Providing clear guidance to teachers is not a straightforward task for school systems: Teachers get information about what to teach and how to teach from many sources, some of which are beyond the control of school systems. When teachers get different, even conflicting, messages about what and how to teach from various sources, they likely…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

The National Council for the Social Studies affirms the importance of teaching and learning about human rights "from early childhood through advanced education and lifelong learning." Today, as the challenges to human rights and democracy have proliferated across the globe and domestically, NCSS renews and expands that commitment,…

Student absenteeism has been a problem for at least a decade in schools around the country, and school officials report that student attendance rates worsened during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of schools across the country found that 72 percent of public schools had higher teacher absenteeism rates than before the COVID-19 pandemic.…

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented education equity crisis in California. K-12 schools continue to remain closed and it is yet unclear if they will re open in the fall. Similarly, the University of California and California's Community Colleges have not yet announced a systemwide decision, but the California State University's…

This guidance centers around the users of artificial intelligence (AI) in various roles throughout West Virginia PK-12 schools. It is designed to assist individuals such as superintendents, district staff, educators, and support staff in the appropriate and effective use of AI, particularly generative AI technologies, within West Virginia schools.…

The Mastery-Based Learning Collaborative (MBLC) is a demonstration project taking place in 47 schools across Washington to help decision makers understand what quality mastery-based (or competency-based) learning looks like, how long it takes to implement, and what resources are necessary. The schools receive funding, coaching, and professional…

This is meant to support states who find they need additional flexibility beyond the three options listed in the U.S. Department of Education's (ED) February 2021 letter to state chiefs. This rationale accompanies the Assessment Flexibility Guidance (ED614803) posted by the Center for Assessment on March 9, 2021. State leaders should select and…

In "Radical Brown," renowned developmental scholar Margaret Beale Spencer and critical legal analyst Nancy E. Dowd offer a fresh perspective on the "Brown v. Board of Education" decision. Noting that decades of flawed implementation have subverted "Brown's" great promise of educational equality for K-12 public school…

This guidance provides support for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across various roles in West Virginia PK-12 schools, catering to the needs of superintendents, district staff, educators, and support staff. The guidance intends to focus on effectively and safely integrating AI, especially generative AI technologies, in classroom…

A core responsibility of the local education agencies (LEAs) that operate kindergarten-through-12th grade (K-12) schools across the United States is creating safe and secure environments that support effective teaching and learning. To help them meet this obligation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Cybersecurity and…

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented education equity crisis in California. Since mid-March, almost all California schools and colleges have closed in response to the pandemic, requiring education leaders and administrators to stretch their resources to create or improve distance learning plans, support students' basic needs, and…

This guide is designed to help school leaders and educators use restorative approaches to build relationships and address conflict. These practices help facilitate community building and address infractions, enabling students to take responsibility for their actions and repair harm when possible. This report is organized as follows:(1) Part 1:…

In statehouses, school boards, and communities across the US, battles are raging over the direction of education policy--from the standards that are shaping what students learn to how test results are being used to judge a teacher's performance. These battles are being waged against a backdrop of shifting demographics, rapidly developing…