Long before the COVID-19 shutdown forced schools to launch remote
learning, the nonprofit Challenge Success tracked student
wellness, using the findings to encourage schools and families to
rethink what constitutes “success” for students.
The Biden administration’s ambitious
plan to expand access to free universal preschool, increase
the wages of child care providers to at least $15 an hour, and
make child care more affordable for families sent ripples of
optimism through the child care industry when unveiled this
spring.
BY HANNAH MCCLELLAN OF CHATHAM NEWS + RECORD FOR EWA
Summer learning programs are offered across the country each
year by school districts. But following the massive disruption of
education sparked by COVID-19, there’s more pressure — and
federal funding — to get it right, with meaningful and engaging
learning opportunities in the summer.
For decades, college campuses have served as vital spaces for
student activism, especially on issues of race. And, if anything,
campus activism on racial issues has been ramping up in
2021.
The pandemic has disrupted teaching and the teacher workforce in
a big way.
As the nation pivots to education recovery mode, questions abound
and the stakes are high, from hot-button issues like teacher
turnover to how COVID-19 has impacted the teacher pipeline and
the experience for novice educators who first set foot in a
classroom – real or virtual – during the shutdown.
What’s the “value” of a college education? As college costs rise,
more people are questioning what they’re getting for their
tuition and tax money.
Reporters investigating this important topic can access a growing
number of databases that are starting to capture at least some
aspects of value, according to Dominique Baker, an education
policy professor at Southern Methodist University, and Robert
Kelchen, a professor at Seton Hall University and data manager
for the Washington Monthly College Rankings.
Building social connections outside the family, especially with
peers, is key to healthy adolescent development. Yet isolation
wrought by the pandemic has curtailed social opportunities.
What works to help adolescents overcome such setbacks? What do
surveys of students in high school and middle school show about
the impact of the past year?
Two national experts answered these and other questions during a
May 5 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021
National Seminar.
The participants were:
Adriana Galván, University of California Los Angeles
Following a tumultuous year, how can educators develop inclusive
and supportive campus climates? How might a focus on character
traits, such as integrity, compassion, justice, and empathy,
improve student learning and outcomes?
What approaches are schools taking to nurture these traits
through experiential learning and classroom instruction?
Educators and experts addressed these and other questions during
a May 4 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021
National Seminar.
The participants were:
Ashley Rogers Berner, Johns Hopkins University
Arria Coburn, The Springfield (MA) Renaissance School
Andrew Smarick, The Manhattan Institute
Emily Richmond, Education Writers Association (Moderator)
The pandemic has interrupted social interactions and hurt student
well-being. Understanding students’ social and emotional needs
will be crucial in the coming year.
What new methods are emerging for gauging social and emotional
needs, competencies and learning? How has the pandemic affected
SEL and what does that mean for teaching and learning?
Speakers addressed these and other issues at a May 3 session at
the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
The participants were:
Julia Joy Dumas Wilks, Great Oaks Charter School, Wilmington,
Delaware
Libby Pier, Education Analytics
Juany Valdespino-Gaytán, Dallas Independent School District
With federal stimulus funds set to be released to states this
summer, how can reporters prepare to cover and track developments
in the essential early care and education sector?
As the field seeks to recover from the pandemic, experts offered
guidance on what to watch for during a May 5 session at the
Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar. They
also suggested story ideas for education journalists to explore
in the year ahead.
The participants were:
Katie Hamm, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Caitlin McLean, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Education will never be the same again. Or will it?
COVID-19 disrupted business as usual in the K-12 and
postsecondary domains, from the delivery of instruction to
testing, parent-teacher conferences, college admissions and
financial aid.
To what extent will changes sparked or accelerated by the
pandemic have staying power? What are the implications for
educational equity?
Several experts tackled these questions and more during a May 4
session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National
Seminar.
The participants were:
Daniel Domenech, AASA: The School Superintendents Association
Joshua Kim, Dartmouth College
Robin Lake, Center on Reinventing Public Education
Professional journalists who turned their beat coverage of higher
education into books shared their experiences during a May 4
session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National
Seminar.
Learn about the different ways they found literary agents, and
how they approached their writing, publishing and promotion
journeys.
One of the most important tasks schools face in the recovery is
to pinpoint academic gaps students face, and devise strategies to
effectively address them.
This challenge is exacerbated by students’ widely varying
experiences in the pandemic.
Panelists at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National
Seminar discussed key data on the scope of the learning gaps and
promising practices to support students.
The participants were:
Emma Dorn, McKinsey & Company
Angélica Infante-Green, Rhode Island Department of Education
Sonja Santelises, Baltimore City Public Schools
Chastity Pratt, The Wall Street Journal (Moderator)
Amid pressure to address massive learning disruption, student
well-being, and inequities in opportunity, how are communities
using this unusual summer?
