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Student Growth: How Schools Measure Progress and Set Goals

Michael Healey — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:37:18 +0000

Key takeaways

Student growth helps schools understand progress over time, not just where students are at a given point.
Student growth should be measured with multiple sources, including assessments, student work, teacher observation, grades, attendance, and behavior data.
Student growth goals should give students a clear target, help teachers focus instruction, and help families understand progress.

In schools, we spend a lot of time talking about student achievement, and rightfully so. We look at standards, test scores, graduation rates, attendance, and student outcomes. All of those things are important, but student achievement alone does not always tell the full story.

It’s not uncommon for a student to start the year far below grade level and make significant progress, even if they are still not where we want them to be. Another student may meet expectations but not grow as much as they should. A class may show strong final results while hiding very different levels of individual progress.

That is why student growth matters.

Student growth helps schools track progress. It shows whether students are learning more, building skills, and moving closer to where they need to be. It also reminds us that students do not all start in the same place.

Student learning is complicated, and no single number can explain everything a student knows or can do. But when schools take the time to intentionally break down student growth, they can make better decisions about instruction, support, intervention, enrichment, and future planning.

A can also help students connect growth to future skills, workplace expectations, and paths after graduation.

What Is Student Growth?

Student growth is the progress a student makes over time.

That may sound simple, but it is an important distinction. Growth is not just where a student is at one point in time. It is the movement from one point to another over time.

For example, a student may improve from reading below grade level to reading much closer to grade level. A student may become more confident explaining mathematical thinking. A student may improve attendance, complete more assignments, write with more detail, or demonstrate stronger problem-solving skills.

All of those can be examples of growth.

The important point is that growth should be connected to something meaningful. It should not just mean a student is “doing better.” Schools need to describe what has improved and why it matters.

When schools consider growth, they often only look at academic performance. That should be an important focus, but it is not the only way students grow. A student may start participating more often in class, managing time better, or asking for help before falling too far behind. Those things may not always show up on a state assessment, but they matter in the classroom.

Still, growth cannot mean lowering expectations. The goal is not to say that any progress is enough. The goal is to understand whether students are moving in the right direction and whether the school is doing enough to help them get there.

Schools need to know where students are compared with expectations, and whether students are making enough progress over time.

What Are the Different Ways Student Growth Is Measured?

There is no perfect answer for how to measure student growth.

Because student learning is too complex to understand from one data point, schools need to look at several measures. Each piece of evidence can tell part of the story and help leaders better understand where students are making progress and where they still need support.

One way to measure student growth is through benchmark assessments. Benchmark assessments can help to show whether students are improving in reading, math, or other academic areas over the course of the school year. When used on a consistent schedule, they help teachers see patterns, identify gaps, and adjust their instruction.

But assessment data should not be the only measurement used.

Student work is another important measure. Writing samples, projects, lab reports, presentations, and classroom assignments can show how student thinking is developing. Sometimes student work tells a clearer story than a score because teachers can see the actual strengths and needs in front of them in real time.

Teacher observation is also an important way to measure student growth. Teachers know their students and learn a lot by watching how they approach tasks. That includes whether students can get started on their own, keep going when the work gets difficult, explain their thinking, and work with others. Those observations can help teachers understand growth in ways that formal assessments may not capture.

Grades can also provide some useful information, but they need to be used carefully because grading practices vary. Attendance and behavior data can also be part of the picture, especially when improved attendance, participation, or time in class supports academic progress.

The point is not to collect data just to have more data. The point is to use information that helps teachers and school leaders make better decisions. Useful measurement should help schools understand what changed, what made a difference, what still needs attention, and what should happen next.

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7 Examples of Student Growth Goals

Strong student growth goals should be clear enough that teachers, students, and families understand what progress is expected.

They should also be realistic. A good goal should stretch a student or group of students, but it should not be so broad that no one knows how to act on it. For example, a goal to “improve reading” is not enough. “Students will use evidence from the text to support written responses” is much clearer.

Here are seven examples of student growth goals schools may use or adapt.

1. Use Text Evidence to Strengthen Reading Comprehension

A reading growth goal might focus on helping students use evidence from the text to explain their thinking. Students may work on identifying main ideas, choosing relevant details, summarizing key information, and answering text-based questions in their own words.

For younger students, especially in PreK-2, the goal may focus on the early skills that support reading comprehension, including vocabulary, phonemic awareness, decoding, and listening comprehension.

2. Build Writing Skills Beyond English Language Arts

Writing growth should not be limited to English language arts. Students need to write in science, social studies, career and technical education, and other content areas.

A growth goal might focus on organization, evidence, vocabulary, sentence clarity, or explanation. This gives teachers across subjects a shared way to support student growth.

3. Build Math Reasoning and Explanation

In math, growth is not only about getting the right answer. Students also need to explain how they solved a problem and why their approach makes sense.

A math growth goal might focus on helping students show their reasoning, use academic vocabulary, or solve multi-step problems more accurately.

4. Help Students Take a More Active Role in Their Learning

Some students know more than they show.

A growth goal can focus on participation, especially for students who are quiet, unsure, or reluctant to take academic risks. This does not mean forcing every student to speak or participate constantly. It means helping students engage more fully in learning.

5. Strengthen Attendance and Follow-Through

Attendance and assignment completion are not the same as learning, but they both affect learning every day.

A growth goal in this area might focus on improving attendance, reducing missed assignments, or completing a certain percentage of classwork on time. Schools should also look at barriers, communication, classroom routines, family outreach, and support systems.

6. Help Students Manage Their Work

Some students struggle not because they cannot understand the content, but because they haven’t developed the skills needed to manage schoolwork successfully.

This work might focus on helping students use a planner, organize materials, prepare for assessments, and break assignments into steps. These skills are especially important as students move into higher grades.

7. Connect Students’ Current Learning to Future Goals

Students are often more motivated when they can see how school connects to what comes next.

A growth goal might focus on career exploration, goal setting, or helping students explain how specific skills connect to future opportunities. This does not mean every student needs to choose a career early. It means students should begin to understand how their strengths, interests, and school experiences connect to possible future pathways.

Making Student Growth Meaningful

The value of student growth is not just in measuring it, but in what schools do with the information.

If growth data shows that students are improving, schools should ask what is working and how to build on it. If students are not growing enough, schools should ask what needs to change. That may involve instruction, curriculum, intervention, attendance support, teacher collaboration, family communication, or student engagement.

Growth should help schools take action.

It should also help students understand their own progress. Students should not only receive scores or grades. They should understand what they are improving, what still needs work, and what steps they can take next.

That is where student growth goals can be powerful. They give students a clearer target, teachers a clearer focus, and families a better way to understand progress.

For school leaders, the work is making sure growth is connected to real evidence, regular conversations, and better support for students and teachers.

Schools need to know how to measure student growth, but they also need to know how to respond to what they learn.

Student growth keeps schools focused on progress without losing sight of expectations. Students do not all start in the same place. But every student should be expected to grow, and every school should be organized to help that growth happen.

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Career Exploration for Students K-12: A Guide for Schools

Michael Healey — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:39:35 +0000

Key takeaways

Career exploration for students should begin before high school and continue as students learn more about themselves and their options.
Career exploration is not about asking students to choose one career too early. It is about helping them understand what is possible.
Schools can support career exploration by connecting classroom learning to interests, skills, future pathways, and real-world experiences.

As educators, we often ask our students what they want to be when they grow up long before they have enough information to fully answer the question.

Some students may have a clear idea early on. Others may change their minds many times. Many students are only familiar with the careers they have seen in their own family or in their everyday life. That does not mean they lack ambition or drive; rather, more often it means they have not yet had enough career exposure to understand the range of options available to them.

That is why career exploration is so important for students.

Schools do not need to push students into one path too soon. They do need to help students learn about different kinds of work, the skills those careers require, and how school connects to life after graduation. This work becomes more important as students move through grade levels and start making decisions about courses, programs, internships, college, technical training, military service, and employment.

Career exploration should not feel separate from the rest of school. The goal should be to help students see the connection between what they are learning now and what they may want to do later on.

A strong can support that type of work by helping students explore careers, understand essential workplace skills, and connect classroom learning to future possibilities.

What Is Career Exploration for Students?

Career exploration for students is the process of helping students learn about careers, understand their own interests and strengths, and begin making meaningful connections between school and future opportunities.

It is not the same as choosing a career.

That distinction is important. Career exploration should not lock students into one decision. A fifth grader does not need to know exactly what job they want when they are 25. A middle school student does not need to have a full career plan. Even high school students may still be figuring out what they enjoy, what they are good at, and what they plan to pursue in their future.

Career exploration gives students information and experiences so they can make better decisions over time.

For younger students, that may mean learning about different jobs in their community, talking about how people use reading, math, science, technology, and teamwork in their work, or hearing from adults with different careers.

For middle school students, career exploration often includes interest inventories, career-themed projects, field trips, and conversations about high school courses and career pathways.

For high school students, career exploration may become more specific. Students may look at career clusters, CTE options, internships, job shadowing, dual enrollment, certification programs, college majors, or military pathways.

Students should begin to understand that the choices they make in school can open doors. They should also understand that there is not only one way to build a successful future. Students may go directly to college, enroll in a trade school, work, join the military, attend, or move through more than one of those options over time.

Career exploration helps students see all of those options more clearly.

Why Is Career Exploration Important?

Career exploration is important because students cannot prepare for opportunities they do not know exist.

In many schools, students have different levels of exposure to careers. Some students have family members who talk with them about college, jobs, training, and professional options. Others may not have that same opportunity. Schools can address this by making career exploration part of the student experience.

When students are only exposed to a narrow set of careers, they may limit what they believe is possible. Students may not know about fields that match their interests, what different careers require, or how technology is changing the skills needed for future work.

Career exploration gives students more information before they have to make bigger decisions.

