Fostering student engagement and motivation is essential for cultivating a positive learning environment. This Spotlight will help with insights into educators' strategies for engagement; learn from one teacher who brings his experience as a minor league baseball mascot to the classroom; explore how podcasts are boosting engagement; examine how…

Hands-on activities help spark student curiosity and deepen understanding for better learning outcomes. This Spotlight will help readers learn more about reducing student ambivalence towards math class; examine proven strategies for reengaging students; examine how coding and social-emotional learning (SEL) can improve engagement and deepen…

This report, the 20th edition of "Technology Counts," examines how schools are tackling tech training for teachers, "passive" vs. "active" use of digital tools, and online learning needs. Contents include: (1) Tracking 20 Years of Change in Ed Tech (Kevin C. Bushweller); (2) Poor Students Face Digital Divide in How…

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 Teaching Quality and includes: (1) Three Critical Areas of Professional Development for Teaching in 21st Century Classrooms (Paula…

Schools experienced a massive expansion of technology over the past few years. They put in place 1-to-1 computing programs, are now using a record number of digital learning tools, and improved the availability of home-internet access for students. It was essentially a "fast-forward" for the evolution of digital learning in schools. But…

The 2016 edition of "Education Week's" long-­running "Technology Counts" report combines in-depth reporting and insight from an original national survey to reveal teachers' confidence levels in ed tech, how teachers approach integrating technology into the classroom, and decision-making behind tech products. Contents include:…

During the past year, teachers have pushed their technology skills to the next level, improving their understanding of how to use learning management systems effectively; integrating digital curricula, online assessments, and interactive games into learning; and upgrading their skills for using modern communication tools such as Zoom. This new…

In May, Congresswoman Judy Chu issued a report entitled: "Strengthening Our Schools: A New Framework and Principles for Revising School Improvement Grants." Rather than the usual limited two-component blueprint framework that focuses only on instruction and management/governance, Representative Chu's report adopts a three-component framework. This…

A strategy used by many principals to gather classroom information and frame that interaction is the classroom "learning walk" or "walk-through." The walk-through can be defined as a brief, structured, nonevaluative classroom observation by the principal that is followed by a conversation between the principal and the teacher…

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 "Culturally Sustaining Schools." Contents include: (1) Texas HB 3979 Will Hurt…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) House Appropriations Subcommittee Sharpens Budget Knife: Subcommittee's Bill Would Cut Education Programs by $1.1…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Moving from Technology Optional to Technology Essential: Alliance President Testifies Before Michigan Senate…

The use of technology in K-12 education is now more widespread than it ever was before the pandemic, and that is the case even though nearly all schools across the country have transitioned back to in-person learning. Record numbers of students now have their own school-issued digital devices, educators have become more critical evaluators of…

As the 2020-21 school year opens amid the COVID-19 pandemic's disruption, this third and final installment of Quality Counts 2020 delivers a data-driven portrait of the nation's school system along with A-F grades and rankings for each state on a wide range of academic, school finance, and socioeconomic indicators. This report also includes an…

K-12 educators do not believe the continued expansion of new technologies into U.S. schools is transforming education. In fact, a new nationally representative survey of 700 teachers conducted by the Education Week Research Center shows that fewer than one-third of America's teachers said ed-tech innovations have changed their beliefs about what…