School Leadership

Ken Frank from Michigan State University and Jihyun Kim from Lehigh University discuss their article, "From interpretation to instructional practice: A network study of early-career teachers' sense-making in the era of accountability pressures and Common Core State Standards," published in the American Educational Research Journal, co-authors Salloum, Bieda, Youngs.

Join guests Dr. Donald Collins, Dr. Floyd Beachum, and Dr. LaGarett King in Courageous Conversations: Whitewashing of Education. Hosed by Pastor Phil Davis. Lehigh Valley Public Media presents Courageous Conversations. These weekly, 30-minute programs air on Sundays at 4 p.m. on PBS39.

A principal's time is always in demand, and communication is a major factor in this cycle. About 100 years ago, researchers were studying how dictated letters affected principals' workdays. Today, of course, communication methods have changed dramatically. Educators may opt to communicate with their students via text message, phone calls, or video chats in addition to more traditional communications (particularly while school buildings have been closed due to the pandemic).

When schools closed this spring to curb the spread of coronavirus, special education administrators feared the risk of complaints—and potential legal action—from parents and disability rights advocates for running afoul of federal civil rights laws.

Stressed over concerns that they'd be swamped with lawsuits if they could not offer a comparable education for all students, including those with disabilities, some districts were even initially reluctant to offer any online learning.

The 30 million children currently out of a traditional educational environment will hopefully return to classrooms in the fall. So the question lingers: Are schools ready for the mental health issues that may accompany them? There are two main challenges for practitioners: how they can address students' needs now, and how they can prepare for new mental health concerns come September. "When students return to school, daily life and classes will be far from normal," says George DuPaul, professor of school psychology.