Key points:

• The jump in racial gaps caused by top referrers is largely driven by referrals issued for more subjective reasons
• Repeated disciplinary actions can hurt student engagement, achievement, and long-run success
• See related article: Addressing the digital divide’s effects on education and the workforce

The top 5 percent of teachers most likely to refer students to the principal’s office for disciplinary action do so at such an outsized rate that they effectively double the racial gaps in such referrals, according to new research from the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

These gaps are mainly driven by higher numbers of office discipline referrals (ODRs) issued for Black and Hispanic students, compared to White students. The study, published in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of AERA, was conducted by Jing Liu at the University of Maryland, College Park, Emily K. Penner at the University of California, Irvine, and Wenjing Gao at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Based on highly detailed school data, this first-of-its-kind study documents teachers’ use of ODRs and examines the role referrals play in racial disparities in exclusionary school discipline. Office referrals are typically the first formal step in the discipline process and precede the potential use of further formal consequences, including suspension. The authors drew on data from the 2016–2017 to 2019–2020 school years involving more than 2,900 teachers and 79,000 students in grades K–12 in 101 schools in a large, diverse urban district in California.

“We were really surprised to find this small group of teachers engaged in extensive referring and how big an impact they had on expanding racial disparities,” said Jing Liu, an assistant professor in education policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. “The positive takeaway was that the group of top referrers in our study represented a relatively manageable number of educators, who could be targeted with interventions and other supports.”

Key points:

• Black male teachers are desperately needed in U.S. schools
• Getting more Black teachers–and Black male teachers–means suggesting education career paths early on and understanding students’ cultural experiences
• See related article: 5 ways the homework gap is worse for students of color

Representation matters, and when students have educators who look like them, it does wonders for their learning experience. At ISTELive 23’s opening mainstage event, featured speakers sat down for a chat about the challenges around representation and getting more Black educators—particularly Black male educators—into classrooms.

Director of ISTE Certification Carmalita Seitz sat down with Joyce Abbott, the inspiration behind Abbott Elementary’s name and a recently retired educator; Tyler James Williams, 2023 Golden Globe winner for best supporting actor as teacher Gregory Eddie on Abbott Elementary; and Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development to discuss just how much representation matters for students and teachers.

“Immediately after we wrapped Season 1, we had an overwhelming respect for what educators do and felt a need to advocate for educators,” Williams said. This advocacy is especially critical for Black teachers and Black male teachers in particular, he added. If Abbot Elementary can represent Black educators and give educators a stress-relieving laugh that buoys them as they go back to their classrooms the next day, that’s a win.

“We need Black teachers. Back in the 1800s, in this city, Caroline LeCount said we need more Black educators for Black children,” El-Mekki said. “About 1.3 percent of our teachers are Black men in this country. Invite them into the profession. Continue inviting them into the profession. Many young Black youth say they were never invited into the profession. When you see them doing great things, like great leadership, tell them, “That’s what the best teachers do,” and help them connect the dots. Help them shape the narrative of what dope teaching looks like.”

Key points:

• A new $930 million investment can help close digital equity gaps by expanding much-needed internet access across the nation
• Middle mile internet infrastructure, which moves large amounts of data across vast distances, is an essential part of the grants
• See related article: 5 strategies to tackle the homework gap

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced $930 million in grants aimed at expanding middle mile high-speed internet infrastructure across 35 states and Puerto Rico. The grants are part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All Initiative, the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program invests in projects that build regional networks that connect to national internet networks.

Middle mile internet infrastructure carries large amounts of data over long distances, increases capacity to local networks, boosts network resiliency, lowers the cost of bringing high-speed Internet service to unconnected households, and helps connect unserved regions to the Internet backbone.

“Access to internet is no longer a luxury and thanks to President Biden’s leadership, we are taking action to close the digital divide for everyone in America. The Middle Mile program will invest more than $900 million in the infrastructure needed to connect communities, military bases, and Tribal lands to the Internet, lower the cost of access, and increase bandwidth,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Much like how the interstate highway system connected every community in America to regional and national systems of highways, this program will help us connect communities across the country to regional and national networks that provide quality, affordable high-speed Internet access.”

The $1 billion Middle Mile program funds construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure, along with administrative costs associated with running the program. Middle mile projects do not directly connect end-user locations. Details of the awards are available at InternetForAll.Gov.