It also helps students understand why school matters. A student may not always see the value of a writing assignment, science project, or presentation until they understand how those same skills are used in specific careers they find interesting.

That does not mean every lesson needs to become a career lesson. It means students should have regular opportunities to see how the skills they are learning can be used beyond the classroom.

Career exploration also supports motivation. Students are more likely to invest in school when they can connect learning to something that matters to them. That connection may be a specific career. It may also be a broader goal, such as helping people, solving problems, creating something, working outdoors, using technology, or building independence.

Career exploration gives students time to think, ask questions, and adjust.

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When Should Career Exploration Begin?

Career exploration should begin earlier than many schools have traditionally started it.

That does not mean elementary students should be asked to choose their future career. It means schools should begin building career awareness early. Young students are naturally curious. They ask questions about what people do, how things work, and why certain jobs exist. Schools can build on that curiosity in simple ways.

In elementary school, career exploration can be age-appropriate and fun. Students can learn about local businesses, science careers, creative careers, public service roles, and the different kinds of work adults do. Teachers can help students see how skills taught in the classroom are used beyond school. Students can read about people in different fields, watch short career videos, or talk about how different jobs help the community they live in.

In middle school, career exploration should become more intentional. This is the perfect time for students to learn more about their interests, strengths, and preferred learning styles. They can also begin exploring high school course options, CTE programs, and the skills needed in different fields.

In high school, career exploration should become more focused on helping students plan for life after graduation. Students need help understanding what different paths require, which courses matter most, what programs are available, what employers may expect, and how college, technical training, and work-based learning can fit together.

This type of work should happen over their high school career. If career exploration only happens during senior year, students may have already missed opportunities. They may not have taken the right courses, explored available programs, or understood what a certain pathway requires. Starting earlier gives students more time to learn and make better decisions.

How Can K-12 Schools Play a Part in Career Exploration?

K-12 schools play an important role because they see students over many years. That gives schools the chance to build career exploration gradually instead of treating it as a one-time event.

Career exploration is most effective when it is a regular part of a student’s school experience, not an activity or assembly that happens once a year. Career days and guest speakers are useful and important, but they are not enough. Students need consistent exposure to a wide range of careers, skills, and pathways.

Schools can start by helping teachers make natural connections between classroom learning and real-world use. Reading, writing, math, science, technology, communication, and problem-solving are not just skills used in school; they are used every day in the workplace. When teachers point that out, students begin to see learning differently.

Schools can also create more opportunities for students to hear from people in different fields. That may include guest speakers, virtual career talks, local employers, alumni, family members, or community partners. Students benefit when they hear how people found their path, what skills they use, and what they wish they had known earlier.

Career exploration should also include hands-on learning. Projects, simulations, field trips, job shadowing, internships, and service learning can help students understand work in a more concrete way. These experiences do not need to be complicated to be useful. Even a short classroom project connected to a real-world problem can help students think differently about a career field.

Schools should also remind students that it is okay if their plans change as they learn more about themselves and their options. Career exploration is not about making one final decision; it is about helping students learn enough to take the next step with more confidence.

That is especially important now as the world of work continues to change. New careers are emerging. Technology is changing existing jobs. Students need academic skills, but they also need adaptability, communication, problem-solving, and the ability to keep learning.

K-12 schools can help students build those skills while also helping them understand where those skills may lead.

Helping Students See What Is Possible

Career exploration should give students a wider view of their future. It should help them see that school is not just about completing assignments or earning grades, but also about building the knowledge, habits, skills, and confidence they will need after graduation.

The best career exploration is not about telling students what to become; it is about helping them see more options, ask better questions, and understand the steps they may need to take.

Students should leave school with a stronger sense of what is possible and a better understanding of how their learning connects to future opportunities. They may not have every answer, and that is okay; but they should have enough information, support, and experience to keep moving forward.

That is the real value of career exploration for students. It helps them connect who they are now with who they may become next.

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Inquiry-Based Learning: What It Is, the Four Types, and How to Use It

Maggie Lazur — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:20:17 +0000

Key takeaways

Inquiry-based learning ranges from highly structured to fully student-driven.
Good inquiry is designed and requires deliberate planning, scaffolding, and facilitation.
There are concrete, actionable entry points.

Over the last few years, you’ve probably heard the phrase “inquiry-based learning” tossed around. It’s easy for phrases like this to become buzzwords that lose their meaning through overuse. But my experience working alongside some phenomenal teachers has shown me that inquiry-based learning can be one of the most powerful shifts we can make in how students experience school.

What Is Inquiry-Based Learning?

Inquiry-based learning flips the traditional model of instruction, with students beginning with a question, a problem, or a phenomenon and investigating it themselves rather than the teacher delivering information. The teacher’s role shifts from providing explicit instruction to facilitator and guide.

Effective inquiry-based instruction begins with the teacher carefully designing and structuring the learning experience by intentionally selecting resources and scaffolding the process, then allowing students to do the thinking, questioning, and discovering. This matters because students learn best when they construct their own understanding instead of just memorizing facts to recite on a test. Inquiry-based learning also tends to build skills that go beyond content mastery: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and resilience when the first attempt at solving a problem doesn’t work.

That said, inquiry-based learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It exists on a continuum, and understanding where a lesson falls helps teachers choose the right level of structure for their students and their goals.

What Are the Four Types of Inquiry-Based Learning?

Below are several inquiry-based learning examples, from the most structured to the most student-driven.

1. Confirmation Inquiry

This is the most structured form of inquiry. It involves giving students a question or problem along with a method to solve it, and providing them with the anticipated outcome. Their task is to confirm a concept they’ve already learned by investigating it firsthand. This type of inquiry is a great starting point for students who are new to inquiry-based learning.

An example of this might be a third-grade class that has just learned what plants need to grow. The teacher gives students the task of checking and recording plant growth of two identical bean plants every few days: one on a sunny windowsill and the other in a dark closet. This activity simply lets students verify the established fact that plants need sunlight to grow through direct observation.

2. Structured Inquiry

Here, the teacher provides the question and the procedure as with confirmation inquiry, but the students don’t know the answer in advance. They’re genuinely investigating, but within a clearly defined process in search of an answer or solution.

For example, a middle school science teacher might be asking students to determine which type of soil retains the most water. Students would be given a set procedure, measured soil samples, a fixed amount of water, and a timer to follow the teacher’s methods and draw their own conclusions from the data they collect. This kind of hands-on, data-driven investigation is exactly the type of experience that helps students build 21st-century skills through hands-on STEM instruction.

3. Guided Inquiry

Using guided inquiry, the teacher provides the question, but students design their own procedure for investigating it. This requires the teacher to be comfortable giving students a significant degree of independence, and it requires students to have the confidence to work through the process with the teacher acting as a facilitator rather than an information provider.

An example might be a teacher posing the question, “What factors affect how fast an ice cube melts?” Instead of providing the procedure, student groups decide what variables to test and how to test them (surface area, temperature, material it sits on, etc.). The question is given but the investigation design is up to the students.

4. Open (or Free) Inquiry

With this form of inquiry, students are given a real-world scenario or situation, often referred to as a phenomenon, and use it as an anchor for making observations and generating their own questions. They develop their own investigations and methodology for finding answers while the teacher’s role is that of a facilitator.

For example, students are learning about Hurricane Katrina. One student wants to know why some neighborhoods in town flood more than others after heavy rain. She develops her own research question and, based on what she knows so far, decides she’ll need to look at elevation data, drainage infrastructure, historical weather records, and any other information that appears relevant. Then she designs her own research plan, using the teacher only to support and redirect as needed.

Open inquiry asks a lot of both the teacher and the students. Students are directing the whole experience, from picking the question, mapping out how they’ll investigate it, and deciding when they’ve found a good enough answer. Because of how much this approach demands, it’s not usually where a class should start. To succeed, students first need practice managing their own learning by knowing how to ask a good question, how to recover when an approach isn’t working, and how to know when they’ve actually answered something.

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Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning

The benefits of inquiry-based learning go well beyond content mastery. Students build critical thinking skills by actively questioning, investigating, and constructing their own understandings. Inquiry-based learning also tends to boost engagement in a way that’s hard to replicate using traditional instruction alone, simply because students are pursuing a question that they are curious about, a dynamic explored further in this webinar on the power of curiosity. And because inquiry often involves collaboration, discussion, and shared problem-solving, it naturally builds communication and teamwork skills.

Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning

At the same time, it isn’t easy creating successful inquiry-based learning opportunities. It demands significantly more planning and flexibility from teachers who may be used to following a more scripted path. Classroom management can also be harder to maintain when students are working with more independence, and teachers new to the approach might find it challenging to know when to let students work through productive struggle or when to intervene. Assessment can get tricky since traditional grading methods aren’t intended to capture the quality of a student’s questioning or reasoning process. As a result, teachers might need new or additional tools to evaluate student work.

Strategies for Bringing Inquiry Into the Classroom

If you’re a teacher wanting to try this, or an administrator looking to support your staff in adopting inquiry-based practices, here are some inquiry-based learning strategies that tend to work well.

Start with a high-interest question

The success of inquiry-based learning often rests on the quality of the initial question. The question needs to be open enough to allow for real investigation, but focused enough that students aren’t left wondering where to begin. Avoid questions that can be answered with a single obvious yes-or-no.

Match structure to your students' experience

If your students haven’t done much inquiry-based work before, don’t jump right to open inquiry. Start by building their comfort with the process, then gradually releasing more control as they build confidence.

Build in time for reflection

Inquiry-based learning isn’t just about the investigation itself, but about what students make of it afterward. Use activities such as journaling, group discussions, or structured debrief protocols to help students articulate what they learned and how they arrived there.

Use protocols to guide group work

Structures like Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, or a KWL chart give students a clear framework and tools for approaching an inquiry task without minimizing their ownership of the process.

