Tag: School

  • School Advice that Will Probably Hurt Your Feelings

    School Advice that Will Probably Hurt Your Feelings

    By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed.

    Disclaimer: You might not like what you’re about to read. And I’m okay with that, because my goal is to make school easier for students, and sometimes that means facing reality and being open-minded to hearing hard things.

    If you put aside your feelings and take the following advice seriously, you’ll be so much better off than you are now.

    School, whether high school or college, isn’t supposed to be comfortable. It’s supposed to grow you. And growth almost always stings a little. (Or a lot, but you’ll be okay.)

    Below are six pieces of school advice that might hurt your feelings, but will absolutely make you a better, happier student.

    School Advice That Will Probably Hurt Your Feelings

    Please know that the following six pieces of school advice come from a place of love and care for all students, and also from over twenty years of teaching teenagers and young adults.

    1. If You Get Caught Cheating And You Cheated, Admit It

    Cheating is so dumb. Don’t do it. It will always come back to bite you. However, if for some reason you choose to cheat and you get caught, don’t lie about it. 

    The people who catch you cheating already know you cheated. No offense, but they’re likely a wee bit smarter than you. (Listen, I told you this post might hurt your feelings, and I was serious. But the reality is that if you’re a student and you get caught by a teacher, professor or administrator, they are smarter than you simply because they have more life experience.)

    You made a choice, and you have to own it. Teachers, professors, and even parents respect honesty, and even though you’ll still have to face the consequences of cheating, everything will be worse if you lie about it too. 

    Every second you spend defending a lie (that everyone knows is a lie) is time you could be using to fix what led you to cheat in the first place. 

    Plus, lying makes you look foolish. You might think people are buying your story, but oh, they’re not.

    2. If You Want Your Parents To Stop Nagging You, Prove They Don’t Have To

    You hate being nagged by your parents. Fair enough. But did you ever stop to think that they hate nagging you even more?

    I’m a parent of two teenagers, and trust me when I tell you that nagging them to do the things they’re supposed to do is the worst. The worst! But I’ll tell you what I always tell them: we wouldn’t have to nag you if you did the thing in the first place. 

    The reality is that nagging usually stops when your actions make it unnecessary. If you handle your responsibilities, meet your deadlines, do your homework and follow through on things you’re supposed to follow through on, your parents won’t nag you. It is LITERALLY that easy.

    Objectively, this is what “nagging” conversations sound like. Try to see the absurdity in this scenario without getting defensive:

    Parent: Did you do your homework?

    Student: I’m going to.

    Parent: (5 hours later) Did you do your homework yet?

    Student: Stop nagging me! You’re always nagging. I’ve got it. You don’t trust me.

    Parent: Fine.

    Parent: (next day): Ugh, you got a 0 for your missing assignment!

    Student: Seriously, you’re so mean.

    This conversation is so common. I also know that it causes a lot of stress in families, so I don’t mean to make light of a tense situation. But assuming there is no learning disability or mental health barrier, the solution to stop the nagging is to do things without needing to be nagged.

    3. Using AI To Do Your Thinking Is One Of The Dumbest Choices You Can Make

    I know AI isn’t going anywhere, and there’s little that schools can do to stop you from using it on your own time. But using AI to do your thinking for you is one of the absolute DUMMEST choices you could make. And the long-term impact of you doing that is worse than you can ever imagine.

    If you use AI to perform THINKING tasks (including writing, because writing IS thinking), you’re literally missing the entire point of school. In this post here, I argue that the point of school is only partially about the content – the real point is so much deeper than that.

    The whole point of school, especially high school,  is to learn how to do hard things when you don’t want to, how to think critically, and how to solve problems. When you pass these tasks off to AI, you’re denying yourself the single greatest opportunity to develop these skills … for what, a homework grade? An A on a paper you’re going to get absolutely nothing from because you didn’t write it?

    I’m not some stubborn, naive, anti-technology person who’s telling you to go back to writing essays with pencils on yellow paper. I’m actually a super technology geek (I can call myself that) who’s borderline obsessed with learning about AI. 

    But COME ON. You have to know deep down that every time you turn to AI to come up with an idea for an essay, solve a math problem, or even write your emails, you’re cheating yourself. I know you know that. 

    Every single time you turn to AI to do something that’s even mildly uncomfortable, you destroy your own thinking ability (proven in this study) and build the horrible habit of using AI for the next task…and the next…and the next. 

    Don’t you care? Actual question to you: Don’t you care about your future ability to THINK? Is “easy” now really worth sacrificing your creativity, uniqueness, and problem-solving powers for the rest of your life?

    4. You’re On Your Screen WAY Too Much, So When You Say You Don’t Have Time, You’re Lying (To Yourself)

    You do have time. You’re just spending it on your phone or on the wrong screens. And before you say you don’t, have you actually tracked or counted how much time you spend on your phone/screens (not including homework)? 

    Yes, you’ll occasionally have days when you legitimately don’t have time to get all your schoolwork done. These days can be stressful, but they’re not that common. If you face reality and do the math, you will see that you spend way more time on your phone than you think you do.

