Children's early school experiences shape their learning in future years. The transition from pre-kindergarten, or pre-K, to kindergarten is particularly important. This critical time builds the foundation for children's academic, behavioral and social-emotional skills, as well as families' relationships with their child's teachers for years to…

"Just Schools" by Dr. Ann M. Ishimaru examines how schools can achieve educational equity through collaborative leadership and actively involving historically marginalized families and communities in the decision-making process. Dr. Ishimaru's book emphasizes the importance of rethinking traditional power dynamics and transforming…

Whatever your role--general or special education teacher, school counselor, therapist, behavior analyst, administrator--you undoubtedly interact with learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are committed to helping them succeed and thrive. This easy-to-use accessible guide summarizes more than 75 interventions and rates each based on the…

Inclusion is most effective when schools create a culture that celebrates diversity and builds on the strengths of each student. Family engagement may look different from school to school, and it is important for schools to support families in a variety of ways, not just relying on one method. This guide aims to help schools to: (1) identify…

Written by experienced leaders in gifted education, this book is a foundational guide for supervisors, administrators, and districts seeking to create culturally responsive and equity-focused gifted policies and programs. Engaging chapters supported by real-world vignettes and interactive contemplation corners outline key elements of culturally…

This book serves as a practical guide for clinicians and other professionals working with children and adolescents exposed to trauma, offering an overview and rationale for a comprehensive approach to trauma-informed assessment, including key domains and techniques. Building on more than 2 decades of work in collaboration with the National Child…

The purpose of this guide is to assist Tier 3 or MTSS District Teams in supporting school level and student level implementation of Tier 3 supports. These system features include procedures for teaming, professional development/training, coaching, data systems and evaluation, student support provisions and student and family engagement.

This Family Engagement Toolkit is designed for facility and school administrators. It provides tools that can be adapted to promote family involvement in a facility school. The tools are intended to be used by program staff to help encourage families--including those who are reluctant, have been affected by trauma, or are unsure of how to become…

In 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law. The law states that any school that receives Title I funds must inform parents if their child is assigned a teacher for four (4) or more consecutive weeks who has not met applicable state certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area in…

While students have a right to exercise free speech, schools have a responsibility to ensure safety and maintain the integrity of the learning environment. School and district administration must prepare for the potential of civil unrest both in the community and at school (e.g., walkouts, sit-ins, protests), and to prevent or mitigate the impact…

This set of resources organizes evidence-based strategies for re-engaging and supporting students with disabilities and their families through school completion. This document is comprised of three related quick references--Part 1: Identify Who Is Missing; Part 2: Re-Engaging Students; and Part 3: Continuing Ongoing Dropout Prevention. Each…

School readiness occurs within a broad context that includes the four components of community, educational environment, family and the individual child. These four components function as interdependent systems of support that have multidirectional influences. Early childhood experiences, from birth through age 8, are necessary for school success…

In October 2015, the Kansas State Board of Education announced a new vision for education in Kansas. The Kansans CAN Vision - "Kansas leads the world in the success of each student" - became the branded theme for Kansas education. This initiative motivated the creation of this document. Kindergarten Readiness is one of five Kansas State…

The Native American Needs Assessment Action Plan is designed to assist educators and administrators in addressing the needs and areas of possible opportunity that have been identified through the annual Native American Needs Assessment conducted by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. The Action Plan is organized around areas of need…

In school districts and charter school networks nationwide, instructional leaders are developing plans to address the enormous challenges faced by their students, families, teachers, and staff over the past year. While different communities are resuming in-person learning at their own unique paces, all school leaders have their eyes on the same…