During the COVID-19 pandemic, most students in the United States experienced full school closure followed by a hybrid of online and in-person learning before ultimately returning to fully in-person instruction in the Fall of 2021. I investigated the experiences of three high school choir teachers during the 2021-2022 academic year to examine their…

Journaling can be a tool for improved mental health during a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for educators both professionally and personally. The author discusses the many types of journals that writers might choose to keep, including an exercise journal, bullet journal, free writing journal, gratitude journal, travel…

This article offers a brief account of pedagogical pivots necessitated by the challenges of teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss two iterations of a class assignment that emphasized listening in natural spaces, and highlight the student-reported benefits of relaxation, calm, and clarity. Recognizing the need for additional resources…

Socio-emotional learning (SEL) is essential for the holistic development of a child. It is a process through which individuals acquire and effectively apply their knowledge and skills to understand and manage their own emotions, show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Schools function…

This data brief, featuring infographics, provides a statistical overview of students attending public schools in non-rural areas, such as cities, suburbs, and towns. It delivers essential information for school leaders, parents, educators, and other stakeholders and is updated annually.

It is the start of another school year, but unlike any other in the careers of teachers. This year, teachers find themselves at the nexus of a widespread, months-old pandemic and racial trauma that is centuries old. Despite this trauma and the uncertainty of resolution, teachers are being asked to step into the actual or virtual classroom, greet…

Wellbeing is foundational to citizens' individual and collective ability to acknowledge, address, and alleviate ongoing struggles, shared risks, and the unprecedented challenges of our time. A holistic focus on wellness across campus communities is timely and important, given that national and global justice movements are calling upon…

This study examines the concerns associated with heightened stress levels experienced by education professionals, particularly teachers and counselors-in-training. Following the COVID-19 global pandemic, teachers and counselors have been faced with a multitude of extended responsibilities due to students' learning lapses and lags, heightened…

The implementation of sexuality education has changed dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, only two empirical studies have investigated the difficulties sexuality educators faced as they adjusted to this new educational landscape. The purpose of the present study was to expand on this research with a larger sample of…

As districts in California have opened for the 2021-22 school year, they have faced the challenging task of keeping students learning safely in person in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which intensified right before schools opened with the spread of the Delta variant of the virus. This brief compiles preliminary information on reopening for…

Teachers have one of the greatest responsibilities in the world: supporting children to grow into caring, competent citizens equipped with the skills to lead productive and fulfilling lives. In the best of times, teaching can be challenging and stressful. Starting in 2020--amidst COVID-19 and with a spotlight on inequities in the United…

The challenges and stresses that educators face in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic are unprecedented. To continue supporting their students in this challenging context, teachers and other educators must first be able to take care of themselves. Addressed to educators who face the stresses of the pandemic and the resulting school closures and…

As countries around the world, including the United States, continue to navigate a return to work, family, education, and leisure after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Psychological Association provides this resource for educators and families to promote mental health and academic success for students worldwide. Based on current…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. After a two-year pandemic, issues related to funding, teacher recruitment and retention, and serving disadvantaged students have become more severe in rural school districts. In the five-part report series, "Educational Equity for Rural Students: Out of the Pandemic, but Still Out of the…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Student Engagement." Contents include: (1) Mental Health Implications of…