Provide access to varied resources, not just a textbook

Inquiry thrives when students have multiple sources to draw from, such as primary documents, data sets, interviews, hands-on materials, and digital tools, including a K-12 online learning platform that can supplement classroom investigations with vetted media and interactives. Consider what resources you can provide or make accessible when creating a task.

Embrace productive struggle

The instinct to jump in and rescue students the second they hit a wall is one of the hardest shifts for teachers. Though uncomfortable, some of the richest learning happens when the students are still wrestling with the problem. Build your own tolerance for that discomfort, and give students the space to find their own way through it.

Assess the process, not just the product

Traditional assessments typically measure whether students arrived at the “right” answer. Inquiry-based assessment should also capture the quality of students’ questioning, their reasoning, and their ability to revise their thinking based on new evidence.

A Final Thought

Once you understand what inquiry-based learning is and how it shifts the teacher’s role, the extra planning it requires starts to make sense. Inquiry-based learning requires more of teachers in terms of planning and facilitation, and it asks more of students in terms of independence and tolerance for ambiguity. But the extra effort put in is worth it. Students who are used to asking their own questions and pursuing their own answers become learners who can keep learning long after they’ve left our classrooms.

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Screen Time in Schools: Make It Valuable and Productive

David Bryan — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 16:22:41 +0000

Key takeaways

Screen time associated with high-quality education technology can be valuable for boosting student learning.
Look for one or more of the following characteristics in EdTech: evidence of effectiveness; relevant, hands-on learning; real world and career connections; and teacher support and training.
Equipped with the right information, education leaders can confidently address concerns about screen time in their school or district.

Many families and experts are carefully considering how much screen time is healthy for kids of all ages, so it should be no surprise to see the question “Should schools limit screen time?” being discussed. Some technologies in schools only play a background role, like an LMS, but others like cellphones and education technology programs will comprise the bulk of screen time each day. The various types and applications of technology in schools mean that setting a screen time number is no simple task, but that a complete ban is not the solution. For example, students will likely need to gain and apply knowledge about different technologies for career success.

In this article, we’ll walk through what to look for in education technology solutions that makes their associated screen time valuable and how �Ǹ�� programs match up.

What Are Key Education Technology Characteristics?

While their focus, scope, and interface may differ greatly, EdTech solutions are generally developed to improve student growth and teacher efficacy. �Ǹ�� believes that the best solutions—the ones that help teachers and students make the most of screen time—have some or all of the following characteristics:

Evidence of effectiveness
Relevant, hands-on learning
Real-world and career connections
Teacher support and training

Why Ask for Evidence of Effectiveness?

Given the ongoing conversation about whether schools should limit screen time, it’s more important than ever that education leaders be able to point to the positives that EdTech can offer. One of the best ways to inspire confidence that a solution is worth using is having clear evidence of effectiveness. That evidence might come in different forms, like third-party analysis of instructional design or research showing significant improvements in high-stakes test scores over time.

Specifically, ask whether a solution’s instructional design is based on findings from the sciences of learning and teaching. Beyond this, are there any case studies or other research that draw upon real-world classroom, school, and/or district use? For example, that the solution qualifies for any of the based on different types of research.

�Ǹ�� Program Examples

Our programs are backed by a variety of evidence of effectiveness, such as:

Experience: AZ study from 2022–2023 in grades 3–8; ESSA Evidence Level IV
DreamBox Math: NC study from 2022–2023 in grades K–8; ESSA Evidence Level III
Science Techbook: ESSA Evidence Level III; ESSA Evidence Level IV
Reading Plus: SC study from 2022–2023 in grades K–8; “Strong” Rating by Evidence for ESSA

Why Do Students Need Relevant, Hands-on Learning?

Capturing students’ interest and motivating them to explore new concepts through real-world phenomena and authentic problems has been shown to strengthen engagement and learning. Specific learning goals should be tied to the projects and activities that students complete, which will aid progress monitoring and instructional decision-making. For those students who need extra support, EdTech solutions may offer easy or automatic differentiation that helps teachers keep them meaningfully engaged and able to make progress.��

We can see that relevant, hands-on learning screen time is different and offers significant value compared to passive screen time, like simply watching videos, which parents and educators are most concerned about.��

�Ǹ�� Program Examples

Our programs provide relevant, hands-on learning for students:

Experience: Lessons and activities focus on real-world topics. Students actively explore these topics through immersive learning, Virtual Field Trips, and multimodal resources.
Science Techbook: Real-world phenomena anchor every lesson. Students use scientific thinking and analysis to investigate each phenomenon through multiple activities.
Social Studies Essentials: Investigations into history, geography, civics, and economics connect the past to the present through civic inquiry. Students learn from multimedia content, immersive experiences, and a mix of primary and secondary sources.

How Does EdTech Connect Learning to the Real World and Careers?

Merely digitizing academic content won’t help students understand why academic learning has value and how it will be useful in the real world, like when starting a career. However, education technology can make learning relevant by giving it authentic contexts, including career examples, industry challenges, and professional voices. This can not only make academic concepts concrete and more meaningful but also give students an idea of where their learning can lead.

�Ǹ�� Examples

Our programs build career-readiness and connect to real professions:

Experience: The Careers Hub offers resources to help students discover career possibilities, and live Career Connect speakers inspire students with authentic examples of career success.
Corporate Partnerships: Industry-leading companies such as IBM, 3M, and DC provide resources that give educators easy ways to make connections to the real world.

How Can Teacher Support & Training in EdTech Make a Difference?

Besides the students themselves, teachers are the largest influence on student achievement, so having a knowledgeable, confident, well-trained staff is critical. Technology solutions can serve two functions that support long-term teacher satisfaction and success:

Providing resources such as content, strategies, and easy or automatic differentiation that reduce the planning and prep workload and improve instructional effectiveness
Offering multiple levels and means of��professional development��so that teachers with different amounts of experience and preferences can continue to learn and grow

When a solution can give teachers time back to spend interacting with their students and research-backed ways to engage and cement learning, even those with little experience can make an impact. And because of the nature of teaching, it’s best to have options for scheduling in-depth professional learning or fitting in a microlearning when the opportunity opens up.

�Ǹ�� Examples

Our programs are packed with teacher supports and trainings, and we also offer separate professional learning solutions:

Experience: Ready-to-teach lessons include point-of-use guidance. Curriculum-aligned, curated resources connect to core curricula. The Instructional Strategy Center provides practical, research-based strategies, and Everyday Teaching Essentials offers on-demand microlearnings.
DreamBox Math: Automatic differentiation, continuous formative assessment, and real-time dashboards drive and support personalized lessons and pathways to learning.
Science Techbook: Ready-to-teach lessons in editable slideshow format include point-of-use support such as prompts and scaffolds. Differentiation tools, scaffolds, and formative assessments extend access to Tier 1 instruction.
Social Studies Essentials: Classroom-ready lessons with built-in implementation support provide editable slides and printable resources. Embedded formative and summative assessments provide insight into student understanding.
Professional Learning: Choose from in-person, virtual, and hybrid solutions based on district goals.

Conclusion

While the short answer to the question “Should schools limit screen time?” is yes, a better answer is, “Yes, screen time should primarily be associated with technology that we are confident improves teaching and learning.” High-quality education technology can certainly play a large role in this since it may offer distinct benefits, including student support and classroom experiences that are hard to duplicate. You just have to identify which solutions meet the criteria for justifying their screen time.

Why not explore how �Ǹ�� programs and resources can support your school or district needs? Request a demo today!

Request Your Demo

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What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)? A Guide for Schools

Michael Healey — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:12:02 +0000

Key takeaways

Career and technical education helps students connect school to real careers, workplace skills, and future opportunities.
A strong CTE program gives students a chance to explore interests, develop technical skills, and understand different career pathways before graduation.
CTE is not separate from academics. It can strengthen communication, problem-solving, collaboration, math, literacy, and career readiness.

Students are asked to make decisions about their future earlier than we sometimes realize. They are choosing courses, thinking about college, learning about careers, and trying to understand what path might make the most sense for them. Some students have a clear plan, but many do not. Schools can help by giving students more chances to explore real career options before graduation.

That is where��career and technical education, or CTE, plays an important role.

For a long time, people thought of CTE as a completely separate track or program for students who were not planning to attend college. Today, CTE can be one of the most practical and meaningful ways to help students connect their learning to real opportunities, whether they plan to enter the workforce, pursue college, or explore a career path they may not have considered before.

CTE helps students answer questions that matter to them: What am I interested in? What am I good at? What kind of work might I want to do? What skills do I need to get there? How does what I am learning in school connect to the world outside of school?

As a superintendent, I think that last question matters a lot. Students are more likely to take ownership of their learning when they can see a purpose behind it. A student who is learning how to read technical directions, measure accurately, communicate with a team, or solve a problem for a client is not just completing an assignment. They are building skills they can use down the road.

What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)?

A simple career and technical education definition is this: CTE is education that helps students connect academic learning with technical skills and career preparation in specific industries or career pathways.

In other words, CTE helps students learn by doing what interests them. Students may study healthcare, business, agriculture, computer science, engineering, construction, culinary arts, education, manufacturing, media, transportation, or many other fields. The exact offerings depend on the school, region, partnerships, staffing, and student interest.

However, CTE is not only about learning a trade or preparing for one job. A well-designed CTE experience also helps students build broader skills. Students learn how to communicate, manage time, solve problems, follow safety procedures, work with others, use technology, and understand expectations in a professional setting.

So, what is a career and technical education program? It gives students a structured way to explore a career area while building the skills required in that field. That often includes a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on work experiences, industry certifications, internships, work-based learning, and partnerships with local employers.

For example, an HVAC program introduces students to heating and cooling systems, electrical basics, safety procedures, tools, and customer service. A cosmetology program may include hair care, skin and nail services, sanitation, and basic business skills. A nursing program often focuses on medical terminology, patient care, infection control, and different healthcare career pathways.

