The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015) highlighted technology-based personalised learning (PL) as a means of providing equitable learning experiences for all students. Many states have put forward guidance in their ESSA plans to inform professional development (PD) that empowers educators with skills that maximize PL for students. This brief…

The insufficient focus on developing writing instruction in education is a significant problem. Despite the crucial link between writing and reading skills and their impact on academic and life success, there is a notable lack of emphasis on writing in schools. Writing A-Z is a digital-first program that helps teachers establish a writing…

This contribution takes a critical perspective on digital school performance platforms (SPP), which today play a key role in US state education monitoring and accountability. Using examples from two different US state education agencies, I provide an analytical disentanglement of some key dimensions of such platforms' enactment and materiality. I…

Education technology facilitates personalized learning and allows educators to better target instruction based on identified needs. Technology also improves the ability of education researchers to evaluate instructional approaches and interventions and provides policymakers information to aid in decision making. A majority of parents support the…

Digital inequity has been a long-standing issue in the education community. A lack of home internet and technology devices can not only hinder students' ability to access educational resources at home, but can also have a detrimental effect on student achievement. Education agencies have taken steps over the past decades to address digital…

Drawing upon the results of two nationally representative surveys, this report sums up 10 broad K-12 trends in 10 accompanying charts. The surveys were conducted as educators continued to grapple with the turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the debates that sometimes draw education policies into the culture wars surrounding social and…

The passage of the 2015, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), affords states funding for many new options to address the needs of learners. One of the prominent options is personalized learning (PL). This study sought to determine how states positioned PL in their state plans. This study used a qualitative research design to analyze state ESSA plans…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on many facets of students' successful transitions from secondary into postsecondary education, particularly for students who depend on in-person delivery of content and experience. For many young people, paid work-based learning has historically provided a needed source of income, and its…

There's unprecedented opportunity for state and local educators to invest in digital tools and professional development to transform teaching and learning. Rapidly evolving technology has provided new ways for all students, including those with disabilities to learn and for educators, students, and their families to interact. At the same time, the…

This brief illustrates how digital learning opportunities and technology can significantly increase access to high-quality learning materials, curricula, and effective online learning tools to help youth in secure care settings develop expertise in shaping personalized learning and future goals. The brief also offers takeaways that practitioners,…

This brief provides analysis of federal policy changes needed toward a long-range vision to transform education and ensure our nation's education systems prepare all students with the skills necessary to achieve success, contribute to their communities and advance society. Our policy priorities are intentionally constructed to support…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 offers several opportunities to support rural education by providing states and local districts more flexibility while preserving the critical role of the federal government. ESSA maintains Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), which represents a dedicated stream of exible federal formula funding…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 supports digital learning and the effective use of technology. ESSA eliminates the Enhancing Education through Technology (Ed-Tech) State Program. However, it creates a new Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants program and authorizes up to $1.6 billion annually to provide formula grants to…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires 95% participation in state achievement testing. Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities participate in states' alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). A growing number of these students are also English learners (Christensen et al., 2018).…