All school leaders understand the importance of providing meaningful feedback. Done well, it supports pupil progress, building learning, addressing misunderstandings, and thereby closing the gap between where a pupil is and where the teacher wants them to be. However, not all feedback has positive effects. Done badly, feedback can even harm…

The purpose of this "Equity by Design" brief is to provide information to parents, community members, and school district leaders and teachers about the relationship between housing policy and school policy. Specifically, this brief provides a succinct history of U.S. housing policy, discusses some current educational policies that…

In today's hyper-connected world, children's exposure to technology as a tool to communicate, learn, and socialize has increased exponentially. As teachers and parents recognize the demands for increased use of technology among young children, they should be able to identify and address the challenges associated with such exposure. Cyberbullying,…

Parents expect school districts and schools to keep their children safe while they are in school. That expectation of safety and security also extends to the protection of their children's learning data. Therefore, it is critical that school districts and schools are open and transparent about their student data privacy practices, and that those…

Bullying in schools is often discussed, but sexual harassment in schools, and how it differs from bullying is often overlooked. In fact, though, sexual harassment (committed both by fellow students and school personnel) is more common and yet more easily and quickly dismissed by those involved, though its consequences for the victim can be…

Schools should be proactive rather than reactive to issues of technology safety, and this requires careful planning and policy implementation. In this article, the authors provide information and recommendations that will help middle grades educators, students, and parents to safely and successfully manage the many technologies they encounter and…

Becoming familiar with the school district will help parents become active and involved partners in their child's education. Research has demonstrated that family involvement in children's education can boost their academic success. Knowing about the following areas, which are discussed in this information sheet, can help parental involvement at…

In a recent survey, parents and middle school students reported that they are challenged by the demands of homework. Responses to the survey, titled "The Great Homework Divide," indicate that students and their parents are struggling to adjust to the middle school workload, which can be both heavier and more varied than previously experienced by…

Presents guidelines to help parents and teachers promote good nutrition in their children. The article describes ways one Colorado school revised its nutrition policy to help the teachers work in the area of nutrition. A list of home activities for parents to support good eating habits is offered. (SM)

A food-safe school takes the steps to minimize the risk of foodborne illness throughout the school's environment and has procedures in place to identify and manage outbreaks if they occur. This booklet introduces the Food-Safe Schools Action Guide, which helps schools identify gaps in food safety and develop an action plan for becoming food-safe.…

Designed as a "Participant's Manual" to be used as part of a "Chemical and Mercury Management in Schools Training," this document focuses on the policies and programs needed at the school and district level for safe and sustainable chemical and mercury management practices. This document is designed primarily for school…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) From No Child Left Behind to Every Child a Graduate: Members of Congress and Staff Vow that High Schools Will Be…

Aided by a 21-member Elementary Education Study Group, the Secretary of Education has prepared the first comprehensive report on elementary education in the United States in more than three decades. The report finds America's elementary schools in pretty good shape, and states that they do their job especially well in the early grades, only…

This guide was created for school administrators, parents, teachers, and community groups interested in developing effective alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs for elementary and secondary schools. A comprehensive approach to school-based alcohol and drug prevention is described and various prevention activities which have been selected by…

The Midwest Center for Postsecondary Outreach developed this guide to offer administrators, parents, students, and potential service providers an overview of the various speech-to-text service options available in postsecondary environments to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Speech-to-text services are support options for students who…