Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Missouri Makes the Most of Student Data

Last week, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), in partnership with SAS, launched the Missouri Data Visualization Tool (MO DVT), a web-based application that offers easy-to-use reports and analysis on academic performance, including achievement and growth data aggregated by subject, year, and grade. MO DVT was created in response to stakeholder questions about interpreting and using Missouri Growth Model data.

I was able to get into the weeds with Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven & Dr. John White, VP of SAS Education Visualization and Analytics Solutions (EVAAS) to discuss the genesis and strategic goals of the MO DVT, the integration with Missouri’s broader educational strategies, and how quality data is improving decision-making in Missouri schools.

According to both Margie and John, the tool allows educators to access longitudinal data on student performance, track progress over time, and identify areas for improvement. It provides insights at both individual student and group levels, enabling teachers to tailor instruction to meet diverse student needs. Additionally, it supports decision-making at the policy level by analyzing academic impacts, such as the effectiveness of a four-day school week.…Read More

5 things you need to know about the science of reading

Key points:

While high-quality literacy instruction has remained a cornerstone of education leaders’ priorities, this year, the science of reading has dominated classrooms and discussions around instructional strategies.

In short, according to the National Center on Improving Literacy, the science of reading is “research, over time, from multiple fields of study using methods that confirm and disconfirm theories on how children best learn to read.”…Read More

Phenix City Schools’ Beta Club Members Excel at State Convention, Advancing to Nationals

Phenix City, Ala.— Phenix City Schools have marked a significant achievement at the Alabama State JR/SR Beta Convention, with students securing 51 top placements, a testament to the district’s quality of education and student dedication. The Beta Club, emphasizing leadership and service, saw over 100 members from Phenix City compete and succeed in one of the nation’s largest junior conventions and a highly competitive senior convention.

This accomplishment comes when educational excellence and community service are more important than ever. “Our students have worked tirelessly, and their success at the state convention clearly indicates their hard work, talent, and the strong support system provided by our schools,” Dr. Weber remarked.

The achievement of Phenix City Schools at the Beta Convention is not just a win for the district but a shining example of educational excellence in Alabama. As these students prepare for the national convention, they carry with them the pride and support of the entire state.…Read More

CASE Once Again Endorses Classworks® Special Education Platform

The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) has re-endorsed Classworks® for an additional three years. The CASE Executive Committee designated the award-winning platform as a CASE-endorsed product that delivers high-quality assessment and instructional resources to special education teachers and students.

CASE has recognized Classworks as a tool that “successfully addresses the inherent challenges of special education,” since 2010. This month, CASE re-endorsed Classworks as a top-tier special education resource through 2027. Every three years, the platform undergoes a rigorous evaluation by the CASE Executive Committee. As part of the review process, CASE considers the impact on achievement for special education students as well as any new enhancements. In addition to the tremendous impact Classworks has on special education students, two significant product changes were made:

  • Classworks released a new student experience focused on student ownership over their learning and growth
  • Dyslexia and Dyscalculia indicators were added to the screener assessments

These and several other  new Classworks enhancements answer the imminent need in the marketplace for comprehensive, valid and reliable programs that simplify processes for special education teachers, and provide a more engaging and motivating experience for students. …Read More

Museum of Science, Boston releases equity-oriented engineering curricula

Key points:

Bringing public science learning beyond its onsite exhibits and programs, the Museum of Science, Boston has launched Youth Engineering Solutions (YES), a collection of preK-8 engineering and STEM curricula designed to engage students in authentic, hands-on challenges connected to their lives and communities.

YES draws on more than three decades of research and development by the Museum’s PreK-12 education division, under the leadership of founding director Dr. Christine Cunningham, senior vice president of STEM Learning at the Museum of Science. …Read More

SpringMath by Sourcewell Receives Highest Possible Ratings from National Center on Intensive Intervention

Staples, Minn. — SpringMath, an award winning, complete MTSS solution for math, recently received the highest possible rating for fall classification accuracy in every grade submitted to the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII).

SpringMath author Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden said, “The SpringMath team is proud to once again have our work validated by NCII. We have expanded the number of grades for which we have offered evidence, including middle school, and we now have the highest rated kindergarten screening tool! These ratings offer further evidence of the quality of our assessments, which are novel in this space.”

NCII is the premier site for rating intervention and assessment tools for education. Funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), NCII is comprised of national content and methodological experts who review assessments and interventions. The ratings are designed to evaluate the technical adequacy of screening tools, progress monitoring tools and interventions programs to assist educators in the adoption of tools that address their needs.…Read More

PowerNotes Launches Composer, an AI-Enriched, Semi-Proctored Writing Tool

(CHICAGO) –  PowerNotes, a provider of tools that help students and professionals create high-quality research quickly and efficiently, has added Composer, an advanced, web-based word processor, to its PowerNotes+ platform. The new tool provides a semi-proctored environment for organizing research and writing in an AI-enabled environment.