The most important point is that students are not learning in a traditional classroom setting. They are applying what they learn to something connected to a real field or career pathway that interests them.

CTE gives students a place to start. It helps them explore possibilities before they make expensive or long-term decisions after graduation.

Why is Career and Technical Education Important?

Career and technical education is important because students need to see more clearly how school connects to their future. Many students work hard in school, but they do not always understand how their classes connect to career options, earning potential, personal interests, or��local workforce needs.

CTE can help make those connections more visible.

A student in a CTE classroom may need to use math to measure materials, read a technical manual, write a business plan, analyze a customer need, understand safety requirements, or present a solution to a group. These are academic skills, but they are used in real-world contexts. That context can make the learning more meaningful.

CTE also helps students build confidence. Some students do not see themselves as successful learners in a traditional classroom setting. But when they are given the chance to build, repair, design, care for someone, cook, or solve a hands-on problem, they may begin to see themselves differently.

That matters. Confidence can change the way students approach school. It can also change what they believe is possible for their future.

CTE also supports��career exploration. Too often, students are asked to make decisions about college majors, training programs, or career goals before they have had enough exposure to the options available to them. CTE gives students a chance to explore careers earlier, ask better questions, and make more informed choices.

For some students, CTE may lead directly to an industry credential, an apprenticeship, a job opportunity, or a technical program. For others, it may help clarify a college pathway. A student interested in health sciences may decide to pursue nursing, physical therapy, public health, or biomedical science. A student in a technology program may pursue computer science, cybersecurity, data analytics, or engineering.

CTE is also important for the local and surrounding communities. Local businesses need workers with technical skills, communication skills, and the ability to learn on the job. Schools can help by building partnerships that expose students to real careers and local opportunities. A can support that work by helping students connect classroom learning to career exploration and real-world pathways.

Are Career and Technical Education Programs Worth It?

From a superintendent’s point of view, yes, when career and technical education programs are well-designed, aligned to student needs, and connected to real opportunities, they are absolutely worth it.

The value of a CTE program is not limited to whether a student takes a job in that field right after high school. That may happen, and for some students, it is a great outcome. But CTE also matters because it helps students build skills, explore different options, and make more informed decisions about their future.

A student may leave a CTE program with an industry credential, college credit, workplace experience, or a better understanding of a career pathway. They also leave with stronger communication skills, better problem-solving abilities, and a clearer sense of what they want to do next.

Those outcomes matter.

There is also value in helping students avoid paths that are not a good fit. If a student wants to work in a particular field, a CTE experience can give them a more realistic understanding of what that field requires. Sometimes students confirm an interest. Sometimes they realize they want something different. Both outcomes are useful.

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What is an Example of a CTE Class?

A CTE class can look very different depending on the program area, but the best examples combine academic learning, technical practice, and real-world application.

One example is a construction trades or heavy equipment program. Students may learn about job site safety, tools, materials, measurement, basic blueprint reading, equipment operation, and the different careers connected to the construction field. They may also practice following directions, working as part of a crew, solving problems on the job, and understanding why safety and communication matter. Some students may pursue certifications or continue into areas such as heavy equipment operation, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, welding, or construction management.

Another example is an engineering or manufacturing class. Students may use design software, measurement tools, 3D printers, machines, or other equipment to create and test products. They may learn about design thinking, safety, materials, precision, and quality control. This type of STEM class helps students connect math, science, technology, problem-solving, and hands-on work in a practical way.

A business or entrepreneurship class is another good example. Students may develop a business idea, assess costs, plan marketing, create a plan, or present their work to others. Along the way, they build skills in communication, organization, budgeting, technology, and decision-making. Those skills are useful whether a student wants to own a business, work in management, study finance, or better understand how businesses and organizations operate.

An effective CTE class gives students a reason to use what they are learning. It should include technical knowledge, hands-on practice, clear expectations, and opportunities to reflect on the career field.

Building Stronger Career Pathways for Students

CTE is most effective when it is connected to a larger plan for life after high school. A single course can be useful, but students get more out of it when they understand how their classes, experiences, credentials, and future options fit together.

Students also need support along the way. They need caring and well-trained adults who can help them understand different pathways, compare options, and think through next steps. They also need opportunities to see careers up close, not just read about them or hear about them in general terms.

Strong CTE programs can include partnerships with local businesses, BOCES or technical centers, community colleges, workforce organizations, and industry professionals. These partnerships can help students understand what different careers actually look like and what preparation they may need.

Schools also need to make clear that CTE is not just for one type of student. It can support students who plan to go directly into the workforce, students who plan to attend college, students who are still figuring out their next step, and students who learn best when they can connect ideas to real work.

That is one of the biggest benefits of career and technical education. It helps students see that there is more than one path after high school. It gives them a chance to explore their interests, learn what they enjoy, and think more clearly about where they may want to go next. It also reinforces an important point for schools: preparing students for the future cannot be one-size-fits-all.

Students deserve pathways that are clear, meaningful, and connected to real opportunity. CTE helps schools provide those pathways in a way that can change how students see both school and their future.

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What is Digital Literacy? A Guide for Schools

Michael Healey — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:41:53 +0000

Key takeaways

Digital literacy helps students evaluate information, communicate appropriately, protect their privacy, and make good decisions online.
Comfort with technology does not always mean students know how to use it well.
Schools can improve digital literacy by making it part of regular instruction rather than treating it as a one-time lesson.

Students spend a lot of time these days using technology, but that does not always mean they understand how to use it effectively. They may know how to search, scroll, post, message, watch, and create. But using technology every day is not the same as being prepared to use it responsibly, efficiently, or safely.

Schools cannot assume that using technology is the same as knowing how to use it well.

Students need to know how to find information, but they also need to know whether that information can be trusted. They need to know how to communicate online, but they also need to understand tone, audience, privacy, and consequences. Students need to know how to use��technology, but they also need to know when it is actually helping them learn.

That is why digital literacy has become such an important part of preparing students for life after graduation. Technology is now a daily part of how people learn, work, communicate, apply for jobs, manage money, access services, and participate in their communities. Students do not need to become experts in every platform or tool, but they do need the habits and judgment to use technology in ways that are safe, useful, and connected to real life.

As a superintendent, I think schools have to be clear about this; much clearer than we are right now. We cannot assume that students are digitally literate just because they are comfortable with devices. Comfort is not the same as understanding. A student may be very adept with technology and still struggle to evaluate a source, protect personal information, recognize misinformation, or communicate appropriately in a digital world.

Schools can help close that gap. With the right support, students can learn how to use technology in ways that are safer, more effective, and more connected to real life. They can also begin to see how digital literacy and digital skills connect to future opportunities, whether they are researching careers, learning to communicate professionally, or using a to better understand how school connects to real careers and workplace expectations.

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy is the ability to use digital tools and information in a thoughtful, responsible, and effective way. This includes basic technology skills, but also goes well beyond knowing how to open an app, type a search term, or submit an assignment online.

A digitally literate student knows how to look for information, compare sources, identify what is useful, and question what may be inaccurate. They understand that not everything online has the same value. A website, video, social media post, advertisement, image, or search result may look polished and still be misleading and, in some cases, even dangerous.

Digital literacy also includes communication. Students need to understand how to write clearly in digital spaces, how to respond respectfully and appropriately, and consider how their words may be received by others. A message sent online can be saved, shared, misread, or taken out of context. Students need help understanding that digital communication is still real communication, and that what they say online can have real consequences.

Privacy is another important part of digital literacy. Students need help to understand that personal information has value. This means that they need to think before sharing names, images, locations, passwords, school information, or other details about themselves and others. When it comes down to it, these are not just technology lessons; they are life lessons.

Digital literacy also includes the ability to create and share content responsibly. Students may create videos, presentations, graphics, documents, podcasts, posts, or other digital products. They need to understand copyright, credit, accuracy, audience, and the difference between creating something meaningful and simply putting information together quickly.

Why is Digital Literacy Important?

Digital literacy matters because students are growing up in a world where information is everywhere and technology is part of nearly every job, school, and community. They will need these skills whether they go to college, enter the workforce, pursue technical training, serve in the military, or start a business.

Students today already use technology to research topics, complete assignments, and communicate with teachers. Outside of school, they continue to use it to connect with friends, watch videos, play games, shop, and share their lives on social media. It is part of how they learn, communicate, and make sense of the world around them.

That makes digital literacy a student safety issue, an academic issue, and a career readiness issue.

From a safety standpoint, students need to understand privacy, scams, cyberbullying, digital footprints, and the risks of sharing information before they fully understand it. They also need to know what to do when something feels wrong online. Students should have trusted adults and clear steps to follow when asking for help.

Academically, digital literacy helps students perform better. When students can evaluate sources, organize information, and use technology appropriately, they are better prepared to complete their assignments, explain their thinking, solve problems, and communicate clearly.

From a career standpoint, digital literacy is increasingly inseparable from basic workplace readiness. Nearly every job requires employees to use software, communicate online, manage information, complete training, protect data, and learn new tools. Even hands-on jobs often require digital skills. For example, a mechanic may use diagnostic technology to identify engine issues; a nurse may use electronic health records to quickly access a patient’s health history; and a construction worker may use digital plans or scheduling tools to plan an upcoming job more efficiently.

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Why is Digital Literacy Necessary in Education?

Digital literacy is necessary in education because students need guidance as they learn how to use technology. If schools do not teach these skills directly, students are often left to figure them out on their own.

Many students can use technology quickly, but speed is not the goal. The goal is judgment. Students need to know how to pause, question, check, and make better decisions. They also need to understand that a search result is not the same thing as reliable information.

Digital literacy also supports another important goal, equity. Not all students have the same access to devices, internet, adult support, or digital experiences outside of school. Schools can help ensure all students develop these skills, not just those who already have support at home.

