The Adolescent Literacy Podcast: Adolescent Literacy Essentials with Joan Sedita
The Adolescent Literacy Podcast sits down with Joan Sedita, founder of Keys to Literacy and author of The Essentials of Adolescent Literacy, for a conversation that covers fifty years of fighting for older striving readers. Joan created the Writing Rope — a companion to Scarborough’s Reading Rope that is changing the way educators think about […]
Education Week: Yes, Students Still Need to Develop Decoding Skills Beyond Elementary School
To the Editor: Rebecca Kockler of the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund is spot-on when she says that decoding skills must continue to develop and evolve as students move beyond 3rd grade. (“One Reading Skill Might Be Responsible for Many Older Students’ Struggles,” March 25, 2026.) In my more than 40 years of teaching […]
Education Week: What Sort of PD Should Give Teachers a Salary Bump? Some States Are Reevaluating
Most teachers advance professionally not just through experience, but additional formal education. If those courses don’t translate into real improvements for their instructional practice, it wastes their own time and money outside the classroom. That’s why states like Illinois, Ohio, and Kansas are tightening criteria for the credits teachers use to boost their salaries, in […]
As Florida’s Teacher Shortage Intensifies, New Law Expands Certification Pathways Ahead of the New School Year
TALLAHASSEE, FL – As Florida schools begin the 2026-2027 school year, a newly effective law gives aspiring and returning teachers a faster route into classrooms and marks a decisive step toward addressing the state’s educator shortage. Chapter 2026-106 took effect July 1, 2026, passing the Florida House 112-0 and the Senate 37-0. Its passage follows […]
The Mind Trust: Indy Summer Learning Labs Kicks Off Its Sixth Summer
Today, thousands of Indianapolis students walked through the doors of Indy Summer Learning Labs (ISLL) sites across the city for the first day of this year’s program. Now in its sixth consecutive summer, ISLL is a free, five-week summer learning and enrichment program for Indianapolis students entering grades 1 through 9. Operated by The Mind Trust and […]
NPR’s Teaching Matters: Being Intentional About Professional Development
K12 Coalition CEO Jim Hall recently joined Teaching Matters, a podcast produced by WOUB Public Media, an NPR affiliate, to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing K-12 education today. During the conversation, Hall shared insights on effective professional learning, instructional coaching, literacy development, strategic leadership, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in […]
KNOW-FM: RISE Summer Learning Program Launches for Third Year in Fridley, MN
Summer learning continues to make a measurable impact in Fridley Public Schools (MN). In this KNOW-FM interview, Superintendent Dr. Brenda Lewis highlights the district’s RISE Summer Learning Program — developed in partnership with K12 Coalition’s Lavinia Group division — which has delivered significant gains in reading and math over the past two years. She also […]
EdWeek: How to Solve the College Math-Readiness Problem
In the article “Are Students Prepared for College-Level Math? A Senator Wants to Know” (Jan. 23, 2026), U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. raises a valid question by asking colleges whether K–12 systems are preparing students for college-level math. I believe we’re focused on the wrong end of the college education pipeline. Instead of asking if […]
Getting Smart: How System Leaders Can Intentionally Design to Build Math Identity
The United States is navigating a math crisis. In 2024, only 39% of fourth graders and 28% of eighth graders were proficient in math on the NAEP. While these figures are influenced by multiple socioeconomic and institutional factors, they highlight a persistent tension in American classrooms: a tendency to prioritize speed and correctness over deep conceptual […]
Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend: Celebrating Teachers in Florida
Across the state of Florida, teacher certification pathways are under growing strain as districts and charters rely on alternative routes to staff their classrooms. Over the past three years alone, the number of classes taught by non-certified teachers has increased by 16%. iteach provides an alternative pathway to teacher certification. Two examples are Lauren Milazzo, […]