Our nation has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to providing every child with an equal opportunity to an education. Two Federal laws that address the education for children with disabilities are the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), signed into law in 1965 and 1975,…

This book is principally written for entry-level student affairs and non-profit staff who develop and facilitate social justice education workshops and structured conversations, as well as for student peer educators who are often employed to assist in the facilitation of such workshops for their peers. It is suitable for anyone starting out to do…

This tool is intended to help educators reflect on the ways they are or are not facilitating the integration of social-emotional learning through the mindsets, actions, and instructional practices that they bring to the work. Through reflection statements and accompanying sample indicators, practitioners are able to take stock of the ways in which…

The "Leading Trauma-Sensitive Schools" online module is designed for school and district administrators and other school staff helping to lead efforts to adopt a trauma-sensitive approach schoolwide. The module and companion action guide outline a multi-phased process for adopting a trauma-sensitive approach, including how and when to…

This companion guide is intended to be used in conjunction with the Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) Integration Approach School Leader and Educator Self-Reflection Tools. This companion guide focuses on the following area of reflection: Examine the ways in which practitioners' identities, mindsets, emotions, and actions encourage or inhibit an…

This tool is intended to help leaders reflect on the ways they are/are not facilitating the integration of social-emotional learning through both their individual actions and the systems and structures they work to create and uphold. Through reflection statements and accompanying sample indicators, practitioners are able to take stock of the ways…

School readiness occurs within a broad context that includes the four components of community, educational environment, family and the individual child. These four components function as interdependent systems of support that have multidirectional influences. Early childhood experiences, from birth through age 8, are necessary for school success…

In October 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education in Kansas. The Kansans CAN Vision - "Kansas leads the world in the success of each student" - became the branded theme for Kansas education. This initiative motivated the creation of this document. Kindergarten Readiness is one of five Kansas State…

To be more responsive to students' needs, many local education agencies (LEAs) are creating extended and summer learning opportunities to facilitate learning acceleration. Many LEAs elected to leverage federal funds to create opportunities that increase the time students spend engaged in safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments,…

This book is a road map for teachers and school leaders who need to meet the needs of increasing numbers of Newcomers and other English Learners (ELs). Authors Margarita Espino Calderón and Shawn Slakk draw from years of experience in working with, listening to, and coaching administrators, teachers, and coaches nationwide to help you develop and…

The AEM Navigator facilitates the process of decision-making around accessible formats of educational materials for individual students. It assists teams in making informed, accurate, and multi-step decisions related to determining a student's need for accessible formats, selecting the format(s) needed, acquiring materials, and determining the…

This companion guide is intended to be used in conjunction with the Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) Integration Approach School Leader and Educator Self-Reflection Tools. This companion guide focuses on the following area of reflection: Teach vocabulary, skills, and strategies related to SEL in explicit ways that involve input from and…

The "Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools" online module is intended for all school personnel, including administrators, instructional staff, and non-instructional staff. The module familiarizes school staff with the concept of trauma sensitivity and includes examples of trauma-sensitive strategies that can be employed schoolwide.…

This Handout Packet includes all of the downloadable resources found throughout the Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools online module. Each of these handouts is available for individual download as staff work through the module together during professional development events. Most handouts are relevant to all school staff and two handouts are…

Just because a classroom is noisy or the teacher isn't always lecturing doesn't mean the kids aren't learning. Quite the opposite. The idea is to push students to think differently, to apply what they know, and to create new ideas, instead of just receiving information. That's difficult to see, but easy to elicit with a few key questions. This…