Barriers for Girls in STEM Did you know that by middle school, girls' interest in STEM fields plummets by 30% compared to boys [SheHeroes]? Negative stereotypes, lack of representation, and the confidence gap are all factors that contribute to this alarming trend. Addressing the key barriers that girls face in pursuing STEM education
Celebrating Women in STEM fields According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), in 2021, only 27% of bachelor's degrees awarded in STEM fields went to women [https://ncses.nsf.gov/wmpd]. This means that men are awarded over three times the number of STEM bachelor's degrees awarded to women. Celebrating women in STEM
What is Kindergarten Math Assessment? Kindergarten is often the first contact children have with a formal education system, and it’s important for teachers to quickly discover where children stand in their emergent academic career. Children at this age often show a wide variety of academic progress thus far, and many schools use screening
The Hierarchy of Instruction in Math with Let's Go Learn Math competency and 21st-century employment are inextricably linked. However, no matter how you slice it, U.S. student scores on NAEP mathematics assessments demonstrate that year-to-year student achievement is faltering. Further, multiple subgroups are impacted by dismal performance. A recent movement using the umbrella
What is a dyslexia screener assessment? A dyslexia screener by definition conditionally identifies students who may have reading difficulties or dyslexia. It is important to understand how it does this. Essentially, the screener looks at early reading skills that students are taught in grades K to 2. If student performance indicates that they
What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework created by David H. Rose, Ed.D. of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), that seeks to provide all learners with access to an inclusive learning environment. The guiding principle
One of the most significant special education court cases in several years has been decided by the US Supreme Court this week. The case, Perez vs. Sturgis, clarifies the circumstances in which a disabled student has the right to sue a school district for failing to provide a “Free Appropriate Public Education” (FAPE). Students
During the pandemic, K-12 teachers and staff quit their jobs more than all other US professions, with 2 out of 5 telling a Gallop poll in 2022 that they were burned out. All told, 300,000 teachers quit US schools in just 2 years. What's worse, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) and many
What are IEP accommodations? Individualized Education Plan (IEP) accommodations are an important part of individualizing a student’s education plan. Accommodations are changes made to enable a student to achieve learning in their own way. Unlike modifications, accommodations do not alter the learning expectations, only the manner in which the learning goal is taught.
What is Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)? Cognitive load theory (CLT) is an instructional design principle at the intersection of psychology and education which helps teachers optimize the learning potential of their students. CLT divides the storage in our brains into 2 fundamental buckets, short-term and long-term memory, and helps define instructional procedures and
