New report examines how K-12 teachers engage students in foundational reading skills

Significant portions of English language arts (ELA) teachers across grade spans — including at the secondary level — reported frequently engaging their students in foundational reading skills, according to a RAND report released April 30. Foundational reading skills involve how students learn to associate sounds […]

Parental attitudes toward attendance may be a factor in difficulties reducing chronic absenteeism

Ensuring families understand the importance of regular attendance may be just as critical as addressing other underlying causes to high rates of chronic absenteeism, according to researchers. In a March 26 brief for the Brookings Institution, researchers at the University of Southern California found that […]

Survey of college and career prep shows gaps persist along poverty lines, school size

A majority of public high schools say they do a “good,” “very good” or “excellent” job preparing students for college (77 percent) and the workforce (86 percent), according to data released March 19 from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center within […]

New briefs detail best and worst practices in serving English learners and immigrant-origin students

Two recently updated briefs from Results for America and the Annenberg Institute at Brown University highlight proven practices local educational agencies can use to engage English learners and immigrant-origin students — a term that encompasses both the first- and second-generation youth — to help them […]

Los Angeles USD’s Black Student Achievement Plan aims to narrow gaps in access, support

Aiming to address a persistent achievement gap experienced by Black students and other student groups, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education adopted the Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) in February 2021. The initiative provides additional funding to identified schools to provide social-emotional […]

Federal edtech plan serves as a call to action for closing digital divides

The U.S. Department of Education recently published its 2024 National Educational Technology Plan, A Call to Action for Closing the Digital Access, Design and Use Divides.. The plan, which was first released in 1994 and most recently updated in 2016, frames the three divides the […]

LEAs are working together to better support African American youth

The African American Student Success Network — a collaborative effort between the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) — initiated a professional learning network in 2017 to address disparities faced by African American students […]

What LEAs can do to support foster youth and prepare them for the future

A new report details the significant overhaul needed across sectors to better support and prepare those exiting the foster care system as they transition into adulthood — and schools can play an important role in reinforcing this work. Released Jan. 24 by the Institute for […]