Key points:

• Educators will likely need to expand their definition of diversity
• Self-reflection is an important part of ensuring diversity in schools
• See related article: 3 supports for educators implementing restorative justice practices

The greatest social justice movements teach us that progress isn’t linear, but is rather dynamic. This means that progress doesn’t transpire overnight. It doesn’t transpire instantaneously with one motion or action, but is the product of concerted efforts compounding to create change. This also means that in the midst of fighting for what is right, resistance sometimes hidden in the form of defeat and regression can take place.

In the case of fighting for educational equity, this means that creating schools that honor and celebrate diversity, affirm students’ identity, develop a sense of social and critical consciousness within students, cultivate inclusivity, and provide equitable access and outcomes for all students can often feel nearly impossible. With bans on teaching Black history; book bans that prohibit certain texts that center the histories, perspectives, and lived experiences of marginalized communities; and other unjust and discriminatory practices, educators, parents, and education advocates may wonder if there is any hope for diversity, equity, and inclusion within schools.

The answer is yes. No matter where you and your school are within your DEI efforts, here are two considerations to overlay in contemplating how to deepen your work and ensure it is meaningful, authentic, and taking real–not performative–roots.

Expand your definition of diversity

I define diversity as representation across the board–or in other words, it is a variety of areas of identity or difference. This definition is very important to note, because far too often, the word diversity is used as a synonym for race and ethnicity.

Educators are embracing restorative justice practices to facilitate safe and relational school environments and address inequities in school disciplinary practices. Research-based guidance offers insights on how to structurally support educators through restorative justice implementation, and there are resources for teachers and support staff as they integrate restorative practices into their roles.

Educators play an important role in restorative justice (RJ) implementation–they are often tasked with ensuring that RJ practices are implemented in classrooms, and they engage in many of the day-to-day interpersonal RJ practices. Because transitioning to RJ is a long and challenging process, it is necessary to provide educators with resources that can help them along the way. Without these broader systemic supports, it is possible that RJ programs may not be equipped to be successful in the long term.

With the need for systemic support for educators in mind, here are some ways to support educators in playing an active role in the development and implementation of RJ programs.

1. Provide educators with training, coaching, and resources to recognize their roles within their school.
To start, it’s important for educators to recognize their role within their school systems, the power they wield, and how to incorporate RJ into their role. To support this growth, consulting and partnering with RJ experts through professional development trainings and coaching services can help educators navigate the transition to RJ.

Are girls really underrepresented in STEM? Yes. 

In the U.S., the workforce is pretty evenly split between men and women, but in STEM fields men make up 73 percent of the workforce to women’s 27 percent. Why?

It’s easy to want to find a well-meaning solution for this disparity, or even to brush it off as unimportant. But achieving a gender parity in STEM fields (particularly computer science, engineering, and programmers, among others) isn’t just a feel-good social justice crusade. The number of open tech jobs far outpaces the population of traditionally qualified candidates—data projections have pointed to a global shortage of 85 million tech workers by 2030.

It’s not a matter of encouraging girls to pursue STEM programs just for the heck of it, to prove they can and earn a good paycheck—it’s a matter of graduating enough highly-skilled workers to meet economic demand.

Still, the imbalanced statistics for the genders in STEM are damning. What can K-12 schools do to play their part in preparing the next generation for a talent-hungry workforce?

While the homework gap has existed for some time, the massive virtual learning spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic shed a bright light on the challenge of ensuring all students, no matter their geographic location or socioeconomic status, have access to the right learning devices and to reliable, high-speed internet access.

During a CoSN 2023 session, edtech stakeholders convened to discuss innovative strategies around closing the homework gap and how schools—at the local, district, and state level—can ensure home connectivity for all students.

“During the pandemic, the [homework gap] really gained the awareness of a much wider audience, because all students and families were impacted by the need to be online simply to be in school during the day,” said Michael Flood, SVP and GM, Public Sector at Kajeet.

During the panel discussion, a number of common themes emerged as strategies for school leaders to try as they seek to implement policies and practices designed to close the homework gap and bring connectivity to their school communities.

Set high goals when it comes to making sure every student has an appropriate device that connects to high-speed internet at any time from any location. Every student should have a device and an anytime, anywhere high-speed internet connection. Rural areas are especially in need, noted John Parker, VP of data science and research at Innive Inc.

Local leaders must play a critical role in closing the digital divide for 18 million American households that have access to the internet but can’t afford to connect, according to a new report.

