Category: Current News

It’s summer, so school and learning news slows down a bit. So I’m going to try a new posting on Thursday called “A Little About a Lot.” The topics won’t necessarily be generated by what’s in the news, like Friday’s “News Roundup.” Instead, the stories will be about conversations or events that caught my attention…

It’s Friday. Time for the Roundup. Des Moines Names Ex-Olympian as Superintendent – First Person of Color to Lead District (The Des Moines Register) The Des Moines Public Schools is no different than thousands of traditional school districts out there, trying to find the “silver bullet”, as in a superintendent that can transform the district…

It’s Friday! Time for the Roundup. Most Students Don’t Have Connections to Their Teachers, Survey Finds (EducationWeek) According to EducationWeek online this week, “Student perception of teacher connection has declined over time to a new low in the current school year, after a brief increase in spring 2020, according to a new survey from YouthTruth,…

It’s Friday! Happy Cinco de Mayo! Here’s your news roundup. 40 Years After “A Nation at Risk,” Experts Talk About State of America’s Schools (The 74) While away, the nation celebrated the 40th anniversary of “A Nation at Risk,” a report released in 1983 that warned America of an impending crisis unless we fixed our…

Lately, I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend from the educational news feeds I follow daily. Most of the K-12 educational news reported isn’t related to how we get kids smarter and stronger at all. I was ready to report on the following news this week: “Vermont Parents Upset Over Lack of Access to Standardized Test…

It’s Friday, so it’s time for the News Roundup. Des Moines School Board Approves Doubling Security Spending as Part of $610 Million Budget (The Des Moines Register) The Des Moines Public Schools have experienced three shooting deaths since March of 2022, so their school board has decided to double security spending for the upcoming budget…

Teacher Pay, School Choice, Literacy: Top Priorities for 44 Governors in 2023 (The 74) The 74 recently reported that a majority of the country’s governors are focusing on teacher pay, school choice, and improved literacy as their states debate how money will be spent within public education. If the past is any indicator of what…

It’s Friday. Time for the News Roundup. Some Ideas for Using ChatGPT in Middle and High School Classes (Edutopia) Seems like everyone is criticizing ChatGPT these days. School districts have banned its use in classrooms. Users of the AI writing program have been labeled cheaters. But, according to Edutopia, there are important skills writers can…

It’s Friday. Time for the Roundup. How Indianapolis High Schools Are Using ‘Badges’ to Help Students Demonstrate Skills – and Land Jobs (The 74) The 74 reported this week that, “Indianapolis high school principal Stacey Brewer faces a challenge schools nationwide share as they struggle to connect their students to jobs: Teaching the ‘soft skills’…

Here’s your Friday News Roundup! Lots of news – let’s get to it. Studies Show ChatGPT Cheating is on the Rise Among Students – young and old – as Teachers Remain Divided on Bans (Insider) According to Insider online, “A new survey from Study.com, an online education resource, found recently that just over one in…