Teaching & Learning Collection

Focus On

Education Week’s Focus On reports highlight an important topic in the education field each week.

States States Rework Policies on Charter Buildings
Legislatures across the country have taken a variety of approaches to helping charter schools secure building space.
Katie Ash, July 25, 2013
3 min read
Contractor Joe Martinez paints door trim last month inside the South Side Middle School in Memphis, Tenn. Originally South Side High School, the site now houses a traditional public school and a separate charter school, according to Shelby County school officials. Some charter schools around the country, needing facility space, are seeking to share locations with traditional public schools.
Contractor Joe Martinez paints door trim last month inside the South Side Middle School in Memphis, Tenn. Originally South Side High School, the site now houses a traditional public school and a separate charter school, according to Shelby County school officials. Some charter schools around the country, needing facility space, are seeking to share locations with traditional public schools.
Mike Brown/Memphis Commercia Appeal/Zuma
Education Funding Charters Struggle in Search for Affordable Space
Some charter school operators, facing challenges in obtaining financing to open new facilities, have turned to options such as sharing space with traditional public schools.
Katie Ash, July 25, 2013
9 min read
Jakub Simacek, center, discusses his exhibit with a visitor at the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland College Park. Mr. Simacek, a student from Newark High School in Newark, Del., detailed the capture of the Pegasus Bridge by British troops during the early hours of D-Day in World War II.
Jakub Simacek, center, discusses his exhibit with a visitor at the National History Day competition at the University of Maryland College Park. Mr. Simacek, a student from Newark High School in Newark, Del., detailed the capture of the Pegasus Bridge by British troops during the early hours of D-Day in World War II.
Ken Cedeno for Education Week
Social Studies Advocates Finding Ways to Bulk Up History Learning
Out-of-school and extracurricular activities are picking up some of the demand for teaching students history.
Caralee J. Adams, July 9, 2013
9 min read
Principal Shenethe Parks greets last-minute arrivals at Bret Harte Elementary School in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Ms. Parks is among 100 "rising" school leaders taking part in an ambitious initiative by the district to improve the quality of its principals.
Principal Shenethe Parks greets last-minute arrivals at Bret Harte Elementary School in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Ms. Parks is among 100 "rising" school leaders taking part in an ambitious initiative by the district to improve the quality of its principals.
John Zich for Education Week
School & District Management Chicago Upgrades Its Principal Pipeline
Amid a wave of school closings, Chicago is forging ahead with plans to groom a crop of high-performing principals.
Lesli A. Maxwell, June 11, 2013
8 min read
Math Fever: From left, Luna Rodriguez, Sabrina Vulpio, and Justin Burgher, 7th graders at PS 232, dance on the light-activated Math Square at the Museum of Mathematics in New York. MoMath and other museums are trying to make the subject enjoyable.
<b>Math Fever:</b> From left, Luna Rodriguez, Sabrina Vulpio, and Justin Burgher, 7th graders at PS 232, dance on the light-activated Math Square at the Museum of Mathematics in New York. MoMath and other museums are trying to make the subject enjoyable.
Emile Wamsteker for Education Week
Curriculum Museums Open Doors to Informal Math Learning
A new museum in New York City, along with math exhibits in other museums, are designed to infuse fun into learning.
Caralee J. Adams, June 4, 2013
10 min read
Sheriff's deputy Chad Rogers, center, advances with fellow officers during a full-scale "active shooter" exercise this spring at Elmira High School in Elmira, Ore. An increasing number of states are enacting or considering laws to require schools to practice safety drills that involve multiple agencies and volunteer students and school staff.
Sheriff's deputy Chad Rogers, center, advances with fellow officers during a full-scale "active shooter" exercise this spring at Elmira High School in Elmira, Ore. An increasing number of states are enacting or considering laws to require schools to practice safety drills that involve multiple agencies and volunteer students and school staff.
Brian Davies/The Register-Guard/AP
School Climate & Safety States Pressing Schools to Add 'Intruder' Drills
Proposed mandates for emergency-preparedness drills are gaining traction in many statehouses.
May 21, 2013
8 min read
School & District Management Top Jobs Opening Up in Nation's School Districts
At least 17 well-known districts are facing superintendent vacancies, and the turnover may bring big changes in some school systems.
Jaclyn Zubrzycki, May 13, 2013
11 min read
'Citizen science': Angeneris Cifuentes, 16, a student at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies, gets ready to release a goldfinch as part of a workshop at Cornell’s ornithology lab. Across the country, students are gathering data for scientists.
'Citizen science': Angeneris Cifuentes, 16, a student at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies, gets ready to release a goldfinch as part of a workshop at Cornell’s ornithology lab. Across the country, students are gathering data for scientists.
Heather Ainsworth for Education Week
Science Students Conduct Fieldwork for Scientists' Research
Through "citizen science" projects, students leave the classroom to collect data for scientists and get hands-on experience.
Nora Fleming, May 6, 2013
7 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Swiss Academic and Career Paths Designed to Cross
System allows secondary students to shift from vocational training to a degree roughly equivalent to the high school diploma.
Stephen Sawchuk, April 23, 2013
6 min read
From left, Julia Mach, Arianna Roldan, and Kaeleigh Willming demonstrate medical care during a class.
From left, Julia Mach, Arianna Roldan, and Kaeleigh Willming demonstrate medical care during a class.
Philip Scott Andrews for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness New High School Pathways Emerging
Some states are trying to provide meaningful, rigorous, and flexible academic and career options for their students.
Stephen Sawchuk, April 23, 2013
8 min read
From left, Annie Kostrubanic, Elise Terner, and Ben Rich enjoy their time together while editing a podcast for a Spanish honors class at Beverly High in Massachusetts. School officials asked students to play a big role in conceiving and carrying out new initiatives.
From left, Annie Kostrubanic, Elise Terner, and Ben Rich enjoy their time together while editing a podcast for a Spanish honors class at Beverly High in Massachusetts. School officials asked students to play a big role in conceiving and carrying out new initiatives.
Charlie Mahoney/Prime for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness High School Redesign Gets Presidential Lift
In both his State of the Union speech and now his budget proposal, President Obama has emphasized the importance of redesigning high schools.
Caralee J. Adams, April 16, 2013
8 min read
Thomas J. Gentzel took over the helm of the National School Boards Association in December.
Thomas J. Gentzel took over the helm of the National School Boards Association in December.
Charles Borst/Education Week
School & District Management Leadership Shifts at Top of Education Associations
New leaders are in place at five groups, and a sixth association is on the hunt, as some try to stay relevant in the policy debate.
Jaclyn Zubrzycki, April 2, 2013
6 min read
School & District Management Popular Curriculum Targets Elementary Students
Some 45,000 teachers nationwide are using the Engineering Is Elementary program, more than triple the number of five years ago.
March 26, 2013
3 min read
Assessment New NAEP to Gauge Engineering, Technology Literacy
The computerized exam will ask students to apply their knowledge of technology and engineering principles to solve problems.
Sarah D. Sparks, March 26, 2013
4 min read