Schools across Pennsylvania and around the country are beginning the 2020-2021 school year while COVID-19 remains a threat in widely varying degrees, in different communities, and at different times. Every school that is opening its building to students--part-time or full-time, starting now or later in the school year--needs to contemplate the…

For decades safety has been an integral component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and CTE (career and technical education) instruction. Given today's litigious society, safety in P-12 STEM education and CTE has received greater attention. This in part is the result of the rise in popularity of collaborative learning…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Student Voice for the New School Year." Contents include: (1) LGBTQ+ Inclusive…

The urgency of immigration policy in the lives of immigrant students and families and educators is more evident than ever; however, education theories and educators' practices are not keeping pace with this lived reality. We draw on scholarship that examines the lives and educational experiences of undocumented students and undocumented or…

The recent federal guidance and litigation on transgender students have increased public awareness of the legal rights of transgender students. Title IX regulations have long permitted school districts to segregate male and female students in separate but comparable toilet, shower, and locker room facilities, but the legal issue presented by…

In the current context, barriers to student attendance and engagement have only increased. Schools and districts are encouraged to emphasize a supportive multi-tiered model for supporting student and staff engagement and attendance rather than punitive attendance or truancy policies. Leadership teams will need to be aware of and adjust policy and…

It all started when the author's daughter, also a Madison teacher, called her. "We need to call people to the rally at the Capitol." That Sunday rally in Capitol Square was just the first step in the massive protests against Governor Scott Walker's infamous "budget repair bill." The Madison teachers' union declared a "work…

This document is intended to serve as a practical guide for implementing a teacher-student data link (TSDL) that supports a range of uses at the local, regional, and state levels. The guide addresses the considerations for linking teacher and student data from multiple perspectives, including governance, policies, data components, business rules,…

This case was developed to use in leadership courses with specific implications for school law and supervision of instruction. Varied data are presented about the school and district for students to analyze. School instructional policies of inclusion of special needs students and supervision of teachers play a role in the course of events at…

Three questionnaires designed to measure attitudes regarding homework and the current homework policy in the Belmont Elementary School District are provided. The teachers' survey includes questions related to the district's homework policy (which is included in the instrument), the amount and type of homework they assign, and how they feel about…

This physical education curriculum guide was developed for use in senior high schools in Duval County, Jacksonville, Florida. The guide opens with discussions of the overall goals of the program and the county's specific recommendations and policies in such areas as student evaluation and participation, and uniforms, maintenance, equipment,…

A surprising number of school districts do not have an official policy regarding the teaching of religious music. Teachers should personally take action, working through whatever channels are effective, to encourage local boards to develop quality policies dealing with this issue. (RM)

School professionals, particularly new teachers and principals, are confronted with myriad challenges throughout their day. Recognizing and reporting child maltreatment is one of these challenges. Research suggests that school personnel are in the best position to identify and report maltreatment because they have consistent daily contact with…

A social studies department chairperson describes the case concerning the importance of elementary social studies education that she presented at a school board hearing. As a result of her presentation, the board added 50 minutes to the daily time allotted for intermediate grade social studies instruction. (RM)

This paper offers administrators, teachers, and school boards an introduction to legal issues surrounding teacher dismissal and school desegregation and summarizes a study of all teacher dismissal cases heard from 1970 through 1981 in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Most of the report is devoted to an overview of the historical development of…