News & Blog

Parent-teacher conferences can be one of the most exhausting parts of the job, but also one of the most meaningful. These short windows give us a rare chance to connect face-to-face with the people who know our students best. When approached with intention (and a little preparation), these…

Texas is about to experience its most significant change in student assessment in over a decade. With the signing of House Bill 8 (HB 8) into law in September 2025, STAAR® testing in grades 3–8 will be phased out and replaced with a new three-window assessment system starting…

Pennsylvania science teachers are at the forefront of a transformative shift in how science is taught. The newly adopted STEELS standards (Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability) mark a major departure from the state’s 2002 science frameworks.

What happens when students can see—and understand—their own growth? That’s the question Dr. Gillian Phillips, 8th Grade Team Lead and ELA Department Chair at Smokey Road Middle School in Coweta County Schools…

English Language Learners (ELLs) face a unique and demanding dual challenge: mastering academic content while simultaneously acquiring a new language. For educators, scaffolding instruction is one of the most effective ways to bridge that gap. Whether you’re teaching math, reading, science, or social studies, scaffolding allows…

In a major shift to how school performance is evaluated, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has adopted new cut scores for its annual school and district report cards. This is the first comprehensive update to the accountability system since…

For years, Kentucky high school juniors took the ACT® as part of the state’s accountability system and college admissions preparation. That’s about to change. Beginning spring 2026, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)…

For Wisconsin educators, understanding ACT® benchmark scores isn’t just about college readiness—they play a key role in state accountability and student support. Since 2015, Wisconsin has required all 11th graders to take the ACT® as their primary summative assessment, making these…

Picture this: You’re standing at the front of your classroom, asking what you thought was a thought-provoking question, only to be met with the familiar sound of silence and thirty pairs of eyes staring back at you. If this scenario sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. Getting…