How to Integrate Digital Literacy in the Classroom

Digital literacy should not be limited to one assembly, handout, or lesson at the beginning of the year. The best way for students to build these skills is through practice, and the best place to do that is inside the work they are already doing in class.

One way to do this is to build source evaluation into research assignments. Instead of just asking students to find information, teachers can ask them to explain why a source is useful, who created it, what evidence it provides, and if they found another source that supports it.

Digital literacy is also a natural fit for writing, communication, and classroom projects; things that naturally occur in almost every classroom. Students can practice writing for different audiences, discuss tone and privacy, and create presentations, videos, or other products that demonstrate what they know. The key is to make sure the technology supports learning.

For example, in English, students can evaluate sources and discuss the audience. In social studies, they can examine media and potential misinformation. In science, they can evaluate data and credible research. In math, they can analyze charts, graphs, and claims made with numbers.

The goal of��integrating digital literacy is not to add more work. The goal is to help students use technology better in the work they are already doing.

How to Improve Digital Literacy in Students

Improving digital literacy starts with being clear about what students need to know and be able to do. Schools should not assume students will develop these skills automatically. They need instruction, practice, feedback, and frequent reminders.

An effective first step is to use real examples. Teachers can use sample search results, mock social media posts, digital ads, online comments, websites, charts, or videos to help students practice making decisions.

Students also need chances to talk through their thinking. If they choose a source, they should be able to explain why. If they use technology, they should be able to explain how it helped. If they create something, they should be able to��explain their thinking.

It also helps to teach digital literacy in small pieces, not all at once. For example, one lesson might focus on checking a source; another might focus on protecting personal information; another might focus on using images responsibly; while another might focus on writing a clear message for the intended audience.

It’s safe to say that technology is not going away. Students will continue to use new platforms and technologies that schools cannot fully predict. But if they know how to ask good questions, check information, protect their privacy, and think before they act online, they will be better prepared for whatever comes next.

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What Are College and Career Readiness Standards?

Michael Healey — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:50:20 +0000

Key takeaways

College- and career-readiness standards��help students build skills, explore options, and plan for life after high school.
These standards give schools a clearer focus for what students should know and be able to do before graduation.
Schools strengthen college and career readiness when classroom instruction, guidance, career exploration, and real-world learning work together.

Every school wants students to be ready for life after high school. That sounds simple, but it can mean different things for different students. One student may plan to attend a four-year college, while another may choose a community college, technical program, apprenticeship, military service, full-time work, or a career pathway that includes more than one of those options over time.

That is why readiness has to mean more than earning a diploma.

Students need academic skills, but they also need to know how to communicate, solve problems, manage responsibilities, use information, work with others, and make decisions about their future. They need to understand that what they learn in school connects to the choices they will make after graduation.

This is where college- and career-readiness standards��become important. They give schools a way to think more clearly about what students need before they leave high school. They also help educators move beyond the idea that preparation is only about completing courses or passing exams.

Standards only matter if they show up in the regular work of schools. They should influence what students read, write, discuss, create, research, and solve. They should also connect to counseling, career exploration, and the way students learn about future opportunities.

That connection is especially important when students are working with real examples, current issues, and career-connected experiences. A��can help students see how classroom skills connect to real careers and future opportunities.

What Are College- and Career-Readiness Standards?

College- and career-readiness standards��describe the knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for learning, work, and life after high school. These skills help schools identify what students should be able to do across grade levels and subject areas.

That may include reading complex texts, writing clearly, using evidence, solving problems, applying math, understanding scientific ideas, analyzing information, communicating effectively, and using technology appropriately. It also includes skills that matter beyond the classroom, such as organization, collaboration, persistence, and the ability to think through a challenge.

The phrase can sound formal, but the idea is straightforward: students should graduate with the skills to continue learning and take the next step.

A student who is ready for college should be able to handle more independent work, manage deadlines, read and write at a higher level, ask for help when needed, and think critically about information. A student who is ready for a career should be able to communicate, follow through, solve problems, learn new tools, work with others, and understand expectations in a professional setting.

Those two areas overlap more than people sometimes realize. A student preparing for engineering, nursing, teaching, manufacturing, business, cybersecurity, construction management, or public service will need both academic skills and workplace skills.

That is why these standards can be helpful. They give schools a clearer focus and remind everyone that preparing students for life after high school does not happen all at once.

They also push schools to ask the right questions. Are students writing and speaking enough? Are they using evidence? Are they working through problems that take more than one step? Are they seeing how academic skills connect to real careers and real decisions?

How to Align Curriculum with College- and Career-Readiness Standards

Aligning curriculum with college- and career-readiness standards��is not about adding more material just to say more was taught. It is about looking closely at what students are learning and whether that work is helping them prepare for what comes next.

That begins with being clear and intentional about the skills students need to learn. Teachers and school administrators should know what students are expected to learn and practice at each grade level and in each subject. That may include things like reading for understanding, supporting writing with evidence, discussing ideas, applying math concepts, analyzing and using data, and explaining their thinking clearly.

Once schools are clear on the skills students need, they can take a closer look at the curriculum. The question is not only, “Did we teach the topic?” The better question is, “How did students have to engage with the topic being introduced?”

There is a difference between hearing about a concept and using it. Students may learn a formula, but can they apply it to a problem that is not set up exactly like the example? They may read an article, but can they explain the main idea, question the source, and use evidence from the text?

Curriculum alignment should help students move from knowing information to using information.

That also means schools should pay attention to the kinds of tasks students are given. If most assignments only ask students to recall information, they may not be getting enough practice with the skills they will need later. Students need opportunities to analyze, create, explain, revise, collaborate, and solve problems.

Assessment matters too. Students should have opportunities to demonstrate their understanding through writing, presentations, projects, performance tasks, labs, research, and other forms of applied learning. That does not mean every assignment has to include all of these or be a major project. A short written response, a discussion, a quick data analysis, or a comparison of two sources can also provide teachers with useful information.

Alignment also depends on people working together. Grade-level teams, departments, counselors, career and technical education teachers, special education teachers, and administrators all see different parts of a student’s experience. When they work together, they can help students build skills across courses rather than treating each class as separate.

Career connections should also be part of that work. Students benefit when they can see how reading, writing, math, science, technology, and communication appear across different fields. A��can help teachers and students make those connections in more concrete ways.

The goal is not to force a career connection into every lesson. The goal is to help students understand that the skills they are building have value beyond the assignment in front of them.

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How Are Schools Adapting for Modern-Day College- and Career-Readiness?

Schools are continually adapting because students are entering a world that is constantly changing. The core skills still matter; Students need to read, write, think, communicate, and solve problems. What is changing is where and how they are expected to use those skills.

Students now need to sort through large amounts of information, use digital tools, understand data, communicate in different formats, and adjust to new technologies.

One way schools are adapting is by building more career exploration into earlier grades. Students should not first hear about career pathways when they are close to graduation. They need time to learn about different career fields, ask questions, understand requirements, and connect their interests to possible futures.

This does not mean asking young students to choose a career too early. It means exposing them to fields they may not have considered before.

Schools are also expanding hands-on and project-based learning. Students need chances to apply what they know. A well-designed project can help students research, plan, create, test, present, and revise. Those are the kinds of skills that are important in both college and career settings.

College and career readiness today also includes digital, information, and workplace skills. Students need to know how to find information, evaluate the quality of different sources, use technology��responsibly, and communicate clearly in a variety of different settings. Just as important, they need to build skills they can take with them after graduation, including problem-solving, collaboration, responsibility, adaptability, and the ability to keep learning.

Building Readiness That Students Can Use

The most important work around college- and career-readiness standards��helps students connect school to what comes next. That work should help teachers plan better lessons, give students clearer guidance, and make learning feel more connected to life after graduation.

Readiness should be evident in what we ask students to do. Are they reading carefully? Are they writing clearly? Are they using evidence? Are they solving problems? Are they learning how to work with others?

Those questions are important because students do not all take the same path after high school. Some will go to college, some will enter a technical program, some will go directly to work, and some will change direction more than once. Schools cannot map out every step for every student, but they can help students build the skills, confidence, and direction they need to move forward.

That is the real value of this work. It gives students more than a checklist of requirements. It gives them a better understanding of what they can do, what they may want to pursue, and what they need to keep learning.

Students deserve clear expectations, useful guidance, and real opportunities to think about life after graduation. College- and career-readiness standards��can help schools stay focused on that work.

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6 Ways Schools Can Support College and Career Readiness

Michael Healey — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:04:45 +0000

Key takeaways

College and career readiness��starts before high school and should be part of the full student experience.College and career readiness��starts before high school and should be part of the full student experience.
Students need strong instruction, clear guidance, career exposure, and opportunities to apply what they are learning.
Schools support readiness best when classroom learning, advising, families, and future planning are connected.

For many years, schools treated college and career readiness as two separate paths. Some students were prepared for college, while others were prepared for work. That approach no longer reflects what students need after high school.

Students need preparation that reflects the different paths they may take after high school, whether they go to a four-year college, attend a community college or technical program, enter the military or workforce, or move through more than one of those options over time.

That is why college and career readiness��has to mean more than just helping students meet graduation requirements. Students still need to know how to read, write, think, communicate, use information, solve problems, and make decisions about their future, but they also need time to understand what different options actually require. How to support college and career readiness��starts with helping students connect those skills to real choices and next steps.

Schools play an important role in that work. They cannot choose a student’s future, but they can help students see more possibilities, build useful skills, and understand the steps in front of them.

What Is College and Career Readiness?

College and career readiness��means the students leave high school with the knowledge, skills, and direction they need to take the next step. That next step may look different for each student, but the need for preparation is the same.

College and career readiness��is not really about choosing one set of skills over another. Students who plan to attend college need to manage time, handle more independent work, read carefully, write clearly, study, ask for help, and work through complex information. Students who plan to enter the workforce need many of those same skills, along with the ability to communicate, solve problems, work with others, learn new systems and tools, and understand workplace expectations.

