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Education DIVE
With schools across the country shuttered to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the academic year has been turned on its head. No one knows what the impact of the prolonged closures will be, but the data we do have isn't promising. Researchers from Cornell University studied the long-term effects of repeated school closures in Argentina during the 1980s and '90s. Students who lost an average of 88 days of classroom instruction went on to earn less in their 30s and 40s. They were more likely to be unemployed and less likely to be in a skilled profession.
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Chalkbeat
What does summer school look like during a pandemic? Chicago Public Schools, like districts across the country, is still deciding. If public health offices say it's safe, Chicago may hold summer school in its buildings, perhaps in small groups. If that doesn't happen, it could be held virtually.
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Education Week
As states begin to consider what reopening schools might look like, a new analysis of federal data warns that teachers could be more susceptible to severe illness from COVID-19. About 29% of teachers are aged 50 and older, federal data show. Older adults are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 — 92% of deaths related to the disease in the United States were of people aged 55 and older, and that age group also has higher rates of coronavirus-related hospitalizations than younger adults.
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EdSurge
Each week, Ann Vinson ticks off the items one-by-one on the voluminous remote learning checklist her school requires. First, she schedules two class meetings for social interaction, where her 22 second graders read aloud and play games. Next, she plans small-group reading and math sessions. Then she sits on standby for regular office hours before teaching a full two hours synchronously — that is, streaming live to her students — over several sessions on Zoom.
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Education DIVE
Thermal cameras that take students' and staff members' temperatures as they enter a school, flooring with one-way directions and "self-cleaning" windows that use UV light to clean the air inside a room are among the products school operations officials are considering as they begin preparing for schools to re-open — whenever that is. Some operations and plant managers recognize the coronavirus has changed the way they maintain buildings.
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District Administartion Magazine
Presidential elections are usually a great time for school districts to place a tax measure on the ballot. They draw a larger number of younger voters, parents, renters and unaffiliated voters (independents) — typically, just the right voter demographics for education-related referenda. COVID-19, however, has thrown a wrench into things. Given the challenges of the coronavirus and its impact on voter attitudes and opinions regarding the economy and, undoubtedly, new taxes, where does that leave school districts that were charging forward with pre-referendum efforts tied to the November 2020 election? Here are five important action steps to consider as you enter this unknown territory.
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Education Week
While every crisis is different, there is a common reality that shapes recovery: Crises always reveal both strengths and vulnerabilities in individuals and systems. How quickly we respond to bolster those strengths and mitigate those vulnerabilities is critical. As school and district leaders coordinate that response amid academic, physical and financial concerns, they cannot ignore the emotional needs of the students and adults in their school communities.
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Champions is an opportunity to exceed every parent’s expectations of what before and after school can be. Our programs immerse K–6 students in an inquiry-based, whole-child learning environment that supports academic and social-emotional learning. Support your teachers’ goals outside the school day without costing your district’s budget. Learn more
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Education Week
"We're screwed." That's what principal Kristina MacBury is hearing over and over again from her students at Sarah Pyle Academy. Sarah Pyle is a dropout-recovery program in Wilmington, Del., and its students, ages 16 to 21, face a lot of hardships in the best of times: They may be the primary breadwinners in their families. Some have kids of their own; others are taking care of sick parents. Many are homeless.
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THE Journal
While nobody can predict the future in a time of COVID-19, there's a big possibility that schools will have to continue delivering education remotely for two big reasons: either because shelter-in-place orders will still be in effect or will be re-activated by states in the fall; or because children from some families with vulnerable members won't be able to head off to the physical campus each day only to return home carrying whatever new germs they've picked up along the way.
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District Administartion Magazine
President Donald Trump has suggested that schools should resume in-person classes before fall, and some governors seem willing to comply in some form or another. While the question of when is still being debated, the bigger challenge is how. School districts across the country are already busy brainstorming about what the new classroom will look like and addressing logistical issues such as class size, cafeteria alternatives, and spacing of student desks. Signs will likely be posted throughout classrooms and hallways reminding students and teachers of the need to social distance, wash their hands regularly, and avoid touching their faces. But these changes only address the physical obstacles of restarting classrooms.
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Move This World
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Fast Company
If you're a top-level business manager, admitting that you don't know something can be difficult. After all, anyone who has clambered to the top of the corporate food chain is expected to exude certainty and self-confidence. In short, you're supposed to be the person with all the answers.
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Entrepreneur
Though remote work has risen steadily in recent years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, full-time work from home is still a surprisingly new concept for more than two-thirds of Americans. And managing a staff virtually calls for a modified mindset, perhaps more than many leaders understand or appreciate, especially during a global pandemic. Here are three ways leaders can emotionally support employees during this difficult time.
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Inc.
