Newsroom

National News: Measuring equity in state ESSA plans

An analysis by the National Urban League, a prominent civil rights group, examined how states are looking out for vulnerable students in their plans to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act. The analysis considers how plans handle the performance of subgroups of students, including English-learners, students in special education, racial minorities, and poor students… More

New study pushes PA to embrace trauma-informed education

Research suggests that about half of the county’s children experience at least one traumatic event before the age of 17. These adverse childhood experiences — known as ACES — include experiencing or witnessing violence; living in poverty; or having a parent go to jail… More

How are schools prioritizing mental health?

The mass-shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, and schools around the nation last year ignited a debate on mental health and the need to prevent young people from slipping through the cracks. Local school district efforts are designed to do just that… More

Philadelphia superintendent on leading through a financial crisis and raising expectations for students

Education Week spoke with William Hite earlier this month about his tenure, continuing challenges the district faces, bright spots, and advice for other urban district leaders confronting conditions like the ones he encountered when he first arrived in Philadelphia. Education Week, April 1, 2019 (Subscription may be required… More

National News: Here’s how seven states are faring in the battle over school funding

At the beginning of this year, the National Conference of State Legislatures predicted there was a chance that more than half of states could finally overhaul the antiquated — and, advocates say, often inequitable — formulas that have been dictating their K-12 funding for years… More

School officials and resource officers need to guard against criminalizing student behavior

School resource officers handle incidents of drug and alcohol use among students, threats of violence and vandalism. The best of them also serve as mentors to students, offering words of caution and encouragement… More

National News: States hunt for evidence to underpin school turnaround efforts

Next school year, school leaders across the country will begin improvement efforts. And, thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act, they'll largely be able to chart their own turnaround course — as long as at least part of their plan is backed by evidence… More

National News: More education studies look at cost effectiveness

What's more important to a superintendent: a math program shown to give a bigger boost to students' math skills in the next two years or one that gives a smaller improvement but fits the district's budget for five years? Questions like that have become more common as school leaders grapple with years of shrinking budgets… More

Bill seeks to help homebound students take part in the classroom

The state Senate is advancing legislation to help Pennsylvania school districts pay for accommodations for students who are homebound due to a serious injury or illness, such as cancer… More

House passes Rep. Mike Doyle’s bill reviving Obama-era net neutrality rules

The U.S. House voted on Wednesday to approve legislation that would reinstate Obama-era net neutrality rules that prevent internet service providers from meddling with web traffic. In 2017, the Federal Communications Commission voted to toss out the net neutrality rules put that barred broadband providers from blocking some websites or charging for some content… More