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Take-Aways from Our Two-Part Series Focused On Tablets in Pre-K Through Third Grade

In January and February, New America’s Learning Sciences Exchange (LSX) program and Early and Elementary Education policy program partnered to host a two-part webinar series, helping educators, policymakers, and parents navigate the latest guidance. Researchers, pediatricians, media specialists, and early childhood educators gathered to discuss the evidence and everyday decisions around how technology should be used with children between pre-K and third grade, which types and amounts are appropriate, and whether various forms should be used at all.

For most students, instruction in how to read ends sometime in elementary school. But some kids still struggle with foundational reading skills well beyond that point.

Mass firings at the U.S. Department of Education will severely compromise families’ ability to ensure that the rights of their children with disabilities are upheld, advocates warn.

When comedian Phil Hanley hit the first grade, he started to realize that while his classmates were learning to read, he couldn’t seem to make any progress. That was the start of a lifelong journey with dyslexia, which caused Hanley to struggle in school, only to find success as a male model and now as a comedian. Hanley discusses his memoir Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith.

Writing a memoir was no laughing matter for Phil Hanley. Narrating the audiobook took 16 sessions, 64 hours and a supportive audience.

When you’re a struggling reader, there’s no amount of motivation that can power you through the sludge of an opening paragraph. Because no matter how intrigued you may be by the topic, when you get to around here, the words begin to fa      l              t                     e               r.

The U.S. Department of Education is expected to shrink by half. The Trump administration has laid off more than 1,300 workers, and 21 states including Minnesota have sued to stop the layoffs. 

One of the agency’s major roles is to make sure students with disabilities can get an education. Special education programs are required by law, and they remain intact. But parent advocates in Minnesota say they are watching for other impacts, including indirect ones. 

Gretchen Godfrey is the associate director of the Minnesota-based organization, PACER Center. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to explain how parents of students with disabilities interact with the Department of Education and how the staffing cuts may affect Minnesota students.

The Education Department announced on Tuesday that it was firing more than 1,300 workers, effectively gutting the agency that manages federal loans for college, tracks student achievement and enforces civil rights laws in schools. The cuts could portend an additional move by Mr. Trump to essentially dismantle the department, as he has said he wants to do, even though it cannot be closed without the approval of Congress.

How can teachers best use research to help their students? Today’s post is the first in a three-part series designed to walk educators through the process of interpreting research to help us all “sift the wheat from the chaff.” Key takeaways: (1) start with your goals and an assessment of whether current programs are meeting those goals; (2) if the current program is aligned with evidence, consider whether it can be modified or supplemented to achieve goals; and (3) if adopting a new program, ask whether a program would be well-situated in your context.

The responsibility of testing falls on students, school staff, and administration. However, it is important to include parents who can bolster student confidence and increase performance. This can also alleviate stress for students and schools. Here are four ways that schools can ask parents for help during testing season.

In my job as an instructional coach at a K–6 elementary school, it seemed like people would run away when the conversation turned to data. Creating systemic schoolwide systems for collecting and analyzing data to benefit teachers has become one of my primary tasks. These systems are now at the heart of some of the meaningful changes happening in our school for teachers and students. Data can bring hope, especially when it shows we are on the right path to achieving student growth.

In December 2024, two Massachusetts parents sued Calkins, Fountas and Pinnell, their publishers HMH (formerly Houghton Mifflin) and Greenwood, and the Teachers College Board of Trustees. Unlike previous literacy-related lawsuits that claimed inferior literacy instruction violated students’ state constitutional rights, this lawsuit, Conley v. Calkins, contends that the defendants violated state consumer-protection statutes by fraudulently claiming their programs were supported by research.

Pop quiz: How many times has the federal government fulfilled its original commitment to supply 40 percent of the average per-pupil expenditure to pay for the costs of special education? Answer: Never. In fact, only once—in 2009—has federal funding even exceeded 20 percent, despite a promise in the first version of what is now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to reach 40 percent by 1982.

California is one of only 10 states in the country that does not require schools to screen children for dyslexia.

A man who left school illiterate in the 1980s due to undiagnosed dyslexia has said learning to read in his 50s was “one of the best things I’ve ever done”.