The emotional labor of being a leader and manager is multiplying right now. Your entire team is navigating unprecedented waters. Working remotely is hard. Everything from grocery shopping to at-home schooling brings new stress that just keeps compounding. Yet there's still work to be done. As a leader, how do you support your team while still moving work forward? An extensive guide from First Round Capital offers practical tips leaders can try to practice emotional intelligence during this unprecedented time.
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By Patrick Gleeson (commentary)
 This article compares the two major-party presidential candidates' policies on a single issue: charter schools. Wherever possible, I've limited my sources to the candidates' firsthand policy statements or to nonpartisan sources. Where it's useful to provide a partisan point of view on a particular issue, I've carefully identified it. Both candidates' statements are rich in aspirational goals and less forthcoming about where the funding will come from. Here's what the two candidates have said about this important education issue.
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Education Week
Dozens of groups sent a new request to Congress, calling for at least $250 billion in new federal aid for K-12 schools and higher education, as part of a broader push to shore up state and local government funding. The request for schools also says congressional relief should focus on students from low-income households and special education, as well as efforts to help students connect to the internet. And the groups say it should support key programs under laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act.
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Chalkbeat
Private schools are set to receive more support than they expected from the federal coronavirus relief package, while high-poverty school districts are set to receive less, thanks to guidance put out by Betsy DeVos's federal education department. The move will be a boon to private schools, many of which are likely facing their own fiscal challenges because of the pandemic. But it already has public school advocates up in arms, arguing that it will funnel precious resources to wealthy private schools while districts struggle to provide computers and free meals.
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By Bambi Majumdar (commentary)
 The COVID-19 pandemic meant that schools in the U.S. and all around the world had to switch to digital learning. As schools, teachers, and students rapidly acclimatized themselves to this new version of school, a new threat emerged: cybersecurity breaches. Two school districts in the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland and Berkeley, suffered recent cybersecurity breaches, and student privacy was severely compromised. Reports of such breaches of student privacy and digital security are surfacing across the country.
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Edutopia
Using technology in the classroom is challenging. Take the same devices and implement home learning, and we're talking about a big problem (though the schools and teachers who are unable to send school devices home have it even tougher). And trying to get iPads and MacBooks, Chromebooks, Windows PCs and Amazon Fires all to communicate with each other is no small task even for a tech department.
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EdTech Magazine
Hamilton County (Tenn.) Schools has put their 3D printers to work in recent weeks in support of frontline COVID-19 responders. At the outset of the crisis, the district rounded up its digital fabrication resources in a single lab and has since digitally printed nearly 4,500 headbands to secure face shields for healthcare workers. "We want to educate future leaders who can be thoughtful and can work together to solve real-world problems. This is a great example of that," says Jill Levine, the district's chief of innovation and choice.
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School shut down? Looking to expand your teachers' professional learning? IRIS can help. Supported by the U.S. Department of Education, we offer free online PD, covering behavior management, differentiated instruction, accommodations for students with disabilities and more, to increase your teachers' knowledge of evidence-based
practices:
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/pd-hours/
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THE Journal
A new report is out to help teachers and school leaders understand how artificial intelligence can change education. "Artificial Intelligence in K-12," prepared by the Consortium for School Networking, examines how the technology can augment what educators do to help students get "personalized instruction at scale" while also introducing "new challenges and considerations." The project was supported by Microsoft and CoSN's memorial fund, the Charles Blaschke Fund.
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Tech&Learning
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced every school across the country to quickly pivot into a remote learning experience for their students, the effort was mostly clunky at best. This shift for many school districts highlighted some glaring areas of need when it came to communication, delivery of learning, and equity. With some areas of the country loosening stay-at-home restrictions in the next few weeks, it's possible that many schools will reopen in the fall. But what does it mean to "re-open?"
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Edutopia
Less than a decade ago, three school districts on opposite sides of the country placed big bets on technology. They invested heavily in infrastructure, created extensive online curricula and funded connectivity initiatives so students could have 24/7 access to lessons. Recognizing that technology would not magically solve all of their problems, they did what so many districts fail to do, spending the time and money to train teachers to blend technology into their practice in ways that prioritized both human connection and academic rigor.
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By John Baker (commentary)
 Working from home can be challenging in and of itself. WFH with kids calls for Herculean levels of mental — and, at times, physical — fortitude. We totally get it. Family comes first. This, however, doesn't erase the fact that we still need to get stuff done. The way we go about balancing all of it becomes a decidedly intricate task. Fortunately, we have the world at our fingertips and the well of resources to draw from is vast.
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EdSurge
As university professors and researchers who work closely with K-12 online teachers and learners, we've heard from many newly remote educators who are struggling. Recent class discussions have focused on the difficulties of getting through to students without in-person contact, especially during a time of enormous stress. Some teachers report that their students lack interest and in the worst cases, that students are dropping from classes entirely.
