Explainer

Go deeper on the latest education issues with these explainers from Education Week
What the American Rescue Plan Means for Schools
Education Funding Explainer What the American Rescue Plan Means for Schools
The Biden administration bets that nearly $130 billion will help schools address the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on K-12 education
Andrew Ujifusa, April 5, 2021
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5:37
School & District Management Video Schools as Vaccine Clinics: Advice From School Leaders Who Made It Work
The Anchorage, Alaska, school district has tips for districts on how to operate a large-scale community vaccination program.
Jaclyn Borowski , April 2, 2021
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4:32
An massage parlor staff member wearing a protective suit uses an ultraviolet sterilizer wand to demonstrate COVID-19 safety measures to media in Hong Kong, in August 2020. Such tools have sparked interest among school and district leaders, but there is little evidence if the effectiveness of handheld UV sanitizers in a school setting.
Ultraviolet light systems are used in a wide variety of public spaces, like these New York City subway cars, to deactivate the virus that causes COVID-19. Now schools are following suit.
Frank Franklin II/AP
School & District Management Explainer Should Schools Use UV Light to Eliminate COVID-19?
Some schools have begun to use ultraviolet light systems to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but their effectiveness and safety can vary.
Sarah D. Sparks, March 18, 2021
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4 min read
Carla Constanza, a nurse with Medford Public Schools, performs a COVID-19 swab test on 5th grader Zachary Maynard at McGlynn Middle School in Medford, Mass., on March 15, 2021.
Carla Constanza, a nurse with Medford Public Schools, performs a COVID-19 swab test on 5th grader Zachary Maynard at McGlynn Middle School in Medford, Mass., on March 15, 2021.
Nathan Klima for Education Week
School & District Management Explainer Testing for COVID-19 at School: Frequently Asked Questions
School-based testing for COVID-19 isn't easy. Here are some key questions and answers to consider.
Catherine Gewertz, March 16, 2021
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12 min read
Miguel Cardona, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of Education, speaks after being introduced at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 23, 2020.
Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education, speaks after being put forward for the position by then-President-elect Joe Biden in December 2020.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
Federal Explainer Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education: Background and Achievements
Background and highlights of Miguel Cardona's tenure as the twelfth U.S. Secretary of Education.
Education Week Library, March 1, 2021
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2 min read
What is Clubhouse? How Are Educators Using It? (Video)
Classroom Technology Explainer A Clubhouse Explainer: What Educators Should Know About the New Audio Chat App
Educators are flocking to Clubhouse, an emerging invitation-only social app for iPhone users—even as social media experts warn of red flags.
Mark Lieberman, March 1, 2021
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10 min read
Students testing.
Getty
Accountability Explainer Will There Be Standardized Tests This Year? 8 Questions Answered
Educators want to know: Will the exams happen? If so, what will they look like, and how will the results be used?
Andrew Ujifusa & Sarah Schwartz, February 9, 2021
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12 min read
A red London Transport bus passes a Covid-19 sign during England's third national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus on Jan. 8, 2021.
A London bus passes a COVID-19 public service announcement after Great Britain began its third coronavirus lockdown. A new strain of the virus was discovered in England late last year.
Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP
School & District Management Explainer Will New COVID-19 Strains Mean More Cases in Schools? An Explainer
Three new, more contagious strains of coronavirus may force schools to rethink the calculus on reopening.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 11, 2021
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5 min read
Vaccine in a bottle with a syringe.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being Explainer COVID-19 Vaccines and Schools: Your Questions Answered
Will teachers get priority? Can shots be required? EdWeek answers educators' frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines.
Education Week Staff, January 5, 2021
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5 min read
Illustration of medical staff administering coronavirus vaccine
RLT Images/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
States Explainer School Employees May Get Early COVID-19 Vaccinations. Here's How States Will Decide When
State and federal leaders face a host of questions in allocating the scarce vaccine even among "essential workers," like those in education.
Evie Blad, December 15, 2020
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8 min read
Young child wearing a mask getting a vaccine.
E+/Getty
Student Well-Being Explainer Will a COVID-19 Vaccine Be Mandatory for Students?
Early answers to some of the biggest questions about public school students and vaccines.
Arianna Prothero, December 3, 2020
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5 min read
Student Well-Being Explainer How Should Schools Quarantine Students Exposed to Coronavirus? An Explainer
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is changing its quarantine guidelines for people who had close contact with COVID-19.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 3, 2020
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4 min read
Teachers and staff protest outside Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in New York Oct. 2, calling for more and better COVID-19 testing and precautions. Teacher retirements are actually down this year in the city despite the pandemic.
Teachers and staff protest outside Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in New York Oct. 2, calling for more and better COVID-19 testing and precautions. Teacher retirements are actually down this year in the city despite the pandemic.
AP Photo/John Minchillo
Teaching Profession Explainer Did COVID-19 Really Drive Teachers to Quit?
An Education Week analysis shows that the predicted wave of leavers has not yet materialized across the nation.
Madeline Will, Catherine Gewertz & Sarah Schwartz, November 17, 2020
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16 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
Student Well-Being Explainer Do Face Shields Protect Against COVID-19? A Mask and Shield Explainer
While transparent face shields help teachers better communicate with students, they are less effective at controlling coronavirus spread.
Sarah D. Sparks, November 2, 2020
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6 min read
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