During the first week of February this year, new CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said there is growing evidence that schools can re-open safely. Not coincidently, her statement came at the same time COVID-19 vaccines were beginning to role out en masse. Some states, like Oregon, put educators in the top Phase of vaccine
You don’t need to consult the myriad statistical reports during COVID-19 to know that most students have suffered a learning loss. And students who entered the pandemic below grade level have of course suffered most. How can teachers and learners recover? First, let’s look at the phrase itself. In a recent article in Ed
As I travel the country and meet with special educators, a few themes always arise. The more often I meet with these men and women, the more my heart breaks. The locations differ, but the story never changes. Special educators are tired, overwhelmed, overworked, under-appreciated, under-supported, fearful to speak up, and quite often
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every facet of the educational enterprise. Arguably, the most negatively affected are those who are most vulnerable: special education students. It has been widely reported that the shuttering of many schools in the spring and fall of 2020 has likely harmed students’ academic performance significantly. In special
This article assumes that you already understand the basic tenets of Response to Intervention (RtI) and will focus on how RtI can be improved and evolved to better meet the needs of students, as well as fit the technologies and conditions in today’s classrooms and districts. If you need a refresher on RtI,
With chestnuts roasting on the fire, and the eyes of tiny tots all aglow, the winter holidays bring a much needed respite from the rigors of school, especially in 2020. But according to the US Department of Education, the holiday break can also result in the “opportunity for significant learning loss.” Learning loss is
While many students navigate their schools’ online learning environments without difficulty, students who receive special education may find the task daunting. Some special needs students have trouble logging into online learning programs, finding their teacher's face on the screen, knowing when to speak and when to listen, or sitting in front of a computer
After speaking to many teachers it’s clear that teachers are trying to make virtual learning work, despite the tremendous challenges. In addition to the usual curriculum tweaks each year, teachers and administrators must contend with a variety of virtual learning challenges, including disparate parent expectations, enrollment challenges, educational equity for all students, internet access
By Richard Capone, Let’s Go Learn, Inc. Standards-based testing in the classroom has been the de facto method for K-12 educational testing. State standards set the target for teachers to teach towards and students to work towards. Administrators use interim assessments, sometimes by the states themselves, or some other benchmark test for quarterly evaluations
As students head back to school this fall, many parents are exploring homeschooling as an alternative to online schooling or as a way to supplement the unique learning situations provided by schools. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all schools are affected in degrees ranging from prohibition of all in-person education to students on campus
