Stefanie Steffan, coordinator of elementary literacy for Missouri's Rockwood School District, shares how their approach of keeping students together in grade-level cohorts with flexible, needs-based small groups has produced impressive results. The district's kindergarteners outperformed national proficiency averages in every skill group by more than 17 percentage points in some areas, while first and second graders outpaced national averages across nearly every domain.

Seven months after the Trump administration eliminated hundreds of jobs at the U.S. Department of Education and gutted research contracts, several developments offer researchers cautious optimism. The department plans to reinstate 20 of the 100+ canceled research contracts and is seeking public guidance on modernizing the Institute of Education Sciences. Researchers note recent poor NAEP results have catalyzed support for IES, though severe staff shortages continue threatening data quality and research progress.

Commentary argues that the Providence City Council's opposition to charter schools is exacerbating the district's fiscal crisis and limiting educational options for families. The analysis suggests that anti-charter sentiment is preventing potential solutions that could help address Providence Public School District's financial challenges while providing alternative educational opportunities.

Block Island High School athletes demonstrate exceptional resourcefulness and dedication to compete despite the unique challenges of their remote island location off the Rhode Island coast. The small school's athletic programs require creative solutions for transportation, scheduling, and facility limitations, with students and coaches showing remarkable commitment to maintaining competitive sports programs.

Educational experts are emphasizing the critical importance of soft skills development as artificial intelligence reshapes the workforce, requiring schools to reconsider curriculum priorities and teaching methods. The analysis examines how schools must balance traditional academic instruction with communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence skills that will remain uniquely human in an AI-driven economy.