Purpose: In a public health crisis where social distancing, or physical distancing while in public spaces, is the new normal, social media offer respite from being alone. Recent statistics show spikes in social media usage worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than just easing loneliness, such freely available digital tools offer…

"Making the Grade analyzes the condition of public school funding in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The current report presents a picture of school funding in 2020-2021, the first full school year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the most recent data available. The report ranks and grades each state on three measures to answer the…

The recent federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), passed into law by Congress, provides an unprecedented investment in education, giving schools and districts access to funds to address the needs of students more holistically. "The Rising Tide that Lifts All Boats: Investing Stimulus Dollars with an Equity Focus," provides several specific…

For rural locations, the use of remote learning may provide schools the opportunity to meet student needs without requiring students to travel long distances to access services. It is critical that teachers of students with disabilities understand how to support learning and know how to use the accommodations, modifications, and assistive…

Districts and states have worked around the clock for the past several months to put new structures in place for students to learn safely during an unprecedented crisis. Instructional materials matter for student success. They mattered before the COVID-19 crisis, and they will matter even more as schools transition into new teaching formats this…

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…

"Transforming Teaching" shares the successes and the problems that were solved by a diverse group of educators during the global pandemic. The shared stories from around the globe will help and inspire any teacher to develop skills to support blended learning in whatever teaching situation they find themselves. Including lessons to be…

When the pandemic forced many schools to transition to virtual or hybrid learning, educators often struggled to meet the language and learning needs of the diverse population of English learners (ELs) with disabilities. Although many schools are in the process of returning to school, distance learning (including virtual and hybrid learning…

Achieving prosperity for all Americans could not be more urgent. Although the United States remains the most prosperous nation on earth, millions of citizens are losing faith in the American dream of upward mobility, and in American-style capitalism itself. This crisis of confidence has widened the divide afflicting American politics and cries out…

This paper comprehensively evaluates the online learning experience of secondary and senior secondary school students during COVID-19 in India. Nine hypotheses have been developed to explore the implications of students' online experiences and identify students' learning experiences using online platforms in contrast to their experience in…

Learn how to create culturally responsive, socially just school-family partnerships that positively impact student learning outcomes. Responding to the current rise in White supremacy in America, a surge in hate crimes against BIPOC students and families, and the gaping digital divide exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this book addresses the need…

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…

This open access book offers a unique and refreshing view on working with social theory in higher education. Using engaging first-person accounts coupled with critical intellectual analysis, the authors demonstrate how theory is grappled with as part of an ongoing practice rather than a momentary disembodied encounter. In a structure that creates…

As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic spread throughout the world, universities were faced with extraordinary challenges. Shelter-in-place orders were given, in-person classes were canceled, and at the University of California Irvine, instructors had less than 2 weeks to convert spring quarter classes from a face-to-face to an online format. A team-based…

Entering academia can be a stressful and overwhelming experience for any first-year professor. Nobody expects that their first year as an early career professor will involve having to navigate the unique difficulties that can arise during a global crisis. This article takes a multidisciplinary approach to persevering through the unique struggles…