OTHER STORIES

Executive Order Calls for Artificial Intelligence to Be Taught in Schools

EdSurge

How Teachers Can Support Teens With Mental Health Issues

Edutopia

How Religious Public Schools Went From Long Shot to Supreme Court

WPost

Are Early-Reading Laws Changing Teaching Practices?

EdWeek

Proposal to Create Federal Autism Registry Stokes Fear in Advocates

The74

Federal Courts & DEI

States and school districts resisting a U.S. Department of Education ultimatum regarding diversity, equity and inclusion got a temporary reprieve Thursday. Two federal judges — one in New Hampshire and another in the District of Columbia — blocked the department’s ability to withhold federal funding from those that didn’t sign on to its interpretation of non- discrimination laws or agree to end what officials called “impermissible” DEI programs. States and districts are "no longer under the immediate threat" of losing funds if they "continue to offer long-standing lawful programs or don’t sign" the form, said Katrina Feldkamp, assistant counsel at the Legal Defense Fund. The74, Chalkbeat

Grading Special Report

For decades, the value of grades in K-12 schools and the accuracy of high school GPAs in predicting career and college readiness have been debated. The pandemic, with its resulting "grade inflation," has added to the complexity to this ongoing debate. This report examines the key factors shaping school grading policies and educators’ practices, exploring both traditional grading systems and new methods for assessing student knowledge and skills. By reviewing best practices, analyzing the high school- to-college GPA connection, and addressing concerns about grading and assessment, this report aims to advance the conversation on what truly reflects student achievement and why it matters. EdWeek

Math Performance Outliers

In January, the NAEP, known as the Nation’s Report Card, showed that average eighth grade scores in 2024 were below those of 2019 and didn’t budge from 2022, when scores were the lowest in more than 20 years. Amid a grim landscape nationwide for middle school math, Tennessee fared better than most states. In two districts in the state that bucked the national trend — Weakley and the Putnam County School District — educators point to instructional coaches, a dramatic increase in class time devoted to math and teachers systematically using student performance data to inform their teaching and push students to improve. This article describes the positive impact of specific strategies on math learning. Hechinger