The urgent prompt comes from EducationSuperHighway, a national nonprofit with a mission to close the broadband affordability gap. The organization released its second No Home Left Offline report on the action needed to accelerate Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) adoption.

The ACP is a $14.2 billion federal broadband benefit funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that provides eligible households with a monthly discount of up to $30 per month (up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands) and a one-time $100 discount toward a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. 51.6 million households, including 17.7 million unconnected households, are eligible for the ACP, yet only 13 million (25% of those eligible) have enrolled.

Over the past year, closing the broadband affordability gap has become a national priority. The report finds that our nation’s Internet Service Providers have stepped up, and 74% of ACP-eligible households are covered by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) offering a high-speed internet plan for $30 per month or less, making the plan free with the ACP benefit.

Despite 12.9 million ACP-eligible, unconnected households having the opportunity to take advantage of free internet, the report outlines the complex awareness, trust, and enrollment barriers that prevent households in the nation’s most under-resourced communities from enrolling. It also announces new data, tools, and best practices to help states and cities overcome them. Key report highlights include:

• 51.6 million U.S. households are eligible for the ACP, yet only 13 million households (25% of those eligible) have enrolled.
• The ACP has the potential to connect 17.7 million households that are ACP-eligible and unconnected.
• The ACP enrollment process is a significant challenge for eligible households using the National Verifier. 45% of applications are rejected, and many more fail to complete the 30-45 minute enrollment process.
• Cities in every state are proving that we can do dramatically better. The national best practice for ACP adoption is 61%, and large cities, such as Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Tulsa, have already achieved adoption rates of over 45%.
• 74% of ACP-eligible households are covered by an ISP offering a “free with ACP” plan (i.e., high-speed internet plans for no more than $30 per month). That amounts to 37.9 million eligible households, including 12.9 million that are unconnected.
• Two-thirds of eligible households are already beneficiaries of one or more government benefit programs that automatically qualify them for the ACP, giving states a targeted channel to raise ACP awareness and help participants enroll. 

Related:
5 ways the homework gap is worse for students of color
The U.S. needs billions to close the digital divide

While the effects of COVID-19 may have diminished for many thanks to widespread vaccine- and infection-induced immunity, the pandemic continues to have a significant systemwide impact and exacerbate social gaps. Students still experience elevated levels of pandemic-prompted emotional trauma, anxiety, isolation, and psychological distress due to schedule interruptions, remote learning, the deaths of family and friends, inequitable access to health care, and job insecurity.

Throughout history, the underprivileged, oppressed, and marginalized communities are often the most severely impacted, as our societal infrastructures and systems have shown. Those who are marginalized, and in some cases deliberately oppressed, often must navigate unjust and inequitable policies. This problem defines so many of our systems, and in an educational setting it is compounded by the pressure to learn, get good grades, avoid discipline, and graduate.

The dire ramifications of the pandemic and its effect on our young learners is tantamount. Learning loss is at an all-time high, and most students, especially those whose families can’t afford small-group or private tutoring, are behind academically. We all remember being in school: it’s not just grades and tests; it’s your social life, it’s where you see your friends, and it’s where you better understand your identity and your role in society. Being in school provides so many important identity-forging, character-building and developmentally significant opportunities. Today schools, with heightened focus on mental health and self-care, provide a safe place for youth to be vulnerable and talk openly about what they’re feeling.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “37 percent of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44 percent reported persistently feeling sad or hopeless [during 2021].” Data collected prior to the COVID-19 outbreak also indicated that mental health, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, was getting worse among high school students.

Youth who identified as LGBTQIA+, female, and BIPOC reported greater levels of poor mental health and attempted suicide than their peers. The CDC reports that “almost half of lesbian, gay, or bisexual students and nearly one-third of students who aren’t sure of their sexual identity reported having seriously considered suicide – far more than heterosexual students,” and “the number of Black students who reported attempting suicide in 2019 rose by almost 50 percent.”

Related:
How to create inclusive learning environments with UDL
Designing fair and inclusive tests for non-native speakers

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the U.S. Department of Education have launched an initiative to help new teachers gain the digital skills needed to support learning in today’s classrooms.

More than a dozen educator preparation programs (EPPs) from across the country committed today to use technology for transformative learning throughout teacher candidate programs by signing the EPPs for Digital Equity and Transformation Pledge, and more EPPs are expected to sign on in the coming weeks.

