News: State Standards or Benchmark Exams

When State Policy Undermines Effective Practice: Too Much of Anything Often Results in Nothing (or Worse)

New Blog resolves the instructional dilemma of having to choose between (a) providing critical intervention opportunities to high school students with significant prerequisite skills gaps in literacy,...

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Closing the (Pandemic?) Reading Gap in Our Schools: We Need to Link Sound Assessment with Strategic Intervention

Blog critiques August 4, 2022 National Center for Education Statistics report identifying how many students ended the past school year with literacy skill gaps. Also critiquing three follow-up popular...

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The Pandemic, Students’ Academic Performance, and Preparing for the Rest of the School Year

This Blog addresses the importance of discussing with teachers and students how the pandemic has impacted and is impacting the school and schooling process cannot be understated. Rather than assume th...

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Curbing the Pandemic Slide by Putting the Right Students into the Right Instructional Groups (Part II)

Curbing the Pandemic Slide by Putting the Right Students into the Right Instructional Groups.  Which Peas are You Going to Put in Your Pandemic Pod? (Part II)Dear Colleagues,Introduction   While clear...

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It’s Not About the Size of the Pandemic Slide—It’s About Where to Start Teaching (Part I)

It’s Not About the Size of the Pandemic Slide—It’s About Where to Start Teaching (Part I)During a Crisis, You Have to Change the Definition of SuccessDear Colleagues,Introduction   The existence and i...

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Teaching in this Fall’s Post-Pandemic World: Addressing the Academic Needs of the “Way High” and “Way Low” Students (Part II)

For Some Students, There Will Be No COVID-19 SlideDear Colleagues,Introduction   The pandemic clearly is not over.    In fact, over the past two weeks, the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths have inc...

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