Teaching & Learning
Classroom practice, teacher workload, instructional design, curriculum delivery, and teacher-facing workflow changes.
IXL buys NoRedInk, leaving schools questions on pricing and AI
IXL says NoRedInk will keep operating as an independent brand with no immediate disruption for teachers or students. But districts that rely on the writing platform still need answers on pricing, LMS integrations, and how AI-assisted feedback will be governed under new ownership.
Texas reading test predicts stronger teaching but narrows the pipeline
A new working paper finds candidates who barely fail Texas’ Science of Teaching Reading exam are less likely to teach the next year, especially in alternative certification. It also links first-attempt passage to slightly stronger student reading results, pointing states toward better prep support rather than a lower bar.
Duval’s AI and cybersecurity plan starts by retraining teachers
Jacksonville University will run a four-week blended program for Duval middle and high school educators, pairing training with curriculum design, classroom visits, and optional computer science certification support.
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England widens two faster routes to QTS ahead of academy deadline
Updated DfE guidance eases the assessment-only route for some experienced teachers and lets teachers from eligible overseas systems apply for QTS regardless of subject. But separate September rules still exclude applicants trained in Ghana, India and Nigeria.
EEF trial finds Oak’s Aila cut KS2 planning time by 24%
Lesson resources were rated no worse than the comparison group’s in the 10-week EEF and NFER trial of 464 Key Stage 2 teachers across 108 schools, though average use of the tool fell over time.
Howard County backs 22 teacher pilots with more than $30,000 in microgrants
The Bright Minds awards fund educator-led tests in AI literacy, peer mental health support, literacy access, adaptive life skills, environmental learning, and school culture across more than 20 schools.
A 10-Minute Wordle-Style Routine for Second-Grade Phonics
In Betsy Follansbee’s classroom-tested version, students solve a decodable target word from a limited letter bank while the teacher gives position-based feedback.
Indiana educators can still apply for Lilly renewal grants up to $15,000
Applications for Lilly Endowment’s 2027 Teacher Creativity Fellowships close Sept. 8. Eligible Indiana K-12 educators can seek funding for planned personal renewal projects, not classroom purchases or routine professional development.
Pulitzer Center opens paid fall 2026 teacher fellowship on global health
U.S. educators in grades 4-12 have until Sept. 1 to apply for a virtual fellowship that offers a $600 stipend, 30 PLUs, and guided support for building and teaching a short unit tied to global health reporting.
How San Diego Unified Built a Paid High School Teaching Internship
San Diego Unified’s fifth summer of Teach Lead offers something rare in teacher-pipeline coverage: a district that has published the nuts and bolts. The paid, five-week program placed teens from five high schools in 18 elementary schools, with public details on eligibility, training, scheduling and credit.
Colorado case shows a practical model for early writing
At Sand Creek Elementary in Douglas County, writing sits inside structured literacy with a protected WIN intervention block, universal screening and a named routine such as thinkSRSD. The lesson for schools is less about assigning more writing and more about building time, staffing and shared practice around it. Public evidence so far is strongest on implementation, not districtwide writing results.
Working paper suggests local issues may boost civics learning
A July 2026 randomized study involving 586 participants found that civics lessons centered on salient local issues increased political knowledge and self-efficacy. For teachers planning fall units, the result points to local-first course design as a promising, still provisional approach.
EEF inclusion guide says stronger everyday teaching should come first
A new EEF guide for mainstream schools in England is less a fresh intervention than a usable decision framework: tighten universal classroom practice first, then use targeted support selectively and monitor whether it helps.
The Stanford civil-rights probe puts teacher-development partnerships under a compliance lens
The April 29, 2026 Stanford Title VI probe is a warning sign for teacher-development partnerships and targeted support programs.