PowerNotes+ is a reading, research, and writing platform that helps educators and institutions have control and confidence using artificial intelligence (AI)—and addresses questions of intellectual integrity using transparency and evidence, not suspicion. Composer is a new tool that allows PowerNotes+ users to see the full picture of writers’ research and writing, from AI-assisted text to outside sources to original thoughts, all color-coded for easy identification.

“AI is still a new tool, but it’s already incorporated in a lot of spaces,” said Dr. Catina Mitchum, Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Maryland Global Campus. “And it’s constantly changing. Developing the skills to use these tools ethically is an essential part of digital literacy that will carry forward to help them succeed in school and in life.”…Read More

EPS School Specialty Launches as EPS Learning, a Literacy-Focused Company

NASHUA, N.H./PRNewswire-PRWeb/ —  EPS School Specialty, a leading provider of PreK–12 supplemental ELA and math solutions, announces the launch of EPS Learning, a new, standalone company focused on literacy as the springboard to lifelong learning and opportunity. EPS Learning will enable teachers to support PreK–12 students across all tiers of instruction through the EPS Literacy Framework, which includes print and digital solutions anchored in the science of reading.

“Today marks a shift for our team as a burgeoning company that’s deliberate in its focus on high-quality literacy solutions,” said Steven Guttentag, Chief Executive Officer at EPS Learning. “EPS Learning embodies our dedication to combining the best of print and digital resources—empowering educators to meet the diverse needs of today’s striving readers. Our focused efforts and investments will further accelerate the ability of our solutions to support each student’s unique journey toward literacy and beyond. And, this is just the beginning as we’ll soon announce a significant technology enhancement that will further punctuate our commitment to providing our partners with the most effective literacy solutions.”

Schools and districts across the country have seen a  significant decline in their students’ reading achievement and low reading scores have persisted for over 30 years. Learning disruptions resulting from the pandemic exacerbated these challenges, making it more evident than ever that student reading proficiency is in crisis. With mounting pressure on educators and districts to implement high-quality, high-impact, evidence-based reading programs, EPS Learning provides educators with a robust, comprehensive suite of solutions grounded in research.…Read More

Key strategies for education leaders to boost morale

Key points:

In the current educational environment, there seems to be extremely high levels of staff stress, burnout, and generally low morale. In education, where the success of students is intricately linked to the motivation and dedication of faculty and staff to go the extra mile, elevating employees’ well-being is not only a humane thing to do, but a crucial component of improving employee morale.

As a new assistant principal, one of the tasks delegated to me was to manage the staff recognition program. The school had historically recognized one or two faculty for outstanding work at the end of the school year. These faculty were generally nominated by their department chair or one of the assistant principals. There was a need for more widespread recognition.…Read More

VHS Learning Students Continue to Excel Academically with 91% Pass Rate 

Boston – Although  reports reveal that U.S. students’ general academic performance still trails behind pre-pandemic rates, students taking  VHS Learning’s high-quality, teacher-led online classes have maintained a consistent high level of achievement before, during, and after the pandemic. During the 2022-23 academic year, 91% of students who completed their VHS Learning’s online course did so with a passing grade. This is the fourth consecutive year that VHS Learning students have attained an average pass rate of 91%. 

Students who took VHS Learning courses in the summer for credit recovery surpassed last year’s performance. In 2023, those students who previously failed a course and retook it in the summer with VHS Learning had an average pass rate of 80%, up from 75% in 2022. Students must achieve a final grade of 60 or higher to pass their courses.

In the 27 years that VHS Learning has been providing supplemental online high school classes, it has earned a reputation for its high standard of educational quality that keeps schools and students coming back. In the 2022-2023 academic year, VHS Learning had 16,927 course enrollments by students from more than 520 partner schools. Last year, 92% of schools previously utilizing the program continued their participation into the 2022-2023 school year. Further,90% of administrators and 90% of site coordinators who manage the VHS Learning program at their schoolsaid they were satisfied or very satisfied with their school’s VHS Learning experience.…Read More

Most states don’t actually know if teachers are qualified to teach reading

Key points:

  • States are using inadequate elementary reading licensure tests
  • States should transition to stronger tests and test providers should clearly identify weaknesses in tests
  • See related article: Teacher Q&A: Strengthening PD with AI
  • For more news on teacher prep, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership page

Most states (29 states and the District of Columbia) use a weak elementary teacher reading licensure test, meaning that they do not effectively measure teachers’ knowledge of scientifically based reading instruction prior to entering the classroom, according to a new analysis from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).

In fact, one state, Iowa, requires no reading licensure test at all. This shortcoming means that, every year, nearly 100,000 elementary teachers across the country enter classrooms with false assurances that they are ready to teach reading.…Read More