Middle-school science teacher Lindsay Kervan shares strategies to maintain engagement and connection as the school year progresses, including greeting students by name, using icebreakers, rotating random groups and encouraging passion projects. She emphasizes revisiting expectations and modeling respectful interactions to sustain a supportive, inclusive classroom culture focused on learning.

A study by NWEA reveals that only 58% of US schools offer algebra by eighth grade, with access significantly lower in rural, high-poverty and predominantly Black or Latino schools. The study highlights that high-achieving Black students are less likely to be placed in eighth-grade algebra compared to their peers, attributing this to biased placement practices.

A Partnership for Student Success survey conducted with Rand reveals that more than 400,000 adults have become involved in tutoring, mentoring and wraparound support for students since the pandemic, but just 20% to 30% of school principals say most students receive needed support. More than half of principals cite funding and staffing as barriers.

The New Mexico Historic Women Marker Program is expanding its impact by developing a K-12 curriculum based on the biographies featured on its roadside markers. Education director Lisa Nordstrum, who first introduced these stories to her seventh-grade students, now leads the effort to incorporate women's histories -- many of whom are absent from textbooks -- into classrooms statewide.

Principal Nicole Paxton of Mountain Vista Community School in Colorado's Harrison School District 2 has expanded career and technical education offerings by encouraging staff to obtain licensing in subjects that interest students. The program, which is exploratory for middle school students, includes courses such as media arts and LEGO robotics, with plans to add a durable skills course for students in special education classrooms.

Google Docs can be a powerful educational tool beyond its basic word-processing capabilities, says middle-school teacher Steffannie Alter, who uses the platform to facilitate real-time student collaboration, independent learning and multimodal assignments. Alter also leverages features such as Suggesting mode for peer feedback and document history for process tracking, and uses color coding to ensure balanced participation in group work.

Common Sense Media and Day of AI have released a toolkit to help parents understand artificial intelligence and discuss it with their children. The toolkit, which includes videos and conversation starters, addresses concerns such as bias and privacy, and the initiative highlights the need for collaboration between schools and parents to ensure students use AI responsibly.

Tracey Edou, superintendent of a Washington school district, shares her experience of building a consensus culture, emphasizing the importance of listening to stakeholders and synthesizing diverse perspectives. Edou highlights the role of consensus in navigating challenges, such as the coronavirus pandemic, and offers guiding questions for leaders to ensure all voices are heard and respected.