RESET SERIES 3 Illustration
Collage by Vanessa Solis/Education Week (Images: Getty)
Student Achievement Collection

The 6 Most Important Student Learning Stories in a Chaotic 2021

What District Leaders Were Reading This Year

For those who make the most important decisions for public schools, the pandemic has brought about historic challenges, including staffing shortages, political upheaval, debates over race and racism, and a worldwide pandemic.

But front of mind for district leaders this year was how to keep students academically engaged, as evidenced by Education Week’s analytics.

Of our six most engaged stories this year among district leaders, five give key insights into ways teachers can help academically make up students’ lost learning time. The sixth helps leaders understand how to tackle chronic absenteeism.

RESET SERIES 3 Illustration
Collage by Vanessa Solis/Education Week (Images: Getty)
Teaching Understanding Learning ‘Acceleration’: Going Slow to Go Fast
Acceleration is sold as the way to fill academic holes left by less-than-ideal learning conditions last school year. But there are caveats.
Stephen Sawchuk & Liana Loewus, June 22, 2021
•
4 min read
Student Zikirah Skinner runs towards Lisanne Brown, dressed up as a Panther, the mascot of William Dick Elementary, during a surprise visit to her North Philadelphia home.
Zikirah Skinner runs toward an educator dressed as the panther mascot from her school, William Dick Elementary, during a surprise visit to her home in north Philadelphia to celebrate high attendance.
Heather Khalifa/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
School & District Management An Action Plan for Confronting Chronic Absenteeism
Districts that have successfully tackled chronic absenteeism share seven key insights in this roadmap for the school year ahead.
Stephen Sawchuk, July 15, 2021
•
10 min read
Carrie P. Meek/Westview K-8 Center principal Marchel Woods, center rear, greets parents dropping off their children for class on Oct. 5, 2020, at the Carrie P. Meek/Westview K-8 Center in Miami.
Principal Marchel Woods, center rear, greets parents dropping off children at the Carrie P. Meek/Westview K-8 Center in Miami. A new study quantifies the connection between principal effectiveness and students' academic achievement.
Wilfredo Lee/AP
School & District Management Top-Tier Principals Spark Big Gains in Student Learning
Replacing a below-average principal with an effective leader means nearly three more months of math and reading gains.
Denisa R. Superville, February 16, 2021
•
7 min read
High school student working on computer at home.
Getty
Classroom Technology How Can Schools Keep Quarantined Students Learning?
COVID-19 quarantines at the start of the school year have thrown students into a "constant state of disequilibrium," said one teacher.
Sarah Schwartz, August 27, 2021
•
10 min read
Female high school student running on the stairs leads to an opportunity to success
CreativaImages/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Curriculum What's the Best Way to Address Unfinished Learning? It's Not Remediation, Study Says
A new study suggests acceleration may be a promising strategy for addressing unfinished learning in math after a pandemic year.
Sarah Schwartz, May 24, 2021
•
5 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being Opinion Students Respond to Adults' Fixation on 'Learning Loss'
A Boston educator shares three guidelines for responding to "learning loss" she developed based on conversations with her students.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 2, 2021
•
9 min read

Read more when you subscribe! Subscribe now to access the articles above and more. Or find out how your entire organization can benefit from access to Education Week.