Cognitive reappraisal can help university students with dyslexia manage stress.

As the Trump administration continues to downsize and dismantle many government agencies, the Department of Education could be next on the chopping block. At stake are resources and support for more than seven million students with disabilities who depend on the agency to ensure access to a free public education. Judy Woodruff reports for our series, Disability Reframed.

Khan’s chief learning officer says AI isn’t education’s ‘golden ticket,’ but can be ‘an important tool in the toolbox’ in improving student outcomes. Khan Academy founder Sal Khan and chief learning officer Kristen DiCerbo negotiated a partnership with Open AI, and just five months later, their AI-powered Khanmigo tutoring bot debuted. Last summer, Khan Academy launched an AI writing coach. Nearly two years in, DiCerbo remains bullish on the possibilities of AI tutoring, cheerfully engaging critics about the limitations of the technology, even as by all measures it evolves and improves.

How do we build foundational literacy skills in preschool? We turn to the research. Cognitive neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene’s research supports integrating authentic language and literacy skills in children’s everyday experiences before kindergarten. Children learn many important skills in preschool that will build literacy skills, but none as critical as the following three: print awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics. In this article, I’ll share activities implemented in my classroom when I was a teacher, as well as activities that my teachers have implemented over the years.

The third graders in Steubenville, Ohio, are among the best young readers in the nation. For nearly 20 years, 93% or more of them have scored proficient on state reading tests. In fact, the elementary schools in this economically depressed area are producing better readers than some of the wealthiest places in the country.

A virtual wrecking ball took aim last Monday at the relatively small, wonky corner of the Department of Education: evaluation studies and data collection. Researchers described the canceled projects as rigorous evaluations of how the federal government spends education dollars, efforts to improve the reading and math skills of U.S. students and guides for teachers on evidence-based methods of instruction. Many of the projects were near completion and had mostly been paid out, which means that the implied savings are likely much less than $881 million touted by DOGE. DOGE also terminated masses of census-like data collections that are used to track student trends and help schools make informed decisions. U.S. participation in international assessments was also canceled. Without those data points and results, it may be impossible to tell how well students are doing.

As President Donald Trump doubles down on his pledge to shutter the U.S. Department of Education, the ramifications for students with disabilities could be severe, advocates say.

Significant cuts and changes within the U.S. Department of Education are causing worry among parents of children with ADHD and other learning differences who qualify for school services and accommodations. Here’s what you need to know about IEP law and 504 Plan protections.

The fewer symptoms people with ADHD experience, the less likely they are to try cigarettes and vaping

New research on ‘slow-wave sleep’ may have implications for others battling insomnia, including people with anxiety and depression.

Stanford education scholars Chris Lemons and Lakshmi Balasubramanian share strategies for helping students with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn to read.

A longtime special education teacher passes along his step-by-step guide for all parts of the IEP process.

Currently, ADHD diagnoses are mostly made through cognitive and behavioural observations. These tests determine whether a child is having difficulties in relation to what is expected for their age. However, this can be complemented – or perhaps even replaced in the future – by computational neuroscience. 

Many say they are relieved to finally have an explanation after decades of struggle.

Schools fell far behind in identifying students for special education services during the pandemic. But a recent analysis of one state’s data shows they are working at a fast pace to address the backlog.

The challenges that come with the learning disability can become advantages, writes this CEO.

Imaginative, resourceful, and fast-thinking ADHD brains can often solve problems that stump everyone else. Here, readers share their stories of seeing the solution everyone else missed.

According to an October 2024 study from the journal Australasian Psychiatry, there is a shocking discrepancy between the validity and popularity of ADHD-related TikToks. That is, many TikToks—and hugely popular ones, at that—which purport to be useful in understanding or even diagnosing ADHD contained highly misleading information.

One of the most common concerns parents have about ADHD medication is their child’s appetite and weight. So what can families expect? And how can parents optimise their child’s calories and nutrition?

A lawsuit filed in Massachusetts state court accuses famous literacy specialists Lucy Calkins, Irene Fountas, and Gay Su Pinnell and their publisher Heinemann of pushing reading curriculums they knew didn’t work.