School districts will have billions in fresh federal aid. You’ll
hear more from district and community leaders during a May 4
session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National
Seminar. These leaders are seizing the opportunity to innovate
and build a bridge to the coming school year.
The participants were:
Aaron Philip Dworkin, National Summer Learning Association
With the Biden administration largely holding fast on the
resumption of state assessments this year, critical questions
remain on the scope of testing, as well as what can and should be
done with the results.
Experts discussed what testing will look like, strengths and
limitations of the exams, and other key issues during a May 3
session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National
Seminar.
The participants were:
Andrew Ho, Harvard University
Scott Marion, Center for Assessment
Lynn Vasquez, New Mexico Public Education Department
Erik Robelen, Education Writers Association (Moderator)
The pandemic forced colleges to make immediate and dramatic
innovations with technology to maintain instruction, admissions,
counseling and other activities while campuses mainly shut.
Some of those changes proved to be lifesavers for institutions
and their students. But others need to be carefully assessed on
how well they work, particularly on whether they help adult
learners, low-income students, and under-represented ethnic
groups, educational leaders who specialize in innovation told
reporters at Education Writers Association’s 2021 virtual
National Seminar.
The grand experiment with remote instruction in the pandemic hasn’t just impacted teachers and students. It has also changed the relationship of parents to their children’s learning, and provided a firsthand look at the virtual classroom experience.
During a May 4 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar, parent advocates and researchers explored how the role of families in education may shift, and ways schools and others can support the change.
By Eric Stirgus of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for EWA
It is one of the thorniest topics in education: What criteria
should be used to fairly determine which students are admitted to
America’s “elite” public schools, colleges and
universities?
Many top schools have faced criticism in recent decades for not
reflecting the nation’s racial and socioeconomic diversity.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona made his priorities clear at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
Cardona vowed to “unapologetically address achievement disparities” and urge all schools to reopen for in-person learning during the wide-ranging conversation on May 3.
It won’t be easy, but American schools need to do more to instill
civic and moral virtues in their students, three experts said at
the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
“For millennia, people thought moral character development was
part of education, but that seems to have been abandoned in the
U.S. in the last 20 years,” said Andy Smarick, a senior fellow at
the Manhattan Institute.
‘Don’t Go Back to the Old Normal’: Opportunities for Adolescent Learning Revealed by COVID-19
COVID-19’s effects on childhood brain development and those up to age 25 provides some new insights.
Long before the COVID-19 shutdown forced schools to launch remote learning, the nonprofit Challenge Success tracked student wellness, using the findings to encourage schools and families to rethink what constitutes “success” for students.
4 Tips for Covering the Recovery of the Child Care Industry
Mindful approaches to reporting on early education and child care
The Biden administration’s ambitious plan to expand access to free universal preschool, increase the wages of child care providers to at least $15 an hour, and make child care more affordable for families sent ripples of optimism through the child care industry when unveiled this spring.
How Will School Districts Leverage Stimulus Money for Summer Learning?
Here's why reporters should follow summer school plans in 2021 and post COVID-19.
Summer learning programs are offered across the country each year by school districts. But following the massive disruption of education sparked by COVID-19, there’s more pressure — and federal funding — to get it right, with meaningful and engaging learning opportunities in the summer.
‘We Are Not a Monolith:’ How to Better Cover Race on Campus
Questions to ask about student activism, racism and racial injustice at colleges
For decades, college campuses have served as vital spaces for student activism, especially on issues of race. And, if anything, campus activism on racial issues has been ramping up in 2021.
After COVID-19 Reshaped Education, What’s Next for Teachers?
Experts offer four story ideas on the changing workforce, from educator turnover to federal stimulus money.
The pandemic has disrupted teaching and the teacher workforce in a big way.
As the nation pivots to education recovery mode, questions abound and the stakes are high, from hot-button issues like teacher turnover to how COVID-19 has impacted the teacher pipeline and the experience for novice educators who first set foot in a classroom – real or virtual – during the shutdown.
Tips for Scrutinizing Data on College Value
Are college students getting the best education for their (and taxpayers’) money?
What’s the “value” of a college education? As college costs rise, more people are questioning what they’re getting for their tuition and tax money.
Reporters investigating this important topic can access a growing number of databases that are starting to capture at least some aspects of value, according to Dominique Baker, an education policy professor at Southern Methodist University, and Robert Kelchen, a professor at Seton Hall University and data manager for the Washington Monthly College Rankings.
Adolescence on the Mind: Helping Teens Out of the Pandemic
Building social connections outside the family, especially with peers, is key to healthy adolescent development. Yet isolation wrought by the pandemic has curtailed social opportunities.
What works to help adolescents overcome such setbacks? What do surveys of students in high school and middle school show about the impact of the past year?