    Let’s say you have 45 minutes to work on a draft of an essay. If you sit down at the computer with no phone and absolutely no distractions, and you write your essay for 45 minutes, you could literally write pages of material. But if you have your phone next to you and distracting tabs open on your computer, you might be able to write a paragraph at most in the same 45 minutes. 

    Why on earth would you do this to yourself? 

    Put. The. Phone. Away. For the love of all things, put it away.

    5. If You Want To Be Taken Seriously, Do What You Say You’re Going To Do When You Say You’re Going To Do It

    Like it or not, people won’t take you seriously if you don’t do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it.

    There’s just something really … icky…about not delivering on your promises, no matter how small. It gives the impression of laziness, of arrogance, of not caring. And worse, it suggests that you’re not capable of doing the thing, even if you are.

    You have one reputation. Every choice you make, every word you say, and every single thing you do is a chance to build it or break it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much to break it, and the rough truth is that it’s hard (super hard!) to repair once you become a person who doesn’t do what they say they’re going to do.

    That’s the definition of being reliable, and if you want people to take you seriously, you must be reliable. Whether it’s an assignment, a meeting, or a group project, people notice when you don’t deliver. And it’s not a good look.

    Of course, sometimes life happens and we’re unable to follow through on a promise, but when that happens, direct, early and honest communication is key. Don’t wait until the last minute to 

    6. Motivation is Irrelevant.

    To be fair, I’ll begin this final piece of school advice by admitting that things are definitely easier when you feel motivated. So in that sense, motivation isn’t completely irrelevant from the aspect of enjoying a task. 

    That said, far too many students overly depend on motivation and forget the importance of discipline. 

    Motivation is just a feeling, like happiness, sadness and anger. That means that just like other feelings, motivation is temporary and unreliable. Discipline, however, is reliable and powerful.

    Here’s what I’m really trying to say: your feelings about a task you’re expected to do shouldn’t have anything to do with whether or not you do it.

    Said differently: do what you’re expected to do, even if you don’t want to do it.

    Said a third way, just for emphasis: You can NOT want to do something and STILL DO IT.

    Top performing students know this. They may think an assignment is dumb, boring or pointless (and it might be), but they do it anyway. They don’t let their feelings stop them from taking action. They don’t wait for motivation to hit. They don’t let their “this assignment is pointless” thoughts have anything to do with completing the assignment.

    The ability to do things you don’t want to do is a sign of emotional regulation and maturity. If you’re not there yet, it’s okay, but the sooner you learn to manage your emotions, the easier school will be and the less drama you’ll experience around school work.

    Final School Advice for Students

    None of this school advice is meant to make you feel bad. It’s meant to gently wake you up to some of the realities of school that not many people talk about.

    My approach with SchoolHabits has always been to be compassionate and direct, as I believe that’s what students deserve. But the world doesn’t reward people who avoid discomfort, blame others, deny accountability or act disingenuously. It rewards people who do the exact opposite. Owning your actions, being reliable, and facing discomfort without drama are characteristics of top performers. That’s you.


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  • “The New Mayor of New York CIty” on Zoom (CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies)

    “The New Mayor of New York CIty” on Zoom (CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies)

    The New Mayor of New York City:

    A Post-Election Debrief

    A City Works Media Roundtable moderated by Laura Flanders

     

    Thursday, November 13

    1:00pm – 2:30pm

    Virtual-only via Zoom. Free and open to all.

     

    Click here to register.

    Please register to access virtual event info and reminders. 

    (slucuny.swoogo.com/13November2025/register)

     

    Guest Speakers:

    Claudia Irizarry Aponte – Labor and Work Reporter, THE CITY; Faculty, CUNY Newmark School of Journalism

    Liza Featherstone – Columnist, Jacobin and The New Republic; Contributing Writer, The Nation

    Amir Khafagy – Senior Labor Reporter, Documented

    Maya King – Politics Reporter, The New York Times

    Moderator:

    Laura Flanders – Host, Laura Flanders & Friends; Host, City Works

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  • How school IT teams lock down QR-based SSO without hurting usability

    How school IT teams lock down QR-based SSO without hurting usability

    Key points:

    Schools can keep QR logins safe and seamless by blending clear visual cues, ongoing user education, and risk-based checks behind the scenes

    QR-based single sign-on (SSO) is fast becoming a favorite in schools seeking frictionless access, especially for bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environments.

    The BYOD in education market hit $15.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a 17.4 percent CAGR from 2025 to 2033, driven by the proliferation of digital learning and personal smart devices in schools.

    However, when attackers wrap malicious links into QR codes, school IT leaders must find guardrails that preserve usability without turning every login into a fortress.

    Phishing via QR codes, a tactic now known as “quishing,” is where attackers embed malicious QR codes in emails or posters, directing pupils, faculty, and staff to fake login pages. Over four out of five K-12 schools experienced cyber threat impacts with human-targeted threats like phishing or quishing, exceeding other techniques by 45 percent.

