Rules for Engagement
The Rules for Engagement blog explored the nonacademic issues that bear on students’ learning. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: social-emotional learning, student well-being, and school climate.
School Climate & Safety
School Police May Once Again Get Military Equipment Under Trump Policy Reversal
The Trump administration will rescind Obama-era restrictions on local police agencies access to surplus military equipment, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. That might mean school police can once again get military equipment like grenade launchers and mine-resistant armored vehicles through the program, known as 1033.
Equity & Diversity
LGBT Rights Group Sues Trump Admin. for Records on Transgender Policy Shift
A prominent LGBT legal group has sued the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice for records related to the agencies' decision to withdraw federal guidance on the rights of transgender students in public schools.
School & District Management
Human Book Characters May Be Better Than Animals for Teaching Moral Lessons
Young children are more likely to learn and apply character lessons from books that feature human characters than from stories that center on human-like animals, a new study finds.
Equity & Diversity
Texas 'Bathroom Bill' Dies as Special Session Ends
A proposed Texas bill that would have restricted restroom access for transgender people in many public buildings, including public schools, died Tuesday night after the state's house failed to take action on the measure during a special session.
Student Well-Being & Movement
#FeedingOurStudents: Teachers Share How They Are Helping Fight Student Hunger
A recent survey showed that it's not uncommon for teachers to spend an average of $300 a year of their own funds on food for their students. Many said that they see firsthand how hungry students have more trouble concentrating, learning, and behaving in class.
Education Week asked teachers: What does this look like in your school? Here are some of your answers.
School & District Management
Scientists Say Teens Need More Sleep. Should States Require Later School Start Times?
A California lawmaker proposed a bill that would require the state's middle schools and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., aligning their schedules with recommendations by scientists who say teens don't get enough sleep.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Trump Says He'll Declare Opioid Crisis a National Emergency as Schools Feel Effects
President Trump said Thursday he will declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency. He called it "a serious problem, the likes of which we've never had."
Student Well-Being & Movement
Building a Modern Marshmallow Test: New Ways to Measure Social-Emotional Learning
The winners of a recent design challenge took a crack at measuring social-emotional learning, proposing everything from analyzing students' behaviors when taking computer-based tests to gauging their responses to real-world simulations.
Equity & Diversity
Teachers Spend Hundreds of Dollars to Help Feed Students Who Are Hungry
A majority of teachers spend their own money to help ensure students have enough to eat, spending an average of $300 a year, according to a new survey.
Student Well-Being & Movement
The Unexpected Reason Some Students Procrastinate
Some students engage in so-called self-handicapping behaviors like procrastination in an attempt to protect themselves from the negative emotions they might feel if they fail at an academic task. How should teachers handle it?
Equity & Diversity
Is Transgender Teen's Case Moot Because He Graduated? Court Seeks Answer.
Does transgender teen Gavin Grimm still have standing to sue his school district over access to the boys' bathroom since he graduated in June? The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, in Richmond, Va., asked a lower court to answer that question, further delaying his case.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Trump Urged to Declare State of Emergency Over Opioid Crisis
The White House Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis also plans to "explore evidence-based prevention programs for schools" before it issues its final recommendations later in the fall.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Some Teens Don't See School as a Kind Place. Here's Why That Matters.
While mental health is a priority for many high school students, they don't always see their schools as supportive places where they can seek help, a new survey finds.
Equity & Diversity
Millions of Students Miss Out on School Meals During Summer
During the school year, 22 million students rely on free and reduced-price lunches, but only 4 million get summer meals. An Omaha, Neb., food truck program is helping to bridge the gap in that community.