New partnership with American Airlines, CR Smith Museum taps into Dallas ISD students for future of flight

American Airlines and the CR Smith Museum initiated the Aviation Career Pathways program to address the shortage of aviation workers, including pilots and air traffic controllers. The program has been focused on Dallas Independent School District (DISD) schools, targeting middle and high school students. The program provides access to aviation STEM education and hands-on experiences, addressing challenges such as the need for multiple touchpoints, hands-on experiences, and transportation limitations in underserved communities.

Students get help accessing internet and owning a computer to help prepare for life after high school

Skyline High School's Career Prep class focuses on post-high school plans, but the lack of internet poses challenges for students after graduation. Compudopt, a nonprofit, provides students with laptops, loaded programs, and hotspots for internet access at home. Students get to keep their devices and internet access after completing the class, helping to bridge the digital gap and empower them to pursue their career aspirations.

Dallas ISD plans to cut unpopular high school programs, free up money for more counselors

Dallas school leaders are considering the elimination of certain high school programs to free up staff positions and funds, intending to hire additional counselors. The move, driven by budget pressures, is expected to allocate approximately $2.5 million for hiring more counselors, aiming to lower the counselor-to-student ratio and better support students in their academic and career paths.

Vouchers, other GOP priorities fail as Texas Legislature concludes 4th special session

The fourth special session of the Texas Legislature concluded without addressing Gov. Greg Abbott's priority of private school vouchers. Disagreements between House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick impacted other legislative priorities, including teacher raises and increased school safety funding. Abbott has not confirmed whether a fifth special session will be called to pursue education savings accounts.

Texas superintendents say lack of school safety funding may lead to budget cuts

Public school administrators in Texas are dealing with the fallout of the Texas House's decision to block a school voucher program, resulting in a lack of expected funds for teacher raises, inflation adjustments, school safety measures. House Bill 3 mandated armed security guards and mental health training, but the attempts to secure additional funding through bills in the House and Senate failed. Superintendents anticipate significant budget cuts to meet safety mandates.

What costs $1,000 per student and might help children learn to read?

A reading program in California, emphasizing training teachers in the science of reading, showed positive results in about 70 low-performing schools. Costing around $1,000 per student annually, the program retrained teachers, provided new materials, and allowed schools to chart their own path forward after training.

To effectively support English learners, build teachers’ skills, experts say

Ensuring quality education for English learners (ELs) involves building shared responsibility among teachers in schools or districts. Collaboration and co-teaching between general education and EL specialists are essential, but this requires structured support. District leaders should assess specialist availability and maximize their impact in supporting all teachers. Training for working with ELs varies among states, and efforts are needed to expand dual certification programs and allocate more funding for EL support.

How to find—and keep—a diverse team of teachers

U.S. school districts are challenged with recruiting and retaining racially and ethnically diverse teachers. To address this issue, experts recommend expanding recruitment efforts to include historically black colleges and universities, churches, and local communities. Creating inclusive interview processes and supportive working environments is crucial for retaining educators of color. Systemic policy changes, such as addressing student debt and reforming certification exams, are seen as essential for long-term progress.