eSchool News

Key points: Even strong defenses can still be penetrated by a determined adversary Will schools answer the Canvas breach’s wake-up call? Why digital resilience is critical for U.S. K-12 schools For more news on cyber resilience, visit eSN’s IT Leadership hub Cyber resilience in education starts at the data layer. That is because the data layer is where schools’ most important information lives and where recovery begins when something goes wrong. It includes the st

Key points: Career-connected learning helps students see school as important Report: The skills gap needs urgent attention Students must develop durable skills to thrive in an AI-dominated world For more news on durable skills, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub Career-connected learning is critical for life-skills development and the middle grades are as important as any other level. While some schools have pivoted to more project-based learning to ensure that students a

Key points: We are facing an adolescent literacy emergency The hidden skill many kids are losing 6 keys to building a high-impact summer reading program For more news on literacy, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub Ameer Baraka knew something was wrong long before anyone gave it a name. Ameer grew up in poverty in Louisiana and had difficulty learning to read, but no one caught it. By third grade, he had already decided he would never amount to anything. By his teenage years

Key points: Reaching out too late means playing catch-up for the rest of the year We can’t punish our way out of the attendance crisis When it comes to absenteeism, the real work begins in summer For more on fighting absenteeism, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub Here is a lesson for you: If you wait until the first day of school to address attendance, you’ve already lost the battle.  For the students who struggle the most, summer isn’t just a brea

Key points: Engagement is something teachers build into lessons to reach students With students tuning out, it’s time to rethink the classroom This district’s STEM “space station” is a growing YouTube hit For more on student engagement, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub On Valentine’s Day, my fifth graders broke up with King George III. They wrote him letters, real ones, with reasons, and to do it well, they had to go back into their textbooks and dig up the evidence.

Key points: A successful summer program can’t focus solely on assessment scores 5 ways to make reading click for teens Why schools and public libraries must unite–in summer and all year long For more news on summer literacy, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub In 2023, Bob Bolduc, the founder of Hope for Youth and Families, identified a gap in our student’s reading success here in Springfield, Massachusetts. He sought to identify a solution that would specifically support middle

Key points: Students are constantly evaluating what deserves their attention Room to grow: Creating a classroom built for success Research highlights the importance, challenges of K-12 student engagement For more news on student disengagement, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub Across classrooms right now, many educators are noticing the same shift: Students are even harder to reach than they were just a short time ago. In a recent survey, teachers pointed to rising disen

This piece originally ran on LinkedIn and is republished here with permission. Key points: It’s critical for districts to examine what kind of teacher training they’re buying Tips, tools, and truths: Making PD meaningful in today’s classrooms A new PLC model that builds collective efficacy and fights teacher burnout For more on teacher development, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub “Maybe we have too much teacher training.” That headline is a sentence I never thought I’d

Key points: Schools and districts are looking for leaders who demonstrate both knowledge and impact Data alone doesn’t determine success–leaders who know how to use it do Sustainable change starts with educator voice For more news on school leadership growth, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub There is a period in the school leadership journey that we do not talk about enough: the time between earning an administrative license and actually becoming a school leader. For some,

Key points: Research shows that deep reading engages critical parts of the brain Why rigor and efficiency matter in early reading From fragmentation to fidelity: How this district built a literacy system that works For more news on literacy and the brain, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub Once upon a time. For generations, those four words were an invitation. Children leaned in because a story was beginning. They would listen closely, follow the characters, and stay w

Key points: Disengagement can start before the first day When it comes to absenteeism, the real work begins in summer Data alone doesn’t determine success–leaders who know how to use it do For more on school communications, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub It’s easy to connect with the families who show up in September already invested: responding to messages, attending events, kids showing up on time. In most cases, building that investment started months or years e

Key points: Starting a PBL unit opens a world of possibilities for students 4 ways to turn math fears into math cheers The key to boosting math achievement? Neuroscience For more on PBL, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub Building a strong foundation in math during elementary and middle school is essential for success in the later grades. Because each concept builds on the last, students must truly grasp the material before moving forward. The key to that deeper understanding i

Key points: The people closest to the classroom should be at the front of purchasing How librarians can make the case for increased funding Sustainable change starts with educator voice For more on educators and agency, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub American schools spent roughly $30 billion on educational technology in 2024–a figure that’s projected to nearly double by 2033. Superintendents are constantly bombarded with emails, brochures, and demos fr

Key points: We should use AI in ways that strengthen instruction without weakening connections between teachers and students In Illinois, charting a path for responsible AI use How districts can build a shared AI structure For more news on AI use, visit eSN’s Digital Learning hub As I wrapped up my student conferences, one conversation stuck with me. Steven had barely touched his final project for our computer science course, a virtual simulation of a piano, despite showin

Key points: Districts cannot prevent every breach, but they can ensure their impact is less damaging Why digital resilience is critical for U.S. K-12 schools Resilient learning begins with Zero Trust and cyber preparedness For more news on network security, visit eSN’s IT Leadership hub The recent Instructure/Canvas breach should be a wake-up call for every school and university relying on third-party platforms to power teaching and learning. Education’s attack surface is no

Key points: Actionable data helps districts turn information into impact Sustainable change starts with educator voice What higher ed can do about getting research into the K-12 classroom For more on data and school leaders, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership hub Educators often see recommendations, dashboards, and strategic plans labeled as “data-backed,” as if the numbers themselves drive outcomes. The truth is that data alone cannot make decisions or explain why students stru

Key points: District leaders must change the language they use when it comes to AI In Illinois, charting a path for responsible AI use How AI helps teachers spend more time on impactful instruction For more on AI in districts, visit eSN’s Digital Learning hub In the second week of January, a senior mathematics teacher with 22 years in the classroom raised a hand at the end of a staff meeting and asked a question that changed the way I now design AI literacy work for entire

Key points: Teacher-led design drives relevance Why early STEAM education unlocks the future for all learners How teachers and administrators can overcome resistance to NGSS For more news on STEM curriculum visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub A fictional space station orbiting the moon is turning into a real-world digital success story. Spacegate Station, a STEM series created in 2022 by Duval County Public School (DCPS) to support daily instruction, has unexpectedly taken off o

Key points: Technology is not the problem, but must be managed within the learning environment New CoSN report underscores importance of intentional, reliable edtech use How educators are shaping the future of edtech For more news on student devices, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub Across the country, educators, parents, and policymakers are struggling with a question that schools can no longer afford to avoid: What role should cell phones play in today’s classrooms?

Key points: It’s time to encourage and celebrate student creativity The 4 keys to creating meaningful student-led inquiry How educators are shaping the future of edtech For more news on student creativity, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching hub When my daughter was little, every time we climbed into the car, she’d look up and ask, “Are we going to take the low way?” It took me embarrassingly long to realize what she meant. To her, the “highway” was a place where we g