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Fox Business
As the coronavirus pandemic radically alters the way of life Americans had before this year, special education faces a unique challenge. Schools specializing in the field are struggling to meet the needs of students who, in addition to regular classroom instruction, often require physical, speech and occupational therapy.
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By Brian Stack (commentary)
 Remote learning is not a new concept in education. For many years, it went by the terms "distance" or "correspondence" learning. With the increase of online technology options at the turn of the millennium, the terms "virtual" and "online" learning became more prevalent. Over the years, some students have thrived in these environments while others have not. My own 14-year-old son Brady is a great example. This past summer, he opted to take an online class at VLACS, an online school in New Hampshire.
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Education DIVE
Curriculum designers must create lessons that support all students and address learning needs that differ among a school, classroom or community. That's without a doubt a challenge: One child, for example, may be an auditory learner while another is more visual. Some may need more time to complete tasks while others may do better with fewer distractions.
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EdTech Magazine
For school districts implementing e-Learning plans, a key concern is ensuring equity and access to learning materials for all students. Some students may not have access to the devices needed to complete e-Learning activities, while others may not be able to connect to the internet from home. There's also the question of whether students have at-home support to guide them through technical difficulties, and whether the tools their district is using for remote learning meet their individual learning needs.
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Tech&Learning (commentary)
Carl Hooker, a contributor for Tech & Learning, writes: "Have you ever heard a song and not quite understood the lyrics? A couple of years ago I watched Tom Murray from Future Ready Schools give a keynote on the importance of communication. During his talk, he played some famous songs with misheard lyrics. Songs with lyrics like 'We built this city on sausage rolls' from Jefferson Starship, or 'Sweet dreams are made of cheese' by the Eurythmics are just a few examples of times when we might hear something different than what is being actually said."
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District Administration Magazine
Social-emotional learning supports will be key when schools reopen because students will return with varying degrees of anxiety and stress. Right now, most students are missing out on critical activities and connections with friends and educators. Teachers, therefore, may see more emotional and behavioral outbursts in their classrooms, said Katie Rosanbalm, a senior research scientist at the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy.
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eSchool News
Today's educators are preparing students for jobs of the future — jobs that don't necessarily exist today — and a Google Education report takes a look at the K-12 classroom trends driving learning. Even though students across the globe are learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, these trends translate to virtual classroom trends as students direct their own learning and collaborate in new ways.
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We Are Teachers
Math students often ask "But when will I use this in real life?" Gathering data and creating maps both have a lot of real-world applications, so these are key skills for kids to understand. Help them master bar graphs, line graphs, scatter plots, pie charts and more with these fun and creative graphing activities.
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EdSurge
You've probably heard of the 10,000 hour rule, which was popularized by Malcolm Gladwell's blockbuster book "Outliers." As Gladwell tells it, the rule goes like this: it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery of complex skills and materials, like playing the violin or getting as good as Bill Gates at computer programming.
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The Hechinger Report (commentary)
Jill Barshay, a contributor for The Hechinger Report, writes: "Education is a complicated, fragile process, affected by many factors outside of school from nutrition to health to family. Seemingly unrelated factors can impede a child's ability to learn. Even air pollution and rising temperatures affect learning, scientists are documenting. Now I've come across a new study about how increased immigration enforcement has harmed Latino math performance in many U.S. cities, suggesting that arrests and deportations are disrupting the routines of many more children than just the immediate families of undocumented residents."
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NPR
When Jessyka Bagdon set out to move her tap dancing classes online, big questions started popping up right away: What about kids who don't own their own tap shoes? How to tap dance at home without ruining the floor? And then came the really big challenge: Online programs like Zoom are designed for meetings, not dance classes. "They're made to pick up voices," she explains, not the clickety clack of tap-dancing shoes. "So how do we make the system not filter out our tap sounds as background noise?"
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Language Magazine
According to UNESCO, 200 million students have gone back to school in the last two weeks, as schools reopen progressively across the globe. As of mid-April, 1.5 billion children and youth were affected by school closures in 195 countries, from pre-primary to higher education. While this figure is dropping, 1.3 billion learners in 186 countries are still unable to attend school. Of the 195 countries that had closed schools in April, 128 have yet to announce plans for their reopening.
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NAESP
Kevin Armstrong, executive principal of DuPont Hadley Middle School in Old Hickory, Tennessee, believes in the power of his students to make a difference through ownership. He puts this belief into action by giving students (some) control over the school's restorative practices with what’s called Youth Court.
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NAESP
As schools seek to incorporate technology into classrooms and build students' digital literacy, choosing among the many available education technology ("edtech") products can be overwhelming. And educators and administrators hoping to design "Powerful Learning" experiences want to make thoughtful, purposeful decisions about integrating edtech tools.
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