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 This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: social-emotional learning, student well-being, and school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.
Equity & Diversity
Hostility Toward LGBTQ Students May Be Rising in Schools, Survey Finds
A significant share of LGBTQ youth surveyed expressed concern that school staff contributed to the hostile environment for LGTBQ students in schools.
Equity & Diversity
Feds to Investigate Whether School's Transgender Policy Created 'Hostile Environment for Girls'
The Education Department's office for civil rights will investigate whether a Georgia elementary school's policy for transgender students contributed to the alleged assault of a girl.
Student Well-Being & Movement
When Students Say #MeToo, Schools May Be Unprepared to Help
Some researchers and advocates say it's often difficult for students to seek assistance from schools when they want to report a sexual assault, a concern that's become more urgent against the backdrop of the tumultuous Supreme Court confirmation process of Brett Kavanaugh who has been accused of sexual assault by three women.
Student Well-Being & Movement
E-Cigarettes Aren't Just for Tobacco: Students Use Them for Marijuana, Too
Nearly 1 in 3 high school students and 1 in 4 middle school students have reported having smoked marijuana using electronic cigarettes, according to a survey.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Teen Vaping Has Hit 'Epidemic Proportions,' FDA Leader Says in Enforcement Call
Food and Drug Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is giving manufacturers of electronic cigarettes 60 days to make plans to limit sales of the vaping products to minors.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Lead in Water: Why It Goes Undetected in Many Schools
The Detroit school district made headlines when it discovered lead in some water fountains. Without testing requirements, many schools around the country may not realize they have the same problem.
School Climate & Safety
Student Activists, Teachers Unions Plan Youth Summit on Gun Violence
Youth organizers, gun control groups, and teachers unions plan a youth summit to help coordinate student engagement around gun violence issues.
School Climate & Safety
Trump's School Safety Panel Tours Nevada School to See How It's Beefing Up Defenses
The commission, formed in response to the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., has criss-crossed the country exploring ways to make schools safer.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Teaching Comprehensive Sex Education, From Kindergarten Through High School
Comprehensive sexuality education includes everything from basic anatomy to how to have a healthy relationship. Advocates say it should start as early as kindergarten.
School & District Management
Looking for Cyberbullies? Try Instagram
Teenagers are experiencing cyberbullying on Instagram more than any other social media platform, according to a study of 10,000 young people in the United Kingdom.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Schools Should Teach (and Measure) 'Soft Skills,' Parents and Educators Agree
Schools should assess students on both their "academic knowledge" and "nonacademic skills," parents and educators said in a new survey.
School Climate & Safety
What Counts as a School Shooting? The Answer to That Question Shapes Safety Debates
Was the gunfire that injured two people outside a high school football game a "school shooting"? Answering that question is more complicated than it sounds, and it affects ongoing school safety debates.
School Climate & Safety
School Safety Requires Prevention, Not Just Physical Security, Federal Commission Told
While many school safety conversations since the Feb. 14 shooting in Parkland, Fla., have focused on "hardening schools" with physical security measures, keeping students safe requires a broader, multifaceted approach, panelists said.
School Climate & Safety
Should High Schoolers Learn to Stop Traumatic Bleeding? The Feds Think So.
The Department of Homeland Security wants to train high school students to treat bleeding during mass casualty events, like school shootings. Here's how the idea fits into larger school safety debates.