Later school start time gave small boost to grades but big boost to sleep, new study finds

The physical and mental health benefits of getting a good night’s sleep are indisputable. What’s less clear is whether starting school later in the morning will prompt kids to sleep… Read More

School districts, communities get creative for prom, to celebrate seniors

Prom season was nonexistent in Pennsylvania last year, and it’s going to look different this year. School districts and community leaders are getting creative to find ways to celebrate seniors…. Read More

Report: Principal supervisors a ‘key’ but sometimes untapped resource

The report also cites research showing effective principals can have a significant impact on student outcomes, potentially raising learning gains by more than two months in a school year. However,… Read More

Department of Education launches program to help schools address learning loss due to the pandemic

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) launched the next phase of an initiative that helps school leaders and educators address students’ learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new… Read More

Ed Dept details rules for maintaining state K-12 funding under COVID-19 relief

State waiver applications for relief from maintenance of effort fiscal requirements for COVID-19 stimulus funding will need to include details of a state’s fiscal burdens and how state revenues have impacted K-12… Read More

Pennsylvania should increase early childhood investment by $250 million, national report says

Pennsylvania would need to increase its spending on preschool by $250 million per year to assure all eligible children have access to a high quality program, according to the annual… Read More

Pennsylvania Statewide Assessment Administration 2020-21 School Year: Most Common Questions

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) recently issued a number of decisions in response to individual state requests to relax certain requirements from Federally required school year 2020-21 assessments. These… Read More

A year without play: Parents and experts worry about loss of social skills during pandemic

Evidence suggests the last year has taken an emotional toll on young people, but most of the indicators relate to acute distress. Still uncaptured, however, is the subtle erosion of… Read More

How schools can help kids heal after a year of ‘crisis and uncertainty’

This pandemic has been stressful for millions of children. Some have lost a loved one to COVID-19, and many families have lost jobs, their homes and even reliable access to… Read More

PSERS board votes to raise rates for 94,000 PA school employees

Pennsylvania’s largest public pension system, in the midst of an FBI probe of its operations, revised its investment performance returns, which in turn will increase how much money thousands of educators… Read More