Previous studies suggest a strong correlation between exposure to hands-on STEM programs and positive attitudes toward and experience with STEM subject matter amongst, middle, high school, and university students. However, there has been little research on the impact of hands-on STEM projects on Title I (socioeconomically disadvantaged) elementary…

Tier 1 Instruction provides the essential foundation for all students to succeed, alleviating the need for more intensive support later. This Spotlight will help readers learn from schools implementing multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS); analyze new laws on math supports for struggling students; evaluate the long-term benefits of early…

Career Technical Education is at the forefront of education reform efforts. This is in response to business and industry demand for a workforce that is both academically and technically skilled at proficiency levels to meet workforce needs. Additionally, the Carl D. Perkins Improvement Act of 2006 mandates the integration of academic standards…

Current political and social climates have pushed conversations about equity and inclusion to the forefront. At the same time, lawmakers in more than half of US states are pushing legislation that would limit discussion of these issues in schools. Educators must consider the best ways to continue conversations of equity and inclusion without…

The Every Student Succeeds Act supports personalized learning (PL) to close achievement gaps of diverse K-12 learners in the United States. Implementing PL into a classroom entails a paradigm change of the educational system. However, it is demanding to transform traditional practice into a personalized one under the pressure of the annual…

COVID-19 exacerbated and brought attention to inequities long present in public education. Facing inconsistent access to learning over distance, students will leave this period with months of what's been called "lost learning." Short of repeating a full year, addressing these gaps presents a grave challenge for traditionally structured…

Implicit in all US science education reform efforts in the past, is equal access and opportunity to learn science for all students regardless of their background and status. However, most science teacher preparation programs (with some exceptions, i.e., those that offer dual endorsement/certification), do not have the capacity or resources to…

Global migration has led to increasing numbers of children encountering schools as newcomers in their new countries. Statistics reveal that large groups of migrant children tend to perform poorly academically; thus, education for newcomers has become an urgent issue for host countries. The aim of this study is to explore how Norwegian schools…

Today's schools face challenges that go beyond those of the 20th Century, in addition to the more recent impact of No Child Left Behind. Common core standards and stipulations found in the recent Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) call for new academic programs and ways for teachers to implement them. Integral to the ESSA are techniques for…

Few scholarly publications have addressed in detail the question of student privacy when using social media for classroom educational activities. This study combined qualitative and conceptual methodologies to explore the implications of privacy law on learning activities, using the strict Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) in the…

Each edition of the IDRA Newsletter strives to provide many different perspectives on the issues in education topics discussed and to define its significance in the state and national dialogue. This issue focuses on Accountability and Civic Engagement and includes: (1) Will States Use ESSA [Elementary and Secondary Education Act] to Undermine…

Diverse learners with particular needs require a specialized curriculum that will help them develop socially and intellectually. As educational technologies and theoretical approaches to learning continue to advance, so do the opportunities for exceptional children. "Instructional Strategies in General Education and Putting the Individuals…

Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to…

Recognizing the growth of technology use in early learning settings, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services collaborated in the development of the "Early Learning and Educational Technology Policy Brief" to promote developmentally appropriate use of technology in homes and early learning…

Paul Jablon's "The Synergy of Inquiry" (2014) is well-timed. The 2014 deadline set by No Child Left Behind (NCLB, 2002) for universal student proficiency has come and gone, and according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, "proficiency rates last year were below 50 percent for nearly every racial and ethnic group, in…