In January, the Office of Educational Technology released the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP). This latest iteration of the flagship federal edtech policy gave sweeping recommendations to do what we’ve always known is best for kids. In a moment when states, systems, and schools continue to grapple with the lingering effects of the pandemic, […]
Teachers have a history of being underappreciated and overworked. Teaching in and beyond the pandemic has been particularly thankless and unsustainable, as schools respond to the unfinished learning needs of their kids while curricula became a political football. Teacher job satisfaction hit an all-time low last year. Unsurprisingly, teachers flocked to virtual schools during the […]
How do you unite a diverse set of organizations that believe in the same cause but haven’t worked collectively yet? And how do you ensure meaningful change and impact results from bringing the leaders of these organizations together? This is exactly the challenge the organizers of the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA) faced in launching […]
The unexpected and rapid switch to virtual learning during the pandemic led to a massive infusion of technology devices and online programs in school systems across the country. In the wake of this shift, education leaders and practitioners are now examining how to strengthen and develop edtech processes to sustain technology use and ensure that […]
Given our lack of unified language, conversations about virtual learning often feel confusing. Is my district’s “hybrid” learning your school’s “simultaneous” instruction? Has one state codified policy for “blended learning” in a way that looks a whole lot different from what its schools and districts have been implementing in classrooms for the last decade? Lack […]
Ryan Mick joins The Learning Accelerator in the newly created role of Chief Program Officer, tasked with managing the execution, improvement, and development of TLA’s core programs while orchestrating a compelling vision for our next phase of programmatic impact. Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan. Welcome to TLA, Ryan. To start, could you […]
In response to pandemic-induced school closures, virtual schools across the country saw enrollment rates skyrocket. At Highline Public Schools’ Highline Virtual Academy in Washington state, for example, enrollment increased from 200 students in grades 6-12 to over 600 in just two weeks during September 2021 – a substantial three-fold increase. As brick-and-mortar schools have reopened, […]
School and system leaders continue to face numerous trials and tribulations. While vaccines are finally available to most school-age kids, the 2021-22 school year continues to present uncertainty. Between navigating challenges with teacher burnout, shortages in critical positions, and ongoing closures due to the pandemic, the need to navigate through uncertainty with limited resources has […]
Scott Milam is the co-founder and managing director of Afton Partners LLC, a professional services firm focused on forging an alignment between financial strategies and educational priorities. With over 25 years of experience providing management and advisory services for clients in the commercial and public sectors, Scott supports school districts, charter networks, state education agencies, […]
At Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), we are committed to ensuring every student is known, cared for, and respected. This ethos became a guiding light for the ways in which we designed our strategies and supports for our school community during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a moment rife with so much uncertainty, we wanted to […]
