Back to School

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the start of the school year

Reading List

EdWeek's Back-to-School Reading List
Explore some of our most popular and powerful stories, selected by our editors as back-to-school must reads.
School & District Management K-12 Essentials Forum Get a Strong Start to the New School Year
Get insights and actions from Education Week journalists and expert guests on how to start the new school year on strong footing.
August 18, 2022
Young students running to the school building for classes.
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Teaching The Back-to-School Traditions Teachers Swear By
Inspirational films, day-one activities, time capsules, and oodles of coffee are among the ideas educators shared with us.
Hayley Hardison, August 12, 2022
1 min read
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Start Strong With Solid SEL Implementation: Success Strategies for the New School Year
Join Satchel Pulse to learn why implementing a solid SEL program at the beginning of the year will deliver maximum impact to your students.
Content provided by Satchel Pulse
Photo illustration of colorful school supplies
Vanessa Solis/Education Week and iStock/Getty Images
Teaching Opinion Schools Just Let Out, But What Are the Best Ways to Begin the Coming Year?
The No. 1 piece of advice from teachers: Get to know your students.
Larry Ferlazzo, June 24, 2022
2 min read
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Accelerate Learning with Project-Based Learning
Earlier this year, the George Lucas Educational Foundation released four new studies highlighting how project-based learning (PBL) helps accelerate student learning—across age groups, multiple disciplines, and different socio-economic statuses. With this year’s emphasis on unfinished
Content provided by SmartLab Learning
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
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Teaching Opinion Students Are Finally Back Together. Here's How They Feel About It
While well aware of COVID-related change, students seem to be focused on such typical high school fare as grades and college-entrance exams.
Larry Ferlazzo, October 11, 2021
8 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion What Students Think About Their Third Year of Pandemic Schooling
Some are happy to be back, to be with friends and learn in person, while others prefer learning online. And worries persist over COVID.
Larry Ferlazzo, October 10, 2021
7 min read
Image of kids with backpacks running outdoors.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being Download Preparing for In-Person Learning: A COVID-19 Checklist for Parents
What you need to know to help your child feel prepared and confident for a return to school. (Downloadable)
Sarah D. Sparks, August 30, 2021
1 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion 'Making Connections Is My Number One Priority': Teachers Share Their Plans for This Year
Four teachers discuss how they are approaching this third pandemic-affected school year.
Larry Ferlazzo, August 28, 2021
13 min read
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Take 5 for Schools: Five Essential Steps for Safe School Openings This Fall
Faced with the highly transmissible Delta variant, school districts across the country are grappling with the biggest challenge of the pandemic to date. With schools reopening every day and education leaders reassessing their opening plans,
Content provided by Healthy Davis Together
Teaching Interactive Reasons for Hope
At the start of a third school year disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, students and educators find reasons to be hopeful.
Jaclyn Borowski , Kaylee Domzalski, Eric Harkleroad, Emma Patti Harris & Brooke Saias, August 26, 2021
1 min read
Image of bus and students.
Getty
Teaching Parents and Teachers Want to See Big Changes Come Out of the Pandemic, Survey Says
Smaller classes and personalized attention for students are high on the list, but also concern about academics and social-emotional issues.
Alyson Klein, August 24, 2021
2 min read
Students are reminded to wear a mask amidst other chalk drawings on the sidewalk as they arrive for the first day of school at Union High School in Tulsa, Okla., Monday, Aug. 24, 2020.
Students are reminded to wear a mask amid other chalk drawings on the sidewalk as they arrive for the first day of school at Union High School in Tulsa, Okla. in 2020. Oklahoma is one of eight states that have banned local mask requirements for the 2021-22 school year.
Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP
States Federal COVID Aid a Flash Point as Tensions Escalate Over School Mask Policies
The Biden administration reassures schools they can use federal aid to make up for penalties for defying state bans on mask mandates.
Evie Blad, August 23, 2021
6 min read
School Climate & Safety Photos The Tense and Joyous Start to the 2021 School Year, in Photos
Students are headed back to school with the threat of the Delta variant looming. How is this playing out across the country? Take a look.
1 min read