    Because QR codes hide or obscure the URL until after scanning, they evade many traditional email spam filters and link scanners.

    Below are three strategies to get that balance between seamless logins and safe digital environments right.

    How to look out for visual signals

    Approximately 60 percent of emails containing QR codes are classified as spam. Branded content, such as the school or district logo, consistent with the look and feel of other web portals and student apps, will help students identify a legitimate QR over a malicious one.

    Frontier research shows that bold colors and clear iconography can increase recognition speed by up to 40 percent. This is the kind of split-second reassurance a student or teacher needs before entering credentials on a QR-based login screen.

    Training your users to look for the full domain or service name, such as “sso.schooldistrict.edu” under the QR, is good practice to avoid quishing attacks, school-related or not. However, this will be trickier for younger students.

    The Frontier report demonstrates how younger children rely more heavily on color and icon cues than on text or abstract symbols. For K-12 students, visual trust cues such as school crests, mascots, or familiar color schemes offer a cognitive shortcut to legitimacy.

    Still, while logos and “Secured by…” badges are there to reassure users, attackers know this. Microsoft, Cisco Talos, and Palo Alto Unit42 have documented large-scale phishing campaigns where cybercriminals cloned Microsoft 365 and Okta login pages, complete with fake security seals, to harvest credentials.

    For schools rolling out QR-based SSO, pairing visible trust cues with dynamic watermarks unique to the institution makes it harder for attackers to replicate.

    User education on quishing risk

    Human error drives most breaches, particularly in K-12 schools. These environments handle a mix of pupils who are inexperienced with security risks and, therefore, are less likely to scrutinize QR codes, links, or credentials.

    Students and teachers must be taught the meaning of signs and the level of detail to consider in order to respond more quickly and correctly. A short digital literacy module about QR logins can dramatically cut phishing and quishing risk, reinforcing what legitimate login screens should look like. These should be repeated regularly for updates and to strengthen the retrieval and recognition of key visual cues.

    Research in cognitive psychology shows that repeated exposure can boost the strength of a memory by more than 30 percent, making cues harder to ignore and easier to recall. When teaching secure login habits, short, repeated micro-lessons–for example, 3-5 min videos with infographics–can boost test scores 10-20 percent. Researcher Piotr Wozniak suggests spacing reviews after 1 day, then 7 days, 16 days, 35 days, and later every 2-3 months.

    With proper education, students should instinctively not trust QRs received via text message or social media through unverified numbers or accounts. Encouraging the use of a Secure QR Code Scanner app, at least for staff and perhaps older students, can be helpful, because it will verify the embedded URL before a user opens it.

    When to step up authentication after a scan

    QR codes make logging in fast, but after a scan, you don’t have to give full access right away. Instead, schools can use these scans as the first factor and decide whether to require more proof before granting access, depending on risk signals.

    For example, if a student or teacher scans the QR code with a phone or tablet that’s not on the school’s “known device” list, the system should prompt for a PIN, passphrase, or MFA push before completing login. The same applies to sensitive systems that include student data or financial information.

    Microsoft’s 2024 Digital Defense Report shows that adding MFA blocks 99.2 percent of credential attacks. That means a simple SMS or push-based MFA can drastically slash phishing and quishing success rates. By adding a quick MFA prompt only when risk signals spike, school IT teams preserve the speed of QR logins without giving up security.

    Schools can also apply cloud-security platforms to strengthen QR-based SSO without sacrificing ease of use. These tools sit behind the scenes, continuously monitoring Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and other education apps for unusual logins, risky devices, or policy violations.

    By automatically logging every QR login event, including device, time, and location, and triggering alerts when something looks off, IT teams gain visibility and early warning without adding extra friction for staff or students. This approach lets schools keep QR sign-ins fast and familiar with risk-based controls and data protection running in the background.

    Schools can keep QR logins safe and seamless by blending clear visual cues, ongoing user education, and risk-based checks behind the scenes. Students and staff learn to recognize authentic screens, while IT teams add extra verification only when behavior looks risky. Simultaneously, continuous monitoring tracks every scan to catch problems early and improve education resources, all without slowing anyone down.

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  • More South Carolina Students Are Graduating, But Many Aren’t Ready for Life After High School – The 74

    More South Carolina Students Are Graduating, But Many Aren’t Ready for Life After High School – The 74


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    COLUMBIA — South Carolina high schools posted their highest graduation rate in a decade, but a quarter of students still aren’t ready for college or the workforce, according to state report card data released Monday.

    Generally, South Carolina’s schools improved compared to last year, according to the statewide data that gauges how well schools perform based on test scores, classroom surveys and student growth, among other metrics. Education officials applauded a 10-year high in the number of students graduating on time — meaning they graduated four years after entering ninth grade — while saying they would continue pushing for programs to improve how well those students were prepared for life after high school.

    “We have to make sure that our diplomas are worth more than the piece of paper that they are written on,” said state Superintendent Ellen Weaver.

    Overall, 270 schools rated “excellent” this year, an increase from 232 last year. The bottom tier of “unsatisfactory” decreased from 49 to 31, and “below average” schools dropped from 186 to 145.

