Do students perceive their teachers and schools more positively when more of their teachers look like them?

The Education Research Alliance for New Orleans has released a new study, based on a survey of almost 4,000 students, that finds Black students in New Orleans report more positive educational experiences, including less bullying and fairer discipline, in schools with a higher percentage of Black teachers. Ninety percent of children in New Orleans public Read more about Do students perceive their teachers and schools more positively when more of their teachers look like them?[…]

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Emerging Insights on Advancing SEL as a Lever for Equity and Excellence

A new report from CASEL, Advancing Social and Emotional Learning as a Lever for Equity and Excellence, calls on researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to work hand in hand to further our collective understanding of how systemic SEL can contribute to more just, caring schools and communities where all individuals can thrive. As the pandemic and Read more about Emerging Insights on Advancing SEL as a Lever for Equity and Excellence[…]

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Promising Results for an Early-College Program

Writing for Inside Higher Ed, Madeline St. Amour reviews the Massachusetts early college program, which is turning out to be one of the strongest solutions to the state’s equity gap. Excerpts from the piece appear below: An early-college program targeted at underrepresented students in Massachusetts is showing strong results — even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about Promising Results for an Early-College Program[…]

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Many Students with the Potential to Excel in STEM Fields Struggle in School

Writing for the Fordham Institute, Joni Lakin and Jonathan Wai review the struggles that visual learners encounter in traditional schooling and outline the loss to the STEM field when these students decide STEM is not for them. Excerpts of the piece appear below: Students who have the kinds of talent scientists and engineers need to Read more about Many Students with the Potential to Excel in STEM Fields Struggle in School[…]

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The “Gifted Gap” Was Already Growing Before the Pandemic

Writing for the Fordham Institute, Chris Yalumaby reviews the “gifted gap” between low- and high-income students and the compounding effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. Excerpts from the piece appear below: The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed the inequities that have long existed in the K-12 education system. School closures due to the outbreak are particularly Read more about The “Gifted Gap” Was Already Growing Before the Pandemic[…]

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Social-Emotional and Academic Development Through an Equity Lens

Ed Trust has released a new report that calls for school and district leaders to approach social-emotional and academic development through an equity lens. Currently, in too many places, the approach is to focus narrowly on changing student behavior rather than implementing practices that build relationships and create learning environments that support positive social-emotional growth. Read more about Social-Emotional and Academic Development Through an Equity Lens[…]

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Digital Promise’s Equity in the Driver’s Seat

Writing for Digital Promise, Babe Liberman and Viki Young, Ph.D., explore a practice-driven, equity-centered approach for setting R&D agendas in education. The project invited teachers to collaborate with researchers, funders, and education leaders to develop these equity-focused agendas.  The report presents illustrative examples of R&D agendas based on the driving questions that district partners raised Read more about Digital Promise’s Equity in the Driver’s Seat[…]

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Do Programs for Advanced Learners Work?

Writing for the Fordham Foundation, Jonathan Plucker reviews the research on programs for advanced learners. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Advanced learning programs are effective, and we have reams of research to support that conclusion. What follows is a rough summary of intervention research, listed from more to less evidence of effectiveness. For the Read more about Do Programs for Advanced Learners Work?[…]

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New Program Gives Low-Income HS Students College Credit and a Pathway to Higher Ed

Writing for The 74, Phyllis Jordan explains a new program that is bringing college-level coursework into Title I schools. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Leaders at selective colleges and universities often say they want to recruit high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds – but can’t find them. A new program that brings college coursework into Read more about New Program Gives Low-Income HS Students College Credit and a Pathway to Higher Ed[…]

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10 Questions for Equity Advocates to Ask About Distance Learning

Many states are leaving decisions about how to continue instruction during school closures up to districts. Digital Promise and The Education Trust have partnered to compile the following questions to guide equity advocates and district leaders as they engage in conversations to ensure that our most vulnerable students have equitable access to distance learning, both Read more about 10 Questions for Equity Advocates to Ask About Distance Learning[…]

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Transforming Virtual Systems for Students with Disabilities

Two searchable databases include valuable information on meeting the varied needs of students through distance learning. WestEd’s National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) is a helpful compilation of relevant guidance and resources related to distance learning, policy, and support for children and youth with disabilities. Among many resources, you will find: Distance Learning for Students Read more about Transforming Virtual Systems for Students with Disabilities[…]

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Low-Hanging Fruit: How Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Coursework is Leveling the Playing Field

PIE Network members in Colorado, North Carolina, and Washington State recently shared details about automatic enrollment policies (also known as academic acceleration), which ensure that students with qualifying test scores in a particular subject are automatically enrolled in advanced coursework in the same subject area. As a result, more students who have proven they’re ready Read more about Low-Hanging Fruit: How Automatic Enrollment in Advanced Coursework is Leveling the Playing Field[…]

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The Role of Advanced Placement in Bridging Excellence Gaps

Writing for the Fordham Institute, Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Andrew Scanlan recently reviewed their research on the role of advanced placement courses in narrowing achievement gaps. Excerpts from the piece appear below:  This report presents key findings from Learning in the Fast Lane: The Past, Present, and Future of Advanced Placement, a book by Read more about The Role of Advanced Placement in Bridging Excellence Gaps[…]

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Equity Maps App Tracks Student Discussions for Better Understanding of Dialogue Skills

Writing for The 74, author Tim Newcomb reviews a new iPad app that tracks student discussions to facilitate student growth of dialogue skills, including conversation flow and inclusion. Excerpts of the piece appear below: Educators can think of the iPad app Equity Maps as a digital ball of yarn, one that tracks data on in-class Read more about Equity Maps App Tracks Student Discussions for Better Understanding of Dialogue Skills[…]

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Eight lessons we learned from education research in 2019

Writing for Chalkbeat, Matt Barnum has compiled eight lessons the sector has learned from education research in 2019. Excerpts of his piece appear below: Education research is hard to keep up with, and often enough, it’s hard to even understand. It seems like there are more caveats than clear conclusions, findings are “mixed,” and one Read more about Eight lessons we learned from education research in 2019[…]

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Recent Research: Taking Student-Centered Learning and Equity to Scale

Can teaching and learning practices that foster deeper learning among all students-not just the most advantaged-be successfully replicated across large numbers of schools? The answer is an unqualified “yes,” according to the Learning Policy Institute’s recently released study, Deeper Learning Networks: Taking Student-Centered Learning and Equity to Scale. The study examines how three school networks, Read more about Recent Research: Taking Student-Centered Learning and Equity to Scale[…]

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