The point is that these skills are interconnected; students need academic and workplace skills, as well as the confidence to use both after graduation.

That is why readiness should not be limited to a single department, course, or meeting during senior year. It should be part of how students learn, how they are advised, and how they connect school to life after graduation.

An effective��can help students make those connections by giving them exposure to real careers, real skills, and real workplace expectations.

1. Start Career Awareness Earlier

Students should not first hear about career pathways when they are close to graduation. By then, some students have already made college choices, ruled out options, or formed ideas about what they can and cannot do.

Career awareness should begin earlier and build over time.

In elementary and middle school, this does not mean asking students to pick a career. It means helping them learn about different kinds of work, understand that people take different paths, and see how their interests can connect to future opportunities.

Schools can take simple steps to provide students with opportunities to explore. That might include classroom discussions, career-connected videos, guest speakers, projects, field trips, or short activities that demonstrate how skills are used across different careers.

The goal is not to force students into one path or another too early; it’s to expose them to more options and understand what each requires.

2. Connect Learning to Real-World Uses

Students better understand the value of school when they can see how those skills are used beyond the classroom. Reading, writing, math, science, technology, and communication are not just things students need to do in school; they are used every day in the real world and in the workplace.

That does not mean every lesson has to turn into a career activity. It means teachers should look for natural ways to connect learning to the world students are preparing to enter.

A math lesson might connect to budgeting, measuring, comparing costs, or understanding data. A science lesson might connect to health, energy, food, weather, or local environmental issues. A writing assignment might connect to emails or other forms of communication students may use outside of school.

These kinds of connections help students see that the work they are being asked to do has value; it also helps them practice using these skills in more meaningful ways.

Schools can support this by giving teachers access to strong examples, updated resources, and time to plan. A��can also provide teachers with examples and materials to connect classroom instruction to careers and real-world learning.

When students see how skills are used, they are more likely to understand why those skills matter.

3. Make Advising Clear and Consistent

Advising is one of the most important parts of the college and career readiness��process, but it cannot be limited to just scheduling courses for the next school year. Students need help understanding options, requirements, timelines, costs, and next steps.

That includes discussing important information, including graduation requirements, college admissions, financial aid, technical programs, military pathways, industry credentials, and career options with students and their families.

When meeting with their school counselor, many students do not know what questions to ask. They may not understand the difference between a certificate program and an associate degree, how financial aid works, or which career fields require specific high school courses, certifications, exams, or training.

Schools can help by making advising more consistent and easier to understand. Students should receive guidance well before important decisions are made, not after opportunities have passed.

This work also needs to be repeated. A single meeting is not enough. Students need opportunities to revisit their plans, ask new questions, and adjust as they learn more about themselves and their options.

Advising should help students understand where they are, where they may want to go, and what steps can help them get there.

4. Help Students Use What They Learn

Students need chances to apply what they are learning in school; that is one of the most effective ways schools can support career and college readiness.

Applied learning can take many forms, including projects, research, presentations, design challenges, internships, and service learning. What matters is that students are doing more than just completing an assignment; they are thinking, creating, explaining, solving problems, and communicating effectively.

While this type of learning helps students practice skills they will need later, it also gives teachers a better understanding of what students can actually do with what they know.

A student may understand a concept on a worksheet but struggle to apply it to a new situation. Another student may demonstrate understanding more clearly through a presentation, a project, or a hands-on task. Applied learning creates more ways for students to demonstrate growth.

Schools need to be very clear about how this work is designed. Applied learning should not be busywork or a project added on at the end of a unit. It should be designed to intentionally connect to the learning goals and still include clear instruction, structure, feedback, and expectations.

When done well, applied learning helps students move beyond completing assignments and start actively using the skills they are building.

5. Make CTE Part of College and Career Readiness

Career and technical education��should not be viewed as separate from college preparation. For many students, CTE can be an important part of both college and career planning.

A strong CTE experience can help students explore a career field, build technical skills, earn credentials, and better understand what a career pathway may require. It can also strengthen academic skills.

The value of CTE is not only about whether a student takes a job in that field right after high school. Some students will, but others may go to college, change direction, or use what they learned in a different setting.

CTE helps students learn more about themselves. It gives them a better understanding of what they enjoy, what they are good at, and what they may want to pursue next.

Schools can support college and career readiness��by making CTE part of the broader conversation about student pathways, rather than a separate option only for certain students.

6. Prepare Students With Skills That Last

College and career readiness��is not only about knowing which career sounds interesting or which college a student may attend. Students also need to be exposed to skills that help them handle challenges, manage responsibilities, and keep learning.

That includes communication, organization, collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, and follow-through. It also includes digital skills, such as evaluating sources, using technology responsibly, and communicating clearly in a variety of different settings.

These skills are built through regular school experiences while students work in groups, revise work after receiving feedback, explain their thinking, manage a project, solve a problem, or ask for help.

Schools can reinforce this connection by highlighting these skills when they appear, providing students with regular chances to practice them, and helping students see how these skills relate to life after graduation.

Students should understand that readiness is not just about their grades on a final transcript. It is also about how they approach work, respond to challenges, and make decisions.

Career Readiness Resources

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How Has College and Career Readiness Changed Over the Last 5 Years?

The idea of college and career readiness��has changed because the world students are entering has changed.

Five years ago, many conversations focused on whether students were prepared for college, had taken the right courses, or had a general career plan. Those questions still matter, but they are no longer enough.

Students now need to understand all available pathways. They need to think about college, technical training, military service, work-based learning, and careers that may continue to evolve.

The school’s role in college and career readiness��has also changed. Schools are being asked to help students connect academic learning to future planning in more direct ways. Families want clear, accurate information, employers want students who can communicate, solve problems, and learn, and students want to know why the work matters.

That is why college and career readiness��can no longer supplement the school experience. It needs to be actively connected to instruction, advising, career exploration, CTE, student support, and family communication.

Supporting Readiness in a Way Students Can Use

How to support college and career readiness��comes down to making the work clear, connected, and ongoing.

Students still need strong classroom instruction. They also need guidance from adults who understand different pathways, opportunities to explore careers and apply what they are learning, clear information for families, and time to build the skills and confidence to make decisions about their future.

College and career readiness��is not about having all the answers before graduation. It is about ensuring students leave school with a stronger understanding of their options, the skills to continue learning, and the confidence to move forward.

That is where schools can make a real difference.

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DreamBox Math: Common Q&A for Curriculum Evaluation

David Bryan — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:01:56 +0000

Evaluating curricula like �Ǹ��’s DreamBox Math for possible adoption is never simple or easy, but we want to help. Use this set of key questions with detailed answers as a guide to how our program can support educator and student success in your school or district.

See DreamBox Math in action with a demo.

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Key Questions and Answers about DreamBox Math

1. Does DreamBox Math support all three aspects of math rigor: conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application?

Short answer: Yes, students actively do mathematics by building models, testing strategies, solving problems, and developing the conceptual understanding that leads to lasting fluency.

DreamBox Math’s instructional design follows the research-grounded progression of concepts first, then fluency. Our proven formula: virtual manipulatives + conceptual design = math fluency. Incorporating virtual manipulatives and visual models to build meaning before practicing procedures ensures student understanding is deep and transferable. As they progress, learners also build confidence and a love of math.

2. Is DreamBox Math content focused on grade-level priorities?

Short answer: Yes, districts can guide DreamBox Math’s adaptive engine toward state-assessment or district-priority standards, which no other program can duplicate.

Interactive lessons are backed by research and designed to accomplish pedagogical goals, then aligned to standards across all states. As standards change, we regularly update DreamBox Math alignments. What’s more, we’re always updating curriculum alignments to help teachers connect DreamBox Math to what they’re doing in the classroom.

At a broader level, districts now choose how DreamBox’s Intelligent Adaptive Engine prioritizes grade-level standards in support of their goals and objectives. The two Intelligent Adaptive Pathways are:��

Comprehensive: Prioritize the full K–8 curriculum depth and breadth.��
Focused: Prioritize key grade-level standards (state-assessed or district-selected).

Focused Adaptive Pathways let educators maximize every minute of their limited supplemental time on the standards that matter most.

More ways for educators to target grade-level priorities:

Interactive Curriculum Guide: Explore lessons by grade-level and/or standard.��
Assignments: Create by topic, standard, curriculum unit, and NWEA.

3. How well does DreamBox Math build coherence across grade levels and concepts?

Short answer: Extremely well, with a defined sequence for skills and concepts, personalized learning based on student thinking, and opportunities for educators and districts to adjust and prioritize instruction.

DreamBox Math has a sequence (aka trajectory or progression) for all skills and concepts, and the included Curriculum Guide can help educators visualize this trajectory across all grade levels and domains. Our curriculum is designed to support the process of learning and transfer of prior learning throughout grades K–8.

Instruction tailored to each individual: Every student gets a continuously evolving learning pathway based on how they think because DreamBox Math’s Intelligent Adaptive Learning automatically personalizes instruction within and between lessons. Students always start at their just-right level with the help of our Launchpad placement engine. Some lessons are intended to connect ideas between concepts taught at different grade levels and offer activities marked accordingly.

The new Intelligent Adaptive Pathways let districts prioritize grade-level standards in support of their goals and objectives through two options:

Comprehensive: Prioritize the full K–8 curriculum depth and breadth.
Focused: Prioritize key grade-level standards (state-assessed or district-selected).

These pathways set the focus based on a student’s rostered grade level but fill prerequisite work first.

Assignments: When needed, teachers can choose to assign lessons either long term or short term. Long-term assignments are perfect for targeting standards- or NWEA-aligned skills. Short-term assignments can be used to enhance curricular units and concepts.

Explore more of what DreamBox Math has to offer with a demo.

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4. Does DreamBox Math develop mathematical reasoning and problem-solving, not just respond to correct answers?