    Any time the number of schools in the lowest tier shrinks, that’s good news, since it means children across the state are getting a better education, said Patrick Kelly, a lobbyist with the Palmetto State Teachers Association.

    “There’s encouraging information here,” Kelly said of the report cards.

    Officials from the state Department of Education and the independent Education Oversight Committee, which is tasked by state law with grading schools, announced the results at Annie Burnside Elementary School in Columbia, which jumped two tiers this year, from “average” to “excellent.”

    At the Richland District One school, 83% of the 306 students live in poverty. The school’s big rating boost was due to significant student improvement, as shown by their test scores, and results on a survey about the school’s general environment, according to its report card.

    “Our academic gains are no coincidence,” said Principal Janet Campbell. “They are the result of setting measurable goals, challenging our students to reach them and supporting them along the way.”

    Graduation rates and readiness

    This year, 87% of high schoolers graduated on time, up from 85% last year. That’s worth celebrating, Kelly said.

    “Our goal should be for every student in South Carolina who has the ability to earn a high school diploma,” he said.

    Three-quarters of students were ready for either college or a career after graduation, a gain of 3 percentage points, according to the state data. Less than a third were ready for both.

    Although the gap between students who are graduating and those who are prepared for what comes next continues to shrink slightly, state officials remain concerned about it, Weaver said.

    “At the end of the day, we want our students, when they leave a South Carolina high school, to know that that diploma that they carry is a diploma of value,” Weaver said. “This is a diploma that is going to ensure that they are ready to go onto whatever post-secondary success looks like for them.”

    All 11th graders in the state take a test assessing skills commonly needed for jobs, divided into four areas: math, reading, understanding data and “soft skills,” which include aspects of a job such as dressing professionally and working well with others. Results are graded from 1 to 5, with higher scores suggesting students are ready to pursue more careers.

    Students are considered career-ready if they receive a score of 3 or higher on that test, earn a technical education certificate, complete a state-approved internship or receive a high enough score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery to enlist in the military. This year, 73% of students met that benchmark, compared to 70% last year, according to report card data.

    College readiness is based on a student’s score on the ACT or SAT college entrance exam, college credit earned through a dual-enrollment course and/or scores on end-of-course Advanced Placement tests.

    One-third of graduating students were college-ready, which is on par with at least the past five years, according to state data. The rate of high school students applying for college also continued to decrease, with 59% reporting filling out applications this year, compared with 61% last year.

    A gap between graduation rate and readiness for the next step suggests schools are sometimes passing students without actually imparting the skills they need to succeed in life, Kelly said.

    For instance, district policies setting minimum grades teachers can give makes it easier for students to pass their classes, even if they haven’t actually done the work, Kelly said. Alternatives for students who fail tests or classes are sometimes easier, meaning a student can catch up without actually learning the same skills as their peers, he said.

    “We’ve put some policies in place that make it harder to evaluate what a student knows and can do,” Kelly said.

    Beginning this school year, students can follow a so-called pathway to earn credentials that build on each other every year, allowing students to learn more advanced skills meant to make it easier to find a job in the field they want to pursue, said April Allen, chair of the Education Oversight Committee’s governing board.

    “At the same time, we recognize that strengthening the system must go hand-in-hand with addressing the barriers that keep students from wholly engaging in school,” said Allen, who’s also a government relations director for Continental Tire.

    Chronic absenteeism and test scores

    For example, the number of students who missed at least 10 days of school this year remained a concern, Allen said.

    Around 23% of students were chronically absent, essentially the same number as last year. The more days of school a student misses, the less likely they are to perform as expected for their grade level on end-of-year tests, according to a report the committee put out last year.

    Those tests, in turn, play a role in determining how well a school or a district is performing. Officials and teachers’ advocates credited the Palmetto Literacy Project and a change in how early educators teach reading for improving English scores, but math scores remain low, with less than half of third- through eighth-graders able to perform on grade level, according to state testing data.

    Just over half the state’s high school students scored at least a C, which is a 70%, on their end-of-course Algebra I exams, often taken freshman year, according to report card data. Nearly 69% passed their English 2 exams, typically taken sophomore year.

    While rooting for improvement, teachers’ advocates also warned against depending too heavily on a single exam score in deciding how well teachers and students are performing. A single, high-pressure exam at the end of the year is not necessarily the best indicator of school performance, said Dena Crews, president of the South Carolina Education Association.

    “If people are making judgments based on that, they’re missing a whole lot about schools and districts,” Crews said.

    Teacher support

    The Department of Education plans to focus on teachers in 2026, Weaver said.

    “The No. 1 thing that we have to do to support student learning is take care of our teachers,” Weaver said.

    She is asking legislators to raise the minimum pay for a first-year teacher to $50,000, up from $48,500. Legislators have increased the pay floor in increments for years, with the stated goal of reaching $50,000.