Here are the year’s most notable picture, chapter and middle grade books, selected by our children’s books editor.

Middle and high school teachers say they don’t have enough time to support the struggling readers in their classes—and many say their school leadership isn’t paying attention to the problem.

Alarm bells. Red flags. A labyrinth.

These are just a few of the metaphors that mothers of children with dyslexia use to describe the journey from noticing their child’s literacy challenges to receiving a diagnosis and then advocating to secure services to help their children succeed. By paying attention to the images used in these metaphors, teachers and administrators can better understand the difficulties parents and children face and learn to be more responsive.

As students struggle with paying attention and managing stress, demand is soaring for a new — and often pricy — kind of support.

Educator’s view: ‘I am a college student’ are powerful words for a young person. Early college validates high expectations and sets a bar for success

It should, instead, be seen as a different way of being normal

The disorder, which affects executive function, can cause distinct challenges in the kitchen, leaving many to develop their own accommodations.

The production, which explores themes of identity, self-expression and magic, includes specially designed sensory materials, along with an original music score and changes to the traditional storyline and characters.

“This production represents a significant step towards addressing this disparity and promoting ongoing inclusivity in the West End and national cultural landscape.”

Early and targeted interventions are critical in helping these students understand increasingly complex tests, a study finds.

Many of our students come to school experiencing many challenges — and bring their feelings about them to our classes. Today’s post is the first in a series in which teachers share stories about how they supported one of their students to turn around some of those challenges.

As we explore ways to empower students and foster engagement in literacy instruction, it is essential to consider how innovative tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), can play a pivotal role. AI offers educators new opportunities to personalize learning experiences, promote student choice, and streamline the creation of a diverse range of activities.

To comprehend what they’re reading, many middle and high school students still need decoding support, researchers say.

Many older elementary and middle school students still struggle with foundational reading skills.

Emotional well-being plays a major role in teachers’ job satisfaction, and it’s essential that they have effective resources for support.

A high school student walks through what it was like to go through elementary and middle school with undiagnosed dyscalculia, and offers tips for educators looking to help students like her.

Leveled books have been a staple in early elementary reading instruction for more than two decades, with 61 percent of K-2 and special education teachers having said that they use them for small group work. But as the “science of reading” movement has spread, these texts have come under fire. Initially, they encourage students to guess at words rather than use their phonics skills, researchers say, which can prevent children from mapping the letter-sound connections that allow them to become fluent readers. A second problem is how they sort students into levels.

Strong connections with students are essential for showing them that you’re a trustworthy advocate who wants to help them succeed.

The big upsides—and potentials risks—of a “strengths-based” approach to teaching students with disabilities

Education Week interviewed five high school students who attend Jemicy School, an independent co-ed school for grades 1-12 in Baltimore that specializes in serving students with dyslexia and related language-based learning differences. The students opened up about their individual journeys with dyslexia, explained what the diagnosis has come to mean to them, and offered some advice for teachers.

Whether a student has dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or any other neurodivergent condition that makes learning harder for them, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, it helps for them to have a basic understanding of why they struggle to learn or do things when their neurotypical peers don’t. It can improve students’ confidence and their ability to advocate for themselves in the classroom, which is an especially important skill when they get into high school, college, and the workforce, say experts.

More than one-fourth of students in grades K-3 were placed on a reading improvement plan in the 2023-24 school year.

Many speech issues can be corrected with therapy, so it’s important that teachers know the signs of a potential problem.

After his heartfelt reaction to his father’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention thrust him into the spotlight, 17-year-old Gus Walz has become one of the most high-profile people with nonverbal learning disorder. Gus is one of millions of Americans with nonverbal learning disorder.

How much do America’s schools spend to provide special education services to students with disabilities? How have special education costs nationwide risen over the last two decades? What is the typical cost of providing services to a K-12 student who has autism, or ADHD, or Down syndrome?

The answer to all of these questions is painfully simple: We don’t know.

Gov. Tim Walz announced on Wednesday that the state will invest $10 million to support and train special education teachers in over 35 districts.