Short answer: Absolutely! DreamBox Math reads and adapts to student thinking rather than just correct answers, so learners experience productive struggle, conceptual breakthroughs, and mathematical agency.

DreamBox Math is built on the idea that learning is personal, so personalization is essential. Its Intelligent Adaptive Engine responds in real time to every mathematical move a student makes (strategy, manipulative use, error patterns, decision sequences), adjusting instantly to their progress and performance. This results in:

Deeper misconception detection
Faster remediation
Transfer of learning

DreamBox Math lessons are purpose built to support thinking and reasoning with:

Virtual manipulatives: Students explore concepts with immediate visual feedback. Personalized hints support thinking without giving away answers.
Embedded assessment: DreamBox Math’s adaptive engine collects insights from every interaction, not just right or wrong responses.

What virtual manipulatives offer: Students explore ideas, test strategies, and discover solutions as they build, move, and reason with virtual manipulatives. They develop number sense, mental models, structural knowledge, and mathematical reasoning.

5. How effectively does DreamBox Math differentiate instruction for different learners?

Short answer: DreamBox Math delivers personalized lessons and targeted scaffolding that adjust in real time, ensuring every student is always working at the right level.

Teachers are amazing, but no human can personalize learning for 25 students all at once, offer infinite patience, and remember every student’s learning history. DreamBox Math automatically differentiates based on student thinking, so your team can focus on what they do best—build relationships with students, talk about math, develop discourse, and deliver instruction.

What automatic differentiation means: Continuous formative assessment captures students’ decisions in real time and enables DreamBox Math to adjust within lessons as students are working and between lessons to match each learner’s readiness. Each student gets a personalized pathway to develop mathematical reasoning and problem solving.

In the classroom, teachers can flexibly connect DreamBox Math to any context:

Preview concepts: Teacher-led math talks using Curriculum Guide lesson demos.
Fill gaps/check for understanding: Short-term assignments aligned to curriculum units.
Independent practice: Automatic differentiation builds foundations at each student’s own pace.
Early identification: Real-time insights reveal students who may need intervention before the next benchmark.

For targeted interventions, DreamBox provides:

Daily updated progress reporting that alerts teachers when students need extra support.
Lesson previews during whole- or small-group and 1:1 instruction.
Long-term assignments to target standards- or NWEA-aligned skills.
Short-term assignments to enhance curricular units and concepts.
Assignment Overview & History Report to monitor progress.

6. Does DreamBox Math engage students through active learning and meaningful practice?

Short answer: Yes, students using DreamBox Math are building models, manipulating objects, testing strategies, and solving problems, not clicking through a digital worksheet.

DreamBox Math immerses students in hands-on, gamified lessons using virtual manipulatives that help them make sense of abstract math concepts. Unlike programs that use math to deliver games, DreamBox’s gamified elements serve active mathematical problem-solving.

DreamBox Math lessons have four critical attributes that make learning stick:

Context: This creates purpose and engagement through meaningful, real-world situations.
Intentional numbers: Fairness, challenge, and curiosity spark student thinking. Numbers shape strategy opportunities and adapt to the learner. Standards are the floor, not the ceiling.
Manipulatives: Students use them to act, explore, and discover ideas for themselves. This drives authentic “lightbulb” moments for every learner.
Hints/Scaffolds: Students get just-in-time clarity that preserves thinking. They support explicit instruction without replacing reasoning.

Explore more of what DreamBox Math has to offer with a demo.

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7. Does DreamBox Math support mastery-based learning and allow students to progress at their own pace?

Short answer: Yes to both because we want students to develop deeper understanding and strong problem-solving skills to think through math, not just memorize it.

In DreamBox Math, students use hands-on exploration to:

Build mental models
Understand structures and relationships
Develop strategic thinking and reasoning

This results in problem-solving skills that transfer to contexts within and beyond the classroom, including assessments.

Standards mastery: DreamBox’s interactive lessons are backed by research and designed to accomplish pedagogical goals, then aligned to standards across all states. As standards change, we regularly update DreamBox Math alignments.

Benefits of personalization: DreamBox Math delivers personalized lessons and targeted scaffolding that adjust in real time, ensuring every student is always working at the right level—not stuck, not bored, just engaged and learning. And each student is productively challenged from day one, not wasting weeks on content they’ve already mastered, because our Launchpad placement engine starts them at their just-right level.

Personalized pathways driven by student thinking: Continuous formative assessment captures students’ thinking (strategy, manipulative use, error patterns, decision sequences) in real time. Then DreamBox Math relies on its Intelligent Adaptive Engine, which is built on 25+ years of math-specific learning science, to adjust within lessons as students are working and between lessons to match each learner’s readiness. Teachers get real-time visibility into student understanding without extra work.

8. What’s the evidence that DreamBox Math improves math achievement?

Short answer: DreamBox Math is backed by ESSA Strong (Tier 1) evidence across 13,000+ students in diverse districts, among other evidence.

We have proof at scale that when students use DreamBox Math at recommended levels, they show significant growth by various measures:

ESSA Strong (Tier 1) across 13,000+ students in diverse districts. ()
20 min/week on DreamBox → 2.5-point NWEA MAP gain, grades 3–5. (Harvard CEPR study)
8,000+ CA students: +10 points (K–2) and +7 points (3–5) NWEA MAP gains, (2–5+ lessons/week). (LearnPlatform by Instructure study)
K–2 RCT (24 schools, NC): significant outperformance, effect size +0.12. (�Ǹ�� 100,000-student study)

Note that DreamBox Math’s daily progress data gives you ROI visibility between benchmarks, not just at the end of the year.

9. What kind of data does DreamBox Math provide, and is it actionable?

Short answer: Unlike any other math program, DreamBox Math gives educators real-time insights into student thinking (continuous formative assessment data), so they don’t need to wait till the next benchmark to act.

With DreamBox Math, continuous formative assessment provides real-time insight into how students think and learn, not just whether they got a question right.

Plus, teachers have other reports and data that can inform instructional decisions:

Progress Report: Progress in DreamBox across the district’s school year in the focal areas of the standards.
Standards Report: Progress against individual grade-level standards.
Assignment History Report: Ideal for targeted instruction over time.
Assignment Overview: Active assignments and proficiency for the classroom at a glance.
Lesson Recommendations: The lessons each student has in their personalized pathways.
Lesson Highlights: Lesson replays by student, providing insight into understanding and areas of struggle.

New AI Classroom Assist (in beta): This transforms DreamBox Math’s continuous formative assessment data into clear, actionable recommendations, revealing struggling students, engagement concerns, rapid guessing, and assignment gaps—directly on the teacher Home Page. There’s no setup or training needed, and it keeps student data private.

District- and school-level data tracking: Administrators can see usage, progress, and standards proficiency across classrooms, schools, and the entire district, supporting accountability, strategic planning, and board-level reporting.

Explore more of what DreamBox Math has to offer with a demo.

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10. How well does DreamBox Math integrate into existing curriculum and instructional routines?

Short answer: DreamBox Math is a supplemental program aligned to 10+ published curricula and every state’s standards. It makes it easy for teachers to pull up a lesson that connects directly to what they’re teaching.

DreamBox Math fills the gaps that even the best core programs have: It’s the personalized layer the core alone can’t provide for every learner. In fact, a recent survey we conducted revealed that 77% of current partners agree that they use DreamBox Math to fill curricular gaps.

How does DreamBox Math fit so easily into your toolkit? We’ve aligned it to each state’s standards and more than 10 widely used curriculum programs, including:

Eureka Math
enVision
Into Math
Reveal Math
IM v.360
And many more!

DreamBox Math connects to these and other core curricula with research-backed instructional design and progressions. What’s more, it provides an interactive Curriculum Guide for lesson exploration and assignments by standard, topic, curriculum unit, and NWEA. This allows teachers to connect DreamBox to exactly what they’re teaching. No other supplemental curriculum offers this depth of alignment flexibility.

At a broader level, districts now choose how DreamBox’s Intelligent Adaptive Engine prioritizes grade-level standards. The two pathways are:

Comprehensive: Prioritize the full K–8 curriculum depth and breadth.
Focused: Prioritize key grade-level standards (state-assessed or district-selected).

Focused Adaptive Pathways let educators maximize every minute of their limited supplemental time on the standards that matter most.

11. How does DreamBox Math integrate with our LMS?

Short answer: DreamBox Math does not integrate with your LMS, but it does integrate with rostering systems like ClassLink or Clever and enterprise-level SSO.

12. Is DreamBox Math scalable, sustainable, and worth the investment over time?

Short answer: Without a doubt! DreamBox Math is purpose built to help teachers, schools, and districts make the most of every math minute, so students develop the understanding and problem-solving skills to be successful in school and beyond.

DreamBox Math helps districts scale high-quality instruction regardless of staff shortages, bandwidth, or instructor qualifications. It supports new, substitute, and stretched teachers without sacrificing responsiveness or instructional rigor.

With the included onboarding, professional learning, and ongoing support, teachers feel confident and successful from day one. And �Ǹ��’s Professional Learning team, comprised of experienced educators, provides relevant synchronous and asynchronous options to build capacity at any pace.
In the classroom, DreamBox Math is the partner that does what a human cannot: personalize learning for every student simultaneously, offer infinite patience, and provide continuous formative assessment. This frees teachers to focus on relationships, instruction, and discourse. Strengthening the classroom focus, DreamBox Math’s new AI Classroom Assist (in beta) brings to light struggling students and engagement concerns so teachers can act quickly to provide extra support.

DreamBox Math stands alone among supplemental curricula:

Unmatched adaptivity: Adjusts to student thinking in the moment
Built for thinking: Promotes strategic reasoning and deep understanding
Curriculum cohesion: Aligns to standards, curricula, and NWEA
Readiness beyond the classroom: Builds algebra readiness, college & career readiness, and STEM foundations

Investing in DreamBox Math means you get an effective teaching and learning tool that requires less time, is easy to implement and use, and has impact on a variety of measures—validated by more than a decade of independent research. In fact, one district saw over 5 percentile point achievement gains in just 8 weeks with one hour per week of usage.