    Weaver is also asking for $5 million to continue a pilot program that awards teachers bonuses based on how well their students perform on tests. She also wants to start a program that offers extra pay to exceptional teachers who mentor others. The additional responsibility would be another way to earn more money without leaving the classroom to go into school administration, she said.

    Supporting teachers is key in improving how well schools are performing, Kelly said. The promising results in this year’s report cards came after the first dip in teacher vacancies since 2019, he added.

    “It should not be a surprise to see school performance improve as teacher vacancies go down,” Kelly said.

    SC Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. SC Daily Gazette maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seanna Adcox for questions: [email protected].


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  • Tenn. Law Aimed at Students Who Make School Shooting Threats Ensnares a Retiree – The 74

    Tenn. Law Aimed at Students Who Make School Shooting Threats Ensnares a Retiree – The 74

    School (in)Security is our biweekly briefing on the latest school safety news, vetted by Mark Keierleber. Subscribe here.

    Larry Bushart Jr. was just freed from a Tennessee jail cell after spending more than a month behind bars — for a Facebook post.

    The high-profile arrest of the 61-year-old retiree and former cop — which made waves in free speech circles — has all the hallmarks of a bingeworthy culture war clash in 2025: 

    • A chronically online progressive turns to Facebook to troll his MAGA neighbors about President Donald Trump’s seemingly lopsided response to school shootings compared to the murder of right-wing pundit Charlie Kirk
    • An elected, overzealous county sheriff intent on shutting him up
    • A debate over the limits of the First Amendment — and the president’s broader efforts to silence his critics
    Eamonn Fitzmaurice / T74

    The controversy, I report this morning, also calls attention to a series of recent Tennessee laws that carry harsh punishments for making school shooting threats and place police officers on campus threat assessment teams working to ferret out students with violent plans before anyone gets hurt. 

    In Bushart’s case, the sheriff maintained that his post referring to the president’s reaction to a 2024 school shooting in Perry, Iowa, constituted a threat “of mass violence at a school,” apparently the local Perry County High School. The rules that ensnared Bushart have also led to a wave of student arrests and several free speech lawsuits. His is likely to be next, Bushart’s lawyer told The Washington Post.

    In the news

    Updates in Trump’s immigration crackdown: Federal immigration officers chased a Chicago teacher into the lobby of a private preschool Wednesday and dragged her out as parents watched her cry “tengo papeles!” or “I have papers.” The incident is perhaps the most significant immigration enforcement act in a school to date. | The 74

    • Proposed federal rules would allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to collect iris scans, fingerprints and other biometric data on all immigrants — including, for the first time, children under 14 years old — and store it for the duration of each individual person’s “lifecycle.” |  Ars Technica
    • On the same day Cornell University notified an international student that his immigration status had been revoked, Google alerted him that federal authorities had subpoenaed his personal emails. Now, the institution won’t say whether federal authorities had tapped into university “emails to track [students] as well.” | The Cornell Daily Sun
    • In California, federal immigration officers shot a U.S. citizen from behind as he warned the agents that students would soon gather in the area to catch a school bus. The government says the shots were “defensive.” | Los Angeles Times
    • ‘Deportation isn’t a costume’: A Maine middle school principal is facing pushback for a federal immigration officer Halloween costume, complete with a bulletproof vest that read “ICE.” | Boston.com
    • In Chicago communities that have seen the most significant increase in immigration enforcement, school enrollment has plunged. | Chalkbeat
    • Also in Chicago, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to hand over use-of-force records and body camera footage after trick-or-treaters were “tear-gassed on their way to celebrate Halloween.” | USA Today

    A bipartisan bill seeks to bar minors from using AI chatbots as petrified parents testified their children used the tools with dire consequences — including suicide. Some warn the change could stifle the potential of chatbots for career or mental health counseling services. | Education Week

    • A Kentucky mom filed a federal lawsuit against online gaming communities Discord and Roblox alleging the companies jeopardized children’s safety in the name of profit. After her 13-year-old daughter died by suicide last year, the mom said, she found the girl had a second life online that idolized school shooters. | 404 Media
    • Character.AI announced it will bar minors from its chatbots, acknowledging safety concerns about how “teens do, and should, interact with this new technology.” | BBC
    Getty Images

    A jury awarded $10 million to former Virginia teacher Abby Zwerner on Thursday, two years after she was shot by her 6-year-old student. Zwerner accused her former assistant principal of ignoring repeated warnings that the first grader had a gun. The student’s mother was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for felony child neglect and federal weapons charges. | The New York Times

    ‘Creepy, unsettling’: This family spent a week with Grem, a stuffed animal with artificial intelligence designed to “learn” children’ s personalities and hold educational conversations. | The Guardian

    A judge ordered the Trump administration to release federal funds to California school districts after it sought to revoke nearly $165 million in mental health grants as part of a broader crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion.  The grants funded hundreds of school social workers and counselors. | EdSource

    In 95% of schools, active-shooter drills are now a routine part of campus life. Here’s how states are trying to make them less traumatic. | The Trace

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    A lawsuit against a Pennsylvania school district alleges educators failed to keep students safe after a 12-year-old girl was attacked by a classmate with a metal Stanley drinking cup. | NBC10

