Schools Are Urged to Embrace AI—And Ban Phones. Can We Resolve the Tension? (Opinion)
Michael Horn argues that the push to adopt AI in schools clashes with simultaneous calls to ban phones, revealing a deeper tension about technology’s role in education. He warns that simply layering AI onto existing classroom structures will repeat past ed‑tech failures unless schools design coherent, rigor‑focused learning models. When AI tools are purpose‑built and paired with clear guidelines, they can enhance personalization and reduce teacher workload, but blanket bans ignore families eager for AI‑enabled options. Horn advises leaders to start with student outcomes, pilot responsibly, and use outcome‑based contracts to weed out ineffective tools.
How Far Can You Stretch a Starting Teacher Salary? We Crunched the Numbers
Policymakers have pushed for a $60,000 minimum starting teacher salary, but federal bills like the Pay Teachers Act remain stalled. Maryland’s Blueprint for the Future requires districts to hit that floor, and half of the state’s 24 districts have succeeded....
Minn. Districts Ask Judge to Restore Immigration Enforcement Limits by Schools
Attorneys for the Fridley and Duluth school districts and the Education Minnesota union asked a federal judge to block a Trump‑era policy that lifted longstanding restrictions on immigration enforcement near schools. The Department of Homeland Security rescinded the “sensitive locations”...
Bloom's Taxonomy Needs an Update for the AI Age (Opinion)
Since ChatGPT’s 2022 debut, generative AI has turned creation into an early, prompt‑driven activity, challenging the traditional view of Bloom’s Taxonomy as a linear climb from remembering to creating. Educators argue that the hierarchy no longer mirrors how students interact...
What's Your Educator Wellness Score? Here's How to Find Out
Principal Damon Lewis of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy shares a daily ritual of silent reflection and strict calendar management to keep work and home separate. He notes that educators face relentless demands—lesson planning, grading, rising student misbehavior, absenteeism, and budget...
We’re Finally Holding Tech Accountable for Harming Teens. What Happens Next? (Opinion)
A California jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harms to teenagers, marking the first major legal acknowledgment that social‑media platforms are designed to be manipulative. The verdict has accelerated legislative actions on age verification, school cellphone bans, and broader...
Trump Admin. Terminates Several Agreements to Protect Transgender Students
The U.S. Department of Education has terminated five civil‑rights agreements that previously required school districts and a college to protect transgender students under Title IX. Those settlements, reached during the Obama and Biden eras, extended anti‑discrimination safeguards to gender identity and...
Ease the Teacher-Hiring Process with AI (Downloadable)
School districts face ongoing teacher‑hiring shortages, prompting leaders to explore AI solutions. Emerging AI agents can autonomously screen applications and generate interview questions. Golf School District 67 in Morton Grove, Illinois, created a library of highly structured prompts that work with...
Building Resilient Students: Leadership Beyond the Classroom
A panel of education leaders from IMG Academy, Christopher Columbus High School, Country Day School, and Baylor University explored how schools can embed sport‑derived performance principles, mindset training, and experiential learning to build student resilience and leadership. They highlighted structured...
What One Researcher Saw Inside 29 Kindergarten Classrooms
Developmental psychologist Susan Engel spent two years observing 29 kindergarten classrooms in 14 states, documenting how modern kindergarten has shifted from half‑day, play‑based learning to full‑day, reading‑focused instruction. She found that teachers universally prioritize order and literacy, but approaches to...
Superintendents Increasingly Report Economic Pressures on Their Districts
The AASA’s 2025 survey of 1,951 superintendents revealed growing fiscal anxiety, with 38% reporting declining district economics—up from 30% a year earlier. Despite these pressures, 89% plan to stay in their current roles, reflecting a desire for leadership continuity. The...
The Weight Room Is the Best Classroom in a School (Opinion)
Middle school teacher Alexander Han argues that the weight room functions as a powerful learning environment, teaching accountability, delayed gratification, and resilience through tangible, immediate feedback. He observes that structured, high‑expectation routines in strength training foster a growth mindset and...
A State Gets Closer to Challenging Undocumented Students' Free Access to School
Tennessee lawmakers are debating a bill that would force public schools to collect every student’s immigration status starting in the 2026‑27 school year, aiming to challenge the 1982 Plyler v. Doe decision that guarantees free education for undocumented children. The...
We’re Not Preparing Principals for the Real Job of School Leadership (Opinion)
Meagan Booth argues that principal preparation programs focus heavily on instructional tactics while neglecting the adult‑management realities principals face daily. She highlights that conflict, morale, legal issues, and crisis response consume most of a leader’s time, yet training rarely covers...
Reading Is Hard to Teach. Can AI Help?
Experts predict AI-powered reading tools will soon be commonplace in K‑12 classrooms, offering adaptive instruction and real‑time feedback. These technologies aim to personalize literacy learning, addressing persistent gaps in reading proficiency. However, educators caution that excessive dependence on AI could...