Many districts choose DreamBox Math because it supports multiple priorities with one solution. As part of the �Ǹ�� Connected Ecosystem, DreamBox Math is not another point solution, it’s the adaptive learning pillar of a coherent K–12 partnership.

Explore more of what DreamBox Math has to offer with a demo.

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Financial Literacy Guide for Educators

Dr. Becky Cahill — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:42:55 +0000

Key takeaways

A complete education should incorporate skills that prepare students for future success. Many school districts create learner or graduate profiles to encapsulate the capabilities they want to cultivate in their students. Examples include clear communication, personal responsibility, continuous learning, and critical thinking. All of these areas are part of financial literacy.
The current generation of students is concerned about their financial future. By providing the relevant financial literacy competencies before high school graduation, they can immediately apply these life skills. The ability to budget, save, invest, set goals, and develop strong monetary habits will serve students in the short and long term.
Providing students with a background in multiple literacies, including financial literacy, will allow students to see the personal impact of their learning. Financial literacy is a perfect way to move from conceptual understanding to full integration within a student's future life.

One of the main goals of the US educational system has always been literacy. In the traditional sense, literacy is the ability to read and write. However, the purpose of literacy is to enable individuals to understand and interact effectively with the world around them. With this expanded definition in mind, students are exposed to literacy across a variety of fields, including media, health, and financial literacy.

The incorporation of financial literacy into public education provides students with a framework for success in their adult lives. The skills embedded within financial literacy align with multiple content areas within the school curriculum. School districts strive to teach and strengthen skills in areas such as self-management, problem-solving, and critical thinking through primary and secondary school.

What is Financial Literacy?

Financial literacy is the knowledge and behaviors that allow a person to make sound decisions about money. Traditionally, the acquisition of this knowledge and skill set was reliant upon family members. A child or young adult might not be exposed to financial understanding until it was time to make real-world decisions.

Financial literacy is a term used to connect practices to build financial stability. Most experts agree that the main components include budgeting, spending, saving, investing, planning, debt management, credit and borrowing. The principles in these areas might not change for new generations, but the tools to manage wealth have evolved.

Budgeting is creating a plan for balanced expenses and spending. It is important for a young adult to understand how much money is coming in versus how much is going out. This understanding allows for decisions about purchases of both wants and needs. The concept of spending relies on calculations of fixed expenses that can be expected, as well as variable expenses that could occur.
Credit is the ability to borrow money, which will need to be repaid with interest. There are revolving credit accounts with a limit or loans which are usually disbursed in one lump sum. It is important that a borrower understands the terms of their credit repayment.
Saving is a way to build wealth to create financial security. By having money saved, a person can plan for the future as well as prepare for emergencies. One way to increase savings can be through investments. This approach can lead to more financial returns later but does come with risks based on the specific details of the investment.
Debt is the money that a person has borrowed and now owes. Experts stress the difference between good debt and bad debt. Good debt should increase your net worth over time. These are often purchases or loans that will provide a positive return, such as mortgages or student loans. With student loans, it is important to ensure that the loans are manageable and can be paid responsibly. Bad debt relates to items that depreciate after their purchase, meaning there is no return on the money spent.

Why is financial literacy important to teach?

Financial literacy is important because it can provide stability in life. By introducing children and young adults to concepts pertaining to money, they can make informed choices allowing them financial freedom in the future. Recent findings show that adults between 19 and 29 years of age have accrued over . By providing basic knowledge as part of a public education, future generations can start their financial journeys on the right foot. By incorporating financial literacy into existing curriculum, educators can create student-centered learning with real-world applications.

Career Readiness Resources

See how �Ǹ�� can support career readiness.

10 Engaging Financial Literacy Activities

Online Games and Apps: There is no shortage of games and apps online to help students learn about and practice financial literacy skills. As a parent or educator, be sure you are selecting a trustworthy site and that the content is age-appropriate.

Elementary School Activities

Handling Money: The early elementary years are a great time to introduce students to coins and bills. Rather than just learning how to count money, consider giving students “play” money to trade for items they might want from a treasure box or school store. This is great practice for saving versus spending.

Class Stores: Let students see both sides of the consumer process. Have students create a product that they can make and sell at school. They will need to consider how much their materials cost and how much they can charge for the product. This is also a great way for students to raise funds for a local charity or community organization.

Stock Market Game: Developed in the 1970s, it has been used by teachers for years. There are simple versions that ask students to track a particular stock, and more sophisticated events that are actual state competitions focused on making the best investments in the current market.

Middle School Activities

Shark Tank: This activity covers a variety of content areas in a fun way. Students can work independently or in groups to develop, market, and plan the production of a new product. All students are given the same starting budget, and the best ideas and investment decisions win.

Emergency Funds: Even with preparation, things can happen. This activity is an important way for students to consider how they will manage their money in emergencies. All students start with the same amount of money, but they draw different cards that create emergency situations. This lets students consider what they can save and what they have to spend.

Class Salary: Assigning students classroom responsibilities is not a new idea, but in this activity, they will receive a paycheck for their work. Teachers will then create scenarios where students can save, spend, or invest their money. This activity can be done in a single day or over an extended period for a more meaningful experience.

High School Activities

Building a Budget: As students get older, they can consider more elements of financial planning. By creating their own budget, they will need to understand salaries, housing, bills, credit, long-term goals, and immediate needs. For additional interest, consider allowing students to select their occupations (but don’t forget they need to pay for college or career training).

Practice Purchases: High school students are getting their driver’s licenses, so this is a perfect age to practice buying a car. Students should compare the cost, loans, and interest rates of their dream car with those of a more modest option. They can also factor in the ongoing costs of ownership, including insurance, maintenance, and gas.

Learn How to Read (Financially): Once students grasp the general concepts of financial literacy, it’s time to let them read. Provide students with the terms and conditions of different credit cards, loans, mortgages, and investments. Have the students create their own method for making the best choices, and then take some time to highlight sustainable choices.

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Career Readiness | �Ǹ����

Student Growth: How Schools Measure Progress and Set Goals

Key takeaways

Student growth helps schools understand progress over time, not just where students are at a given point.

Student growth should be measured with multiple sources, including assessments, student work, teacher observation, grades, attendance, and behavior data.

Student growth goals should give students a clear target, help teachers focus instruction, and help families understand progress.

What Is Student Growth?

What Are the Different Ways Student Growth Is Measured?

Career Readiness Resources

7 Examples of Student Growth Goals

1. Use Text Evidence to Strengthen Reading Comprehension

2. Build Writing Skills Beyond English Language Arts

3. Build Math Reasoning and Explanation

4. Help Students Take a More Active Role in Their Learning

5. Strengthen Attendance and Follow-Through

6. Help Students Manage Their Work

7. Connect Students’ Current Learning to Future Goals

Making Student Growth Meaningful

Career Exploration for Students K-12: A Guide for Schools

Key takeaways

Career exploration for students should begin before high school and continue as students learn more about themselves and their options.

Career exploration is not about asking students to choose one career too early. It is about helping them understand what is possible.

Schools can support career exploration by connecting classroom learning to interests, skills, future pathways, and real-world experiences.

What Is Career Exploration for Students?

Why Is Career Exploration Important?

Career Readiness Resources

When Should Career Exploration Begin?

How Can K-12 Schools Play a Part in Career Exploration?

Helping Students See What Is Possible

Inquiry-Based Learning: What It Is, the Four Types, and How to Use It

Key takeaways

Inquiry-based learning ranges from highly structured to fully student-driven.

Good inquiry is designed and requires deliberate planning, scaffolding, and facilitation.

There are concrete, actionable entry points.

What Is Inquiry-Based Learning?

What Are the Four Types of Inquiry-Based Learning?

1. Confirmation Inquiry

2. Structured Inquiry

3. Guided Inquiry

4. Open (or Free) Inquiry

Career Readiness Resources

Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning

Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning

Strategies for Bringing Inquiry Into the Classroom

Start with a high-interest question

Match structure to your students' experience

Build in time for reflection

Use protocols to guide group work

Provide access to varied resources, not just a textbook

Embrace productive struggle

Assess the process, not just the product

A Final Thought

Screen Time in Schools: Make It Valuable and Productive

Key takeaways

Screen time associated with high-quality education technology can be valuable for boosting student learning.

Look for one or more of the following characteristics in EdTech: evidence of effectiveness; relevant, hands-on learning; real world and career connections; and teacher support and training.

Equipped with the right information, education leaders can confidently address concerns about screen time in their school or district.

What Are Key Education Technology Characteristics?

Why Ask for Evidence of Effectiveness?

�Ǹ���� Program Examples

Why Do Students Need Relevant, Hands-on Learning?

�Ǹ���� Program Examples

How Does EdTech Connect Learning to the Real World and Careers?

�Ǹ���� Examples

How Can Teacher Support & Training in EdTech Make a Difference?

�Ǹ���� Examples

Conclusion

What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)? A Guide for Schools

Key takeaways

Career and technical education helps students connect school to real careers, workplace skills, and future opportunities.

A strong CTE program gives students a chance to explore interests, develop technical skills, and understand different career pathways before graduation.

CTE is not separate from academics. It can strengthen communication, problem-solving, collaboration, math, literacy, and career readiness.

What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)?

Why is Career and Technical Education Important?

Are Career and Technical Education Programs Worth It?

Career Readiness Resources

What is an Example of a CTE Class?

Building Stronger Career Pathways for Students

What is Digital Literacy? A Guide for Schools

Key takeaways

Career Readiness | �Ǹ��

�Ǹ�� Program Examples

�Ǹ�� Program Examples

�Ǹ�� Examples

�Ǹ�� Examples