    ‘Inviting government overreach and abuse’: The Education Department was slapped with two lawsuits over new Public Service Loan Forgiveness rules that could bar student borrowers from the program who end up working for the president’s political opponents, including organizations that serve immigrant students and LGBTQ+ youth. | The Washington Post

    ICYMI @The74

    1939 redlined maps of Los Angeles showing neighborhoods deemed eligible and ineligible for economic aid

    How LAUSD School Zones Perpetuate Educational Inequality, Ignoring ‘Redlining’ Past

    Students Want Schools to Incorporate AI in Learning But Express Some Fears

    LifeWise’s Big Red Bus Is Driving Thorny Questions about Church and State

    Emotional Support

    Matilda plots her escape.


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  • Missouri Voters Approve Four-Day School Week in Two Districts, Showing Rising Support – The 74

    Missouri Voters Approve Four-Day School Week in Two Districts, Showing Rising Support – The 74


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    When the Independence School District announced it was switching to a four-day week during the 2023-24 school year, it drew questions from local families and statewide officials.

    Parents wondered what kind of child care they would have on days without classroom instruction. And lawmakers debated whether the state needed to intervene.

    Ultimately, Missouri’s General Assembly passed a law requiring a vote for non–rural school districts to authorize a four-day week.

    On Tuesday, the Independence and Hallsville school districts became the first large districts to receive the approval of voters to continue with four-day weeks.

    “I knew that the majority of our community supported it,” Hallsville Superintendent Tyler Walker told The Independent. “I was a little bit surprised to see how much support it was.”

    In Hallsville, residents had two questions on the ballot related to the school district. One asked about the four-day week and the other was a bond measure previously passed in April but not confirmed by the State Auditor.

    The election drew 25% of registered voters, according to the Boone County Clerk, and 75% of those voted in favor of the four-day school week. The vote authorizes the schedule for the next 10 years, when then the district will have to hold another special election.

    Walker didn’t think the margin would be that wide. Earlier surveys from the district’s 2022 adoption of the schedule put approval at around 60%.

    He believes that the district’s growing success on standardized tests and other publicly available metrics have given families confidence that the four-day week isn’t such a bad thing.

    “Our community has grown to appreciate the four day week more after experiencing it for a few years,” he said.

    Todd Fuller, director of communications for the Missouri State Teachers Association, told The Independent that voters in districts who have already been operating in a four-day week like Independence and Hallsville have an idea of how it works for their students. The state law, passed in 2024, will require a vote prior to the schedule’s adoption for those who do not already adopt the abbreviated week.

    “Anyone who’s a constituent of the district has had time to digest this process, and they’ve been able to decide over a two-year period whether it’s been beneficial or not beneficial for their kids,” Fuller said. “So if they are expressing that feeling with their vote, then we’re going to have a pretty good understanding of what they really want.”

    The association doesn’t have an official stance on the four-day week. But Fuller said the teachers it represents have been pleased with the schedule.

    Jorjana Pohlman, president of Independence’s branch of the Missouri National Education Association, told The Independent that the overall sentiment is positive from the district’s educators.

    Mondays out of the classroom have become a good time for teachers to have doctor’s appointments, spend time with their families and plan for the week ahead, she said.

    “In the beginning, it was fear of the unknown for families as well as teachers,” she said. “A lot of teachers had the attitude of, ‘Let’s try it.’ They, I think overall, felt it was a positive thing.”

    A study by Missouri State University researchers looked at recent applicants to teaching positions in Independence, finding that the four-day week was a key part of the district’s recruitment.

    In particular, 63% of applicants rated the four-day schedule as a top-three reason for applying, and 27% said it was their top priority.

    The study also looked at the value of the four-day week for applicants, asking how much they would sacrifice in salary to work at a district with the schedule. On average, applicants were willing to sacrifice $2267 annually for the four-day week.

    Walker said the schedule has also improved recruitment in Hallsville, with a dramatic uptick in veteran teachers applying to positions.

    With teachers coming to Independence schools particularly for their schedule, some worried that returning to a five-day week would have large consequences for staffing. But Pohlman said a survey showed that the loss of educators is less than many would think.

    “The educators, they care deeply about their students, and they want what’s best for students and for the community, whether it’s four day week or five day week,” she said. “They are still going to be committed.”

    Almost a third of Missouri districts have adopted a four-day week, with around 91% of those districts in rural settings. Only districts in cities with at least 30,000 residents, or those located in Jackson, Clay, St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties, must call for a vote before moving to a four-day week.

    Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].


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  • Queen Elizabeth’s school to open in August 2026

    Queen Elizabeth’s school to open in August 2026

    The new campus, Queen Elizabeth’s School in Dubai, will bring over 450 years of British academic heritage to the UAE, offering students access to the National Curriculum for England under the same standards that have made the Barnet school a consistent “outstanding” performer and a leader in UK education.

    Developed in partnership with GEDU Global Education, the project recently received initial approval from Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), making a historic move, as it is the first UK state grammar school to establish an international branch.