Two national experts answered these and other questions during a May 5 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
The participants were:
A Year of ‘Teachable Moments’: Civic Virtues and Character Education in Action
Following a tumultuous year, how can educators develop inclusive and supportive campus climates? How might a focus on character traits, such as integrity, compassion, justice, and empathy, improve student learning and outcomes?
What approaches are schools taking to nurture these traits through experiential learning and classroom instruction?
Educators and experts addressed these and other questions during a May 4 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
The participants were:
Knowing and Addressing Students’ Social and Emotional Needs
The pandemic has interrupted social interactions and hurt student well-being. Understanding students’ social and emotional needs will be crucial in the coming year.
What new methods are emerging for gauging social and emotional needs, competencies and learning? How has the pandemic affected SEL and what does that mean for teaching and learning?
Speakers addressed these and other issues at a May 3 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
The participants were:
Child Care and Early Education: Crawling to ‘Recovery’ Amid the Pandemic
With federal stimulus funds set to be released to states this summer, how can reporters prepare to cover and track developments in the essential early care and education sector?
As the field seeks to recover from the pandemic, experts offered guidance on what to watch for during a May 5 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar. They also suggested story ideas for education journalists to explore in the year ahead.
The participants were:
What Pandemic-Driven Changes in Education Will Last, and Why?
Education will never be the same again. Or will it?
COVID-19 disrupted business as usual in the K-12 and postsecondary domains, from the delivery of instruction to testing, parent-teacher conferences, college admissions and financial aid.
To what extent will changes sparked or accelerated by the pandemic have staying power? What are the implications for educational equity?
Several experts tackled these questions and more during a May 4 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
The participants were:
How to Turn Higher Education Coverage into Published Books
Professional journalists who turned their beat coverage of higher education into books shared their experiences during a May 4 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
Learn about the different ways they found literary agents, and how they approached their writing, publishing and promotion journeys.
The participants were:
The COVID Slide and What to Do About It
One of the most important tasks schools face in the recovery is to pinpoint academic gaps students face, and devise strategies to effectively address them.
This challenge is exacerbated by students’ widely varying experiences in the pandemic.
Panelists at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar discussed key data on the scope of the learning gaps and promising practices to support students.
The participants were:
How Summer ‘School’ Will Look Different This Year
Amid pressure to address massive learning disruption, student well-being, and inequities in opportunity, how are communities using this unusual summer?
School districts will have billions in fresh federal aid. You’ll hear more from district and community leaders during a May 4 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar. These leaders are seizing the opportunity to innovate and build a bridge to the coming school year.
The participants were:
What Reporters Need to Know About State Testing in 2021
With the Biden administration largely holding fast on the resumption of state assessments this year, critical questions remain on the scope of testing, as well as what can and should be done with the results.
Experts discussed what testing will look like, strengths and limitations of the exams, and other key issues during a May 3 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
The participants were:
Investigating the Benefits and Costs of Innovation at Colleges and Universities
Why education reporters should ‘maintain their professional skepticism’
The pandemic forced colleges to make immediate and dramatic innovations with technology to maintain instruction, admissions, counseling and other activities while campuses mainly shut.
Some of those changes proved to be lifesavers for institutions and their students. But others need to be carefully assessed on how well they work, particularly on whether they help adult learners, low-income students, and under-represented ethnic groups, educational leaders who specialize in innovation told reporters at Education Writers Association’s 2021 virtual National Seminar.
How Schools (and Reporters) Can Better Connect With Parents
'Talk to us,' parent organizers urge
The grand experiment with remote instruction in the pandemic hasn’t just impacted teachers and students. It has also changed the relationship of parents to their children’s learning, and provided a firsthand look at the virtual classroom experience.
During a May 4 session at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar, parent advocates and researchers explored how the role of families in education may shift, and ways schools and others can support the change.
Click here to download the transcript of the 2021 family engagement session
The participants were:
Are ‘Merit’-based Education Admissions Practices Racist?
Experts outline problems with - and efforts to improve - use of SAT scores, affirmative action, school lotteries.
It is one of the thorniest topics in education: What criteria should be used to fairly determine which students are admitted to America’s “elite” public schools, colleges and universities?
Many top schools have faced criticism in recent decades for not reflecting the nation’s racial and socioeconomic diversity.
Miguel Cardona’s Education Priorities: Addressing Disparities, Student Loans, Pre-K and More
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona made his priorities clear at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
Cardona vowed to “unapologetically address achievement disparities” and urge all schools to reopen for in-person learning during the wide-ranging conversation on May 3.
Teaching Respect and Tolerance in Tumultuous Times
What to know when reporting on character education
It won’t be easy, but American schools need to do more to instill civic and moral virtues in their students, three experts said at the Education Writers Association’s 2021 National Seminar.
“For millennia, people thought moral character development was part of education, but that seems to have been abandoned in the U.S. in the last 20 years,” said Andy Smarick, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.