Innovations and Improvements

A critical challenge facing American educators is how to improve the quality of schools, particularly those in high-poverty districts, and ensure that all students have an opportunity for academic success. This section shows the best practices, resources, and research.

Male teacher sitting cross-legged with students on floor

Stories from the Field

Inside-Out PD: Teachers as the Seeds of Innovation

“Our stakeholder data said we needed to make changes, and here is what we did.” Rebecca illustrated each step carefully that she and her principal had taken to build the teacher professional development system in their elementary school. The design she was sharing was based on the model I had...

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Tapping the Power of Inquiry-Based Learning with STEM

Educators nationwide are building student buy-in for STEM education by challenging learners to solve real-world challenges. By simultaneously showing students how STEM skills can help to solve complex community problems while demonstrating STEM’s power to improve their personal futures—including these examples where schools use STEM-based lessons to explore issues such...

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LFA Updates

Supports Needed to Help Educators and Students Succeed Post-Pandemic

A new teacher reflects on the urgent need for getting students and school staff back to school safety and what resources they need for more effective teaching and learning

How do educators address the challenges inherent in teaching during a pandemic? This is a question I repeatedly asked myself as I began my student teaching experience in the fall of 2020. After careful reflection, I came to the conclusion that the following factors, from the policy level, would support...

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Could Intermediate Education Agencies Rise to a New Challenge?

The COVID-19 pandemic could bring a new purpose for an old concept in delivering education services

An intermediate school unit (sometimes called Education Service Agencies) works with local school districts to coordinate and collaborate shared services to benefit students. These agencies present an opportunity for schools that need to share resources – such as professional development, apprenticeship programs, and mental health services. As school districts deal...

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Member Resources

Great Public Schools Criteria

The National Education Association (NEA) is committed to achieving great public schools for every student. Great public schools close achievement gaps, prepare all students for the future with 21st century skills, and create enthusiasm for lifelong learning. To help schools move towards these goals, they created the Great Public Schools...

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The Innovation Exchange

Discover, collaborate and solve new challenges in education. The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Innovation Exchange supports university-based educator preparation programs in responding to the changing demands of the workforce and in preparing educators to meet the needs of PK-12 learners. It is a content-rich resource that...

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