    “This landmark approval allows us to accelerate our vision to deliver world-leading K-12 education to students from across the UAE,” said Caroline Pendleton-Nash, CEO of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools.

    “The Dubai branch campus will remain faithful to the mission, ethos, tradition, and exacting academic standards of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, while embracing Dubai’s spirit of innovation and ambition,” she said.

    She added: “In uniting the heritage of one of the UK’s most distinguished schools with the vision of Dubai, we aspire to set a new global benchmark for educational excellence.”

    Opening initially from nursery to year 8, the Dubai campus will then expand in phases to include sixth form. The school’s location in Dubai Sports City provides access to exceptional athletic facilities, ensuring that sport and wellbeing remain integral.

    We are also excited by the potential for international collaboration, which, in time, will build a global network of Elizabethans for the benefit of our new students as well as those within the state sector in Barnet
    Neil Enright, Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet

    Neil Enright, headmaster of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, emphasised the school’s commitment to fostering opportunity and leadership, saying: “We are delighted to have received this encouragement from the KHDA to offer a rounded and enriching QE education to children in the UAE, spreading opportunity and supporting students to become the leaders of their generation.”

    “We are also excited by the potential for international collaboration, which, in time, will build a global network of Elizabethans for the benefit of our new students as well as those within the state sector in Barnet,” he said.

    “[That prior interest] confirmed to us the strength of our brand and the strength of a rounded but highly academic education. So the senior staff and governors here have been looking at this move for quite a long time,” he said.

    This time, though, working with GEDU, the school was confident it was the right move. “They’re educationalists, they are experienced at partnering with a number of universities in other parts of the world…we felt a real alignment of values with them,” said Enright.

    Dan Clark has been appointed as the school’s founding principal, having been deputy head of the elite Marlborough College since 2020.

    “Throughout my career in outstanding schools, I’ve seen how powerful education can be,” said Clark. 

    “It challenges pupils to think deeply, act responsibly and believe in their own capacity to achieve.”

    “These values are fundamental to the QE approach. As founding principal of QE Dubai Sports City, I’m excited to establish a community that will produce confident, able and responsible young people who are ready to shape the future.”

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  • Scholarships for High School Sophomores

    Scholarships for High School Sophomores

    What is a scholarship?

    A scholarship is free money that you can apply for and earn to help you pay for your higher education.

    Unlike other types of financial aid (aka, loans), money that you earn from scholarships doesn’t ever need to be repaid!

    Can high school sophomores even apply for scholarships?

    While the pool of scholarship opportunities opens up significantly once you enter your junior year, there are still scholarships out there for high school sophomores to apply for!

    A big benefit of starting the scholarship process as a sophomore is that, since you’re starting earlier than most, you can take your time in getting familiar with the world of scholarships (what you need to apply, where to find opportunities, how to write strong essays, etc!). This, in turn, will put you in a prime position to be a successful applicant for many of the bigger scholarships that are available for high school juniors and seniors. 

    As a sophomore, where can I find scholarships to apply for?

    In addition to this post, and the entire Access Scholarships platform (search engine, blog posts, scholarship directory), there are tons of other places and resources you can check out to help you search and apply for scholarships.

    You’ll want to start by heading over to the website(s) run by your state that outline state-based financial aid and scholarship opportunities.

    To learn about local opportunities, the best place to start is with your school counselor or your high school’s website. You can also find potential scholarship opportunities that are specific to you through social media (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, even Pinterest!). You can follow hashtags on Instagram such as #TexasScholarships (if you live in Texas) so that anytime an organization posts a relevant scholarship with that hashtag, you can see it and apply if you’re interested!

    How can I make my scholarship applications stand out?

    One of the best ways that you can stand out through your application is through the extra requirements that you submit.

    Whether it’s an essay, a video, letters of recommendation, or other additional submissions, these are all places where you will want to dedicate extra time and effort to make sure that what you’re sending in is authentically YOU, unique, eye-catching, and memorable. 

    If writing scholarship essays is not something you feel confident with yet, don’t worry! Our blog post How To Write A Winning Scholarship Essay will give you everything you need to get things started on the right foot.  If you still need help, look into hiring a top rated scholarship essay writing services to review your entry.

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  • Arkansas Judge Orders Removal of Ten Commandments Displays from Lakeside School District – The 74

    Arkansas Judge Orders Removal of Ten Commandments Displays from Lakeside School District – The 74


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    A federal judge on Friday ordered Ten Commandments posters be removed from Lakeside School District, two days after he permitted the Garland County district to be added to a lawsuit challenging a new state law requiring the displays.

    Following passage of Act 573 of 2025 this spring, public schools are now required to “prominently” display a “historical representation” of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and libraries. The posters must be donated or bought with funds from voluntary contributions. The law also requires them to be displayed in public colleges and universities and other public buildings maintained by taxpayer funds.

    Seven Northwest Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit in June challenging the constitutionality of the statute. The families allege the state law violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which guarantees that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” and its Free Exercise Clause, which guarantees that “Congress shall make no law … prohibiting the free exercise [of religion].”