“Knowing how to use technology to support student learning is an essential skill for teachers to thrive in a post-COVID world,” said Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE. “As a country, we have made an unprecedented investment in technology in education – but true transformation and innovation doesn’t come from putting devices in schools, it comes from preparing teachers to use technology in innovative and engaging ways. We are calling on leaders of EPPs to commit to this shared vision of transforming how our students learn.” 

“We believe that it is important for educator preparation programs to prepare all preservice teachers to effectively select and use appropriate technologies in the modern-day classroom,” said Roberto Rodriguez, assistant secretary for planning, evaluation, and policy development, U.S. Department of Education. “We need to create digital learning environments that accelerate teaching and learning so that today’s students can succeed.”

The SAT will be moving online for students in the United States beginning in 2024. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam will be taken entirely online next year. Many other states already have fully online tests—and in response to the pandemic, graduate entrance and career certification exams have shifted online as well.

But as more high-stakes exams transition to an all-digital format, experts warn that students who are not as digitally literate as their peers could be placed at a disadvantage. As the trend toward wholly online testing continues, education leaders must consider how to ensure digital equity for the students taking these exams.

A study published in 2019 by Ben Backes and James Cowan from the nonprofit, nonpartisan American Institutes for Research found that students who took the Massachusetts state exam online performed worse, on average, than students of similar abilities who took the same test on paper. The difference was less dramatic for second-time test-takers, suggesting that familiarity with the digital format played a key role in the discrepancy.

“There may be systematic differences in students’ comfort level with (computer-based tests) depending on their access to computers in the home and at school,” the researchers wrote.

The differences were quite pronounced, equating to about five months of learning in math and 11 months—more than a full school year—in English language arts. Students from low-income families, those with disabilities, and English language learners were disproportionately affected.

Today’s education doesn’t need to be limited to the walls of a classroom. It shouldn’t rely on home internet access, a community hotspot or a ride to the library. It shouldn’t be exclusive to kids who attend schools stocked with new textbooks and state-of-the-art laboratories.

Rather, U.S. students are entering a time where equity in education has the potential to be closer than ever before. Technology brings the opportunity for students to access the same plethora of information, regardless of location or status.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a trend toward one-to-one devices for students nationwide. Districts that had yet to assign devices to each student rushed to make that happen when remote learning began. Emergency funding helped fill in the gaps for districts that needed a jump-start to make big technology purchases.

Now that most students have access to devices and the internet, however, we have the opportunity to determine whether we will truly make this a transformational moment in education. If we are to take advantage of these changes, we need to continue to press for true educational equity. In some districts, that might mean building internet service contracts into every device. In others, it might call for a policy change that allows students to bring those devices home with them.

A few other strategies that districts should consider to continue improving technology equity in education:

Embrace Students as Learning Partners. For all districts, it’s critical that students are embraced as partners in learning. That means they must be trusted with devices even outside of the classroom. Ultimately, students who bring devices home with them may extend their learning day long after the final bell.

We’re racing against a ticking clock to resolve the teacher shortage for our students’ futures as the number of unfilled positions at schools and districts hits record levels.

Every unfilled staff vacancy at a school means that students are not receiving a high-quality education, which has a resounding effect on outcomes. One study shows that 10 additional teacher absences per year lead to 1.2 percent and .6 percent of a standard deviation decrease in math and English test scores, respectively. This principle applies to core subjects, which give students a solid foundation for academic and career success, and enrichment classes, which expand their skill sets and understanding of the world.

The teacher shortage is even more detrimental to students in underserved districts, where teacher absences tend to run higher than the national average of 11 days per year.  

But there has been a solution in front of us the whole time: live-streaming teachers can serve in-person or virtual classrooms around the country at the click of a button, providing the quality education that all students deserve.

Failed solutions

Desperate to solve the teacher shortage, schools are trying everything they can, including pleading for parents to volunteer in classrooms. Meanwhile, state governments are trying to help, sometimes by taking actions that have been frantic, extravagant, or misguided. Tennessee offered free apprenticeships to would-be teachers. New Mexico recruited National Guard members.

Perhaps most alarming is the trend of schools lowering certification requirements for people willing to teach. An AAEE survey found that 16 percent of the teachers hired in the past year did not have traditional preparation and were either emergency hires or had non-traditional preparation.

