work in special education, then you have likely worked on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). IEPs are plans developed to ensure that students…

Here’s Why Teachers Pay Teachers Is Fueling Culture Wars in the Classroom

Anytime K-12 curriculum is the subject of breaking news, it’s generally a bad sign for things to come. When things like textbooks, lesson plans, and…