12.12.23 Listening to teachers to fix the state testing quagmire Across the country, teachers are beginning to plan for instruction after winter break. At some point during the second half of the school year, their calendars are marked “state... Read more
11.16.23 Building strong foundations for early math skills at home One of my daughter Kat’s favorite activities as a toddler was lining up a set of plastic bears that she would “borrow” from her older sister’s toys. They came in four different colors,... Read more
10.24.23 6 things principals can focus on to improve family engagement When I was a school administrator, I thought a lot about family engagement. How could I get more parents and guardians to feel connected to our school and interested in getting involved? How... Read more
9.26.23 Summer programs can be an effective treatment, but districts need to get the “dosage” right The new school year is well underway nationwide, and it’s worth pausing a moment to reflect on the investments school districts made in summer learning. To help students recover from large... Read more
9.19.23 COVID-19 school closures and student achievement: What teachers can do Like I mentioned in an earlier post, recent research on the effects of COVID-19 school closures has revealed that progress toward academic recovery for older kids has been slower than... Read more
8.29.23 COVID-19 school closures effects linger: How school leaders can help The latest NWEA research on the effects of COVID-19 school closures is in: progress toward academic recovery for older kids in particular has been slower than we’d like. Our researchers are... Read more
8.8.23 6 back to school tasks for busy teachers Teachers, in the spirit of Greta Gerwig’s pink summer blockbuster, what kind of back to school Barbie are you? Summer School Barbie: This Barbie never really turns their school-brain off.... Read more
7.11.23 COVID-19 impacts: New data shows older students’ recovery needs attention As our nation’s educators remain hard at work trying to move the needle for students who have not yet rebounded from COVID-19 impacts on schooling, we’re hit with difficult news: older... Read more
6.27.23 Misconceptions preventing innovation and improvement in state assessments The purpose of state assessment systems has been hotly debated over the past 20 years. State assessments are designed to ensure every child has access to an equitable and excellent education,... Read more
5.12.23 State test results must be released more quickly to benefit kids Over the next two months, at least 25 million elementary, middle, and high school students nationwide will sit down for state exams in reading, math, and science. Most caregivers will want... Read more
5.11.23 10 ways I’m putting myself first this summer When I was a new teacher, summer became a “parking lot” of my ideas. During the school year, whenever I would realize an opportunity for growth in myself, I would think, “That’s what... Read more
4.28.23 States must keep the needs of all students in mind as they revamp assessments The pandemic took an extraordinary toll on teaching and learning in US schools; however some groups of students, including those with disabilities, were disproportionately impacted. The negative... Read more