Ideas and information to help you make a difference

Insights and News

May 2024

Supporting School Leaders of Color

The National Association of Elementary School Principals has come up with a way to bring much needed support to school leaders of color through its Principals of Color Network. We chatted with Kaylen Tucker, NAESP's associate executive director of communications, to learn more about the program and how it can help BIPOC principals—and ultimately the students, teachers, and schools they serve.

Webinar on Building Arts Audiences

Arts leaders from Oakland Symphony, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Ballet Austin, and Goodman Theatre as well as the author of a new report recently came together in a lively conversation about how to build audiences for your work—and why that still matters. You can watch the recording and download the presentation slides here.

Reimagining the Role of the Central Office

This new self-study guide aims to deepen your understanding of how your school district central office can become a powerful force for equitable teaching and learning. The interactive toolkit is designed for individuals and groups who want to strengthen their positive impact on students in ways that are research-based and forward-thinking.

Get Ready for Summer

As temperatures begin to climb, it's almost time for summer learning programs to begin. Positive, engaging environments are a crucial component of high-quality summer programs. In this video, two school districts show how two communities can take different paths to successful results.

On the Radar

Schools, Districts, States

The Education Trust's latest report series outlines strategies for schools to develop authentic ways to engage with families and communities.

The Hechinger Report shares how schools can provide classroom experiences that reflect students' history and cultures.

Read about how two districts are strengthening the principal pipeline by moving beyond traditional prep programs.

A national coalition of superintendents launched a new fellowship to provide resources for school systems to address whole child supports. Learn more about it from K-12 Dive.

Summer, Afterschool, Social and Emotional Learning

A Texas high school student, who is also a facilitator of NASSP's Student Leadership Network on mental health, discusses the importance of youth voice.

The Afterschool Alliance shares five facts about rural school districts' pandemic relief spending on afterschool and summer programs.

A new survey finds that a large percentage of students don't feel that they have an adult to turn to at school when they're troubled. Edutopia shares ways to offer emotional support to students and bolster their mental health.

The Arts

National Endowment for the Arts research and analysis director Sunil Iyengar gives his take on Francie Ostrower's "magisterial" new report on the benefits and challenges of building audiences for the arts.

Read about how Los Angeles is proving opera isn't just for the elite from the Los Angeles Times.