White Papers

• How Your District can address student behavioral issues outside the classroom - First Student, Inc.
• Culturally Responsive Mathematics Teaching - Curriculum Associates
• 7 Common Signs of Dyslexia: An Educator’s Guide - Learning Ally
• Take the guesswork out of ESSA compliance - Xello
• Experience Matters in Instructional Design - Odysseyware
• ESSA and Digital Learning: Opportunities for innovation for digital learning in the Every Student Succeeds Act - Fuel Education
• The Truth About Dyslexia: Myths vs. Facts - Voyager Sopris Learning
• Building A Data Informed Digital Ecosystem That Supports Educational Equity - itsLearning
• National Survey: How Educators Really Feel About Educational Technology - DreamBox Learning & PBS
• Literacy PD: 10 Reasons Why It’s Essential - Voyager Sopris Learning
• Guide to Meeting the Next Generation Science Standards - DefinedSTEM
• Educators Believe Educational Technology Can Personalize Learning - DreamBox Learning & PBS
• The Nonnegotiable Attributes of Effective Feedback - Solution Tree
• ESSA: An Opportunity for American Educators - Solution Tree

How Your District can address student behavioral issues outside the classroom

Sponsor: First Student, Inc. Posted: December 15, 2018

FirstACTS® (Active Conduct Tracking System) is a web-based communication tool powered by First Student. This tool easily and efficiently reports and tracks student behavior concerns on the school bus. An Illinois school district implemented the FirstACTS® tool and saw significant improvement in student behavior, communication, and driver satisfaction.

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Culturally Responsive Mathematics Teaching

Sponsor: Curriculum Associates Posted: December 15, 2018

Culturally responsive mathematics teaching (CRMT) is about inviting all students into mathematics as participants because their ways of thinking and reasoning are worth sharing. It’s about ensuring each and every learner not only has success with mathematics, but also comes to see mathematics as a tool to examine the world. This whitepaper reflects on four elements of CRMT and strategies that educators have implemented in their classrooms.

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7 Common Signs of Dyslexia: An Educator’s Guide

Sponsor: Learning Ally Posted: December 6, 2018

Dyslexia often goes undiagnosed. As a result, students struggle and fail to reach their potential. Accommodations and resources are available to help these students achieve success in school and beyond. Learning Ally guides you to understanding the signs of dyslexia and steps you can take to support your struggling readers. Download Guide to Dyslexia

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Take the guesswork out of ESSA compliance

Sponsor: Xello Posted: November 15, 2018

With all state's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plans filed, districts now have the daunting task of building actionable initiatives to drive results. To help, we’ve created a guide that outlines the act’s key challenges and provides some options to achieve your college and career readiness goals. Download our guide and learn: -The significance of college and career readiness (CCR) as a key ESSA success indicator -How online career planning software helps meet an array of ESSA related goals -The nuances of introducing a district-wide program that achieves objectives and excites students

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Experience Matters in Instructional Design

Sponsor: Odysseyware Posted: November 2, 2018

Experience matters when it comes to teaching. Teachers’ acquired knowledge and innate ability to understand the needs of their students cannot be replaced by technology. Odysseyware works directly with experienced educators to incorporate methods that have been proven through research and evidence to define our instructional design. How students experience our digital curriculum is also carefully considered to elicit engagement, motivation, and positive learning outcomes – all in support of whole learner success.

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ESSA and Digital Learning: Opportunities for innovation for digital learning in the Every Student Succeeds Act

Sponsor: Fuel Education Posted: November 1, 2018

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has the potential of catalyzing a transformation in education that embraces unprecedented support and funding for individualized and innovative instruction – one in which digital learning and student data play a major role. Read our white paper to learn how to leverage ESSA policy and funding streams to create or expand your digital learning programs. Download this paper to read more.

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The Truth About Dyslexia: Myths vs. Facts

Sponsor: Voyager Sopris Learning Posted: October 31, 2018

As a consequence of advocacy, many states have now adopted laws pertaining the identification and treatment of dyslexia. While recognition of dyslexia is long overdue, conflicts between scientific evidence and popular beliefs continue to complicate implementation of these well-intentioned laws. Dr. Louisa Moats, author and nationally recognized literacy expert, will address quandaries such as the definition of dyslexia, appropriate criteria for identification, teacher preparation, and selection and use of instructional approaches.

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Building A Data Informed Digital Ecosystem That Supports Educational Equity

Sponsor: itsLearning Posted: October 17, 2018

A primary benefit of integrating technology into the K-12 curriculum is that it facilitates data-driven decision making. Educators can now use student performance data to personalize learning and improve academic outcomes. Used thoughtfully, technology can be viewed as the great equalizer in education. It can help affirm and advance relationships between educators, provide access to multiple sources of high-quality content, introduce learning methods that promote active learning and collaboration, shrink long-standing equity and accessibility gaps, and adapt learning experiences to meet the needs of all learners. Benefits of digital learning include increased student engagement, the ability to personalize learning and intervention for struggling students.

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National Survey: How Educators Really Feel About Educational Technology

Sponsors: DreamBox Learning & PBS Posted: October 1, 2018

DreamBox Learning® and PBS, in partnership with the Education Week Research Center, recently surveyed teachers and administrators on whether or not educational technology can be an effective tool for differentiation to improve student outcomes. This white paper explores key findings that explore the value of personalized learning to educators, current challenges for teachers using educational technology, and how the right support can meet the needs of educators.

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Literacy PD: 10 Reasons Why It’s Essential

Sponsor: Voyager Sopris Learning Posted: October 1, 2018

A skilled instructor can change the lives of students. But, many educators are not prepared to teach all students to read, especially those who struggle. Here are 10 reasons, based on research, why LETRS professional development is essential for raising reading achievement and empowering teachers.

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Guide to Meeting the Next Generation Science Standards

Sponsor: DefinedSTEM Posted: September 15, 2018

The Next Generation Science Standards require educators to shift their classroom focus from transmission of information to application of knowledge through real-world experiences. While the benefits are clear, how to meet these standards presents educators with a new set of challenges. Download this guide to learn how to help students apply their knowledge and meet the performance expectations of the NGSS through authentic performance tasks.

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Educators Believe Educational Technology Can Personalize Learning

Sponsors: DreamBox Learning & PBS Posted: August 27, 2018

Teachers and administrators say educational technology can be an effective tool for differentiation — which they largely agree helps to improve student outcomes. But they want more professional development in pedagogy and instructional methods, as well as more training in using tech tools. And they could use more and better devices, according to a new survey from DreamBox Learning, PBS, and the Education Week Research Center. This whitepaper highlights survey findings and provides valuable insight into educators’ perceptions of digital tools.

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The Nonnegotiable Attributes of Effective Feedback

Sponsor: Solution Tree Posted: August 15, 2018

Feedback is complicated. Strategies are not transferable to every context; nuance and contextual sensitivity matter most, since strategies can have a varying degree of success from classroom to classroom. This whitepaper identifies the key attributes of effective feedback to help educators to grow and to allow students to concentrate on what comes next so they continue to learn and improve.

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ESSA: An Opportunity for American Educators

Sponsor: Solution Tree Posted: April 18, 2018

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides an opportunity for increased student achievement across the United States by allowing states a greater degree of freedom and control over public K-12 education. To take advantage of this opportunity, states must abandon the thinking that led to the failure of previous reforms such as No Child Left Behind and instead embrace a new mindset about the most promising strategies for improving schools. That new mindset must include supporting teacher collaboration, establishing clarity of purpose, providing ongoing feedback, creating conditions that allow educators to succeed, and sustaining improvement through the PLC process.

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