Despite students saying that STEM courses are their favorite subject areas and that they aspire to go to college, Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds continue to be excluded from crucial learning opportunities available through AP STEM courses, according to a new report from Education Trust and Equity Opportunity Schools, Shut Out: Why Black and Latino Students are Under-Enrolled in AP STEM Courses.

This new research highlights that a positive and inviting school climate plays an important role in getting more Black and Latino students in advanced courses that would nurture their aspirations and interests and position them to thrive in college and future careers.

“Students who are ready and eager to take advanced placement courses at their schools shouldn’t be shut out because seats are not available or they don’t feel welcomed in these courses,” said Dr. Allison Socol, assistant director of P-12 policy at The Education Trust. “District and school leaders must lead efforts to build more welcoming and inclusive learning environments that ensure students who are interested in STEM professions are able to enroll and succeed in AP STEM courses.”

Based on a sample of 80 districts across 24 states and survey data from 200,000 students across 184 schools, the report finds:

• 2 in 5 Black and Latino students and 1 in 4 students from low-income backgrounds say STEM courses are their favorite courses and aspire to go to college
• But very few Black and Latino students are enrolled in AP STEM courses that would prepare them for college and a STEM career (e.g., less than 2% of STEM-interested and college-aspiring Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds are in AP Biology)
• School climate matters greatly in helping students access advanced coursework opportunities, especially when they build on students’ interests and aspirations
  • Students who want to go to college are 105% more likely to take an AP class than those who do not aspire to attend college
  • Students who want to go to college are 11% more likely to take an AP class when they feel a sense of belonging in AP classes
  • Students who want to go to college are 16% more likely to take an AP class when they receive information on how to enroll in AP courses.

During Black History Month, educators have the opportunity to delve into the difficult–and often uncomfortable–experiences of Black people in the U.S. and around the world.

Perhaps one of the most important “do’s” is this: Don’t limit your teaching of Black history to the month of February.

Check out these learning resources (last year’s resources are available here) to get started in February and to plan out how to include Black history in your teaching throughout the academic year.

1. The NEA’s site offers a great selection of resources to help students understand the Black experience in U.S. history. Lessons plans cover a number of subjects and can be adapted to fit multiple grade levels. A lesson on Musical Harlem for grades 3-5 lesson helps students learn about the Harlem Renaissance as they create original jazz artwork. In another lesson, The Illusion of Race, students in grades 6-8 investigate both genetic and societal consequences of the often-artificial and evolving classifications of race and ethnicity.

Over the last two years, far too many people in education have acted as if antiracism is a new thing. It is not. Going back to scholars and activists like George Dei, Angela Davis, Mica Pollock, Louise Derman-Sparks and Carol Phillips, educators have situated antiracism as a transformative process…meaning we are always on the journey. While contemporary scholars and educators have brought antiracism to the forefront amidst the racial reckoning associated with the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, there still seems to be some debate about the utility of antiracism in schools.

As educators with more than 30 years of combined experiences in schools, who also deal with racism in our personal and professional lives, the utilization of antiracism as a framework to understand race in schools and society is not debatable.

The fact that so many people have decided to push back against antiracism, but also suggest that we are teaching Critical Race Theory in schools, is not a surprise but reflective of a general resistance to having real conversations about race. Baffling and confusing, perhaps…disheartening, absolutely.

As an educator currently working in a school in Washington, D.C. with mostly African American students, and as a scholar of antiracist praxis charged with preparing the next generation of scholars, schools play a critical role in not only preparing students to understand the history of race in America, but also understanding antiracism as an instrument to dismantle the many racist policies and systems that have governed our schools, and society, for years. As such, educators in schools have the ability to influence practice and policy, while providing our students with the tools to be critical scholars and intellectuals about race and racism.

The pandemic has forced districts to rethink how they communicate with parents, and things aren’t going to go back to the “way they were” anytime soon (if at all). Forced to operate remotely, and without much warning, our district knew it had to move away from snail mail as a primary mode of school-home communication and over to a more modern, fast, and efficient solution.

Fortunately, we already had a safe and secure platform for school-home communication in place before the pandemic; it was just a matter of ramping up our usage of the technology, getting parents and teachers trained on how to consistently use it, and then putting it into action.

With Aeries as our student information system (SIS) and ParentSquare tightly integrated into it, that’s exactly what we did.

During a recent Parent University session, for example, we helped parents load the ParentSquare-powered Aeries Communications module on their computers and mobile devices. One of our IT professionals reviewed and verified the number of users on the system while the district began sending out more alerts, posts, and attachments. We also reached out to families who we could tell weren’t receiving the messages and corrected all of their email addresses and took other steps to make sure everyone was using the communications platform.

Since making those moves, we’ve enjoyed five additional benefits, including:

1. Meeting stakeholders where they are. We empower our families by encouraging them to choose when and how they want to receive routine school communications. Parents and guardians can personalize their notification settings to receive all messages in one batch early each evening.

Diversity, according to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, is the condition of having or being composed of differing elements, especially the inclusion of people of different races, cultures, etc. in a group or organization.

As an educator, with over 17 years of experience, I’ve heard the word diversity used in various contexts throughout my career. However, over the last 16 months or so, the importance of diversity–and especially inclusion–has been highlighted to Americans across the country, in very visible, and sometimes unsettling ways.

Throughout my career, I have taught a variety of grades from 1st grade to 6th grade ELA in a host of states and school districts. Currently, I am the Gifted and Talented Specialist for River Trail Elementary in Upstate South Carolina.  In this role, I’ve taken a fresh look at how I am helping to highlight the power of diversity in the classroom and build a more inclusive learning environment–particularly in the STEM fields–in which all learners can see themselves as they prepare for life beyond graduation.

Over the last few months, I’ve connected with colleagues from my past to collect actionable strategies teachers can use to support greater diversity in the classroom and in their lessons, along with more inclusive learning environments. Here are some of the best strategies I’ve collected:

Empower students to guide the conversation with dynamic digital content: Like most teachers, I am afforded access to many resources. My first choice, when selecting content, is the Discovery Education platform, which was recently updated with a host of great new features. Fort Mill Schools, the district I currently work in, has a close relationship with Discovery Education (DE)  and the many products they have available.

Diversity, according to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, is the condition of having or being composed of differing elements, especially the inclusion of people of different races, cultures, etc. in a group or organization.

As an educator, with over 17 years of experience, I’ve heard the word diversity used in various contexts throughout my career. However, over the last 16 months or so, the importance of diversity–and especially inclusion–has been highlighted to Americans across the country, in very visible, and sometimes unsettling ways.

Throughout my career, I have taught a variety of grades from 1st grade to 6th grade ELA in a host of states and school districts. Currently, I am the Gifted and Talented Specialist for River Trail Elementary in Upstate South Carolina.  In this role, I’ve taken a fresh look at how I am helping to highlight the power of diversity in the classroom and build a more inclusive learning environment–particularly in the STEM fields–in which all learners can see themselves as they prepare for life beyond graduation.

Over the last few months, I’ve connected with colleagues from my past to collect actionable strategies teachers can use to support greater diversity in the classroom and in their lessons, along with more inclusive learning environments. Here are some of the best strategies I’ve collected:

Empower students to guide the conversation with dynamic digital content: Like most teachers, I am afforded access to many resources. My first choice, when selecting content, is the Discovery Education platform, which was recently updated with a host of great new features. Fort Mill Schools, the district I currently work in, has a close relationship with Discovery Education (DE)  and the many products they have available.

Students continue to struggle against persistent educational inequities, and while they report worrisome levels of disengagement, a move toward student-directed learning could help students and educators alike find a better path toward impactful learning experiences.

The report, Empowering and Engaging Student Voice to Create Equity in Education, comes from Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit supporting the implementation of research-based learning experiences, and Blackboard Inc., a global edtech software and solutions company. It leverages key insights from a survey of 50,000 K-12 students, parents, and educators during the 2020-21 school year.

“The disruptive events of the past 18 months with the pandemic and shifts in learning modalities have opened our collective eyes to several new truths including about the interrelationship between equity and student empowerment as documented in this new report,” said Dr. Julie A. Evans, chief researcher and CEO of Project Tomorrow. “With the research in front of us, we cannot look away now but must take this opportunity in time to re-think the ways we are approaching learning and especially how technology can be better used to support student engagement in learning.”

Key findings

1. While two-thirds of students grades 6-12 said the top benefit of virtual learning was learning at their own pace, less than half of school principals saw it as an important benefit.

2. Overall, just half of students say they’re engaged. At schools where the majority of the 6-12 grade population are students of color, just 43% agree they are engaged with what they are learning, 8 points lower than schools where the majority of the student population is white (51%).