    Supporters of the law have argued the tenets have historical significance because they influenced the country’s founders in creating the nation’s laws and legal system.

    U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks granted a preliminary injunction in August that blocked implementation of the statute in four districts — Bentonville, Fayetteville, Siloam Springs and Springdale.

    Brooks later allowed the Conway School District to be added to the suit as a defendant and district families as plaintiffs. He also ordered Ten Commandments posters be removed from the district’s schools and converted a temporary restraining order against the district into a preliminary injunction.

    A temporary restraining order temporarily halts an action and may be issued immediately, without informing all parties and without holding a hearing. It’s intended to last until a court holds a hearing on whether to grant a preliminary injunction, according to Cornell Law School.

    After Brooks granted permission Wednesday to add Lakeside School District as a defendant and Christine Benson and her minor child as plaintiffs in the case, attorneys for the plaintiffs filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction on Thursday.

    Brooks granted the temporary restraining order Friday and held the preliminary injunction in abeyance. He also temporarily blocked Lakeside from complying with the law and ordered the district to remove Ten Commandments displays from its schools by 5 p.m. Monday.

    “A temporary restraining order should issue as to Lakeside School District No. 9,” Brooks wrote in Friday’s order. “Lakeside Plaintiffs are identically situated to the original Plaintiffs: They advance the same legal arguments, assert the same constitutional injuries, and request the same relief.”

    Defendants and the attorney general’s office, which intervened in the case, have until Nov. 3 to submit briefs to address why the existing preliminary injunction should not be modified to include Lakeside School District as a defendant, according to Friday’s order.

    Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: [email protected].


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  • Benefits of staying motivated for college while still in high school

    Benefits of staying motivated for college while still in high school

    Staying Focused on College Goals: Strategies for Gifted and Driven Students

    Even the most gifted and talented students can occasionally be tempted to “drift” during the school year. In fact, bright students may be even more susceptible to losing focus when they lack sufficient academic challenge or stimulation. For this reason, it’s important for both parents and students to stay mindful of effective ways to remain focused on long-term goals—even when others may lose their way temporarily or, unfortunately, more permanently.

    Every school year brings its share of ups and downs, but the students who maintain consistent focus and motivation throughout high school are typically those who find themselves in the strongest position when it comes time to graduate and move on to the next stage of life.

    Fortunately, there are a number of proven strategies that can help students stay on track with their college preparation goals. Identifying which approaches work best for your student can pay major dividends throughout the high school experience.

    In this month’s newsletter, we’re sharing some of the top tips for helping students keep their eye on the “college ball” during their preparatory years. If you have specific questions—or would like more personalized guidance—please don’t hesitate to contact us. As college funding professionals and application experts, we are uniquely equipped to provide the details, planning, and strategies that can make a lasting difference for your family’s college journey.

    Tip 1: Focus on Specifics

    The details matter—and they’re different for everyone. Each student has unique strengths and weaknesses. For instance, one student might struggle to keep track of notes or materials from a particular class. A simple, specific strategy could be to organize and store all materials immediately after class. This small, targeted action eliminates the problem of misplaced notes.

    Another common challenge is procrastination—something almost all students face. Attaching specific actions to goals can help combat this tendency. For example, setting a rule to finish homework before engaging in social activities builds discipline, focus, and confidence when followed consistently.

    Tip 2: Stay Positive

    Attitude plays a major role in academic success. As Charles R. Swindoll wisely said, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” High school is full of challenges—whether it’s a difficult class, a tough teacher, or even illness—but how students respond to these obstacles can determine their ultimate success.

    Staying positive doesn’t mean ignoring difficulties; it means looking for the silver lining and learning from every experience. Maintaining an optimistic mindset helps students avoid getting bogged down by negativity that can drain motivation and focus.

    Tip 3: Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize!

    When faced with multiple tasks, most people instinctively tackle the easiest one first—but that isn’t always the smartest move. True prioritization means identifying which tasks matter most in relation to long-term goals.

    Easier classes might not require immediate attention, while more challenging subjects may need to come first. Taking time to evaluate which areas demand the most focus allows students to allocate their effort wisely and stay on course toward academic success.

    Tip 4: Swallow Pride—Ask for Help When Needed

    Admitting the need for help can be difficult, but it’s also a sign of maturity and self-awareness. When challenges arise, it’s crucial to seek assistance early before falling too far behind.

    Whether it’s asking a teacher for clarification, finding a tutor, or reaching out to peers for support, even small amounts of extra help can make a big difference in staying motivated and on track.

    Tip 5: Set SMART Goals

    Goal-setting is one of the most effective ways to stay motivated. A simple but powerful framework is to set SMART goals—those that are:

    • Specific – Clearly define what you want to accomplish.

    • Measurable – Track progress with concrete milestones.

    • Attainable – Set goals that are challenging but realistic.

    • Relevant – Focus on goals that directly support academic and personal success.

    • Timely – Establish deadlines to maintain accountability.

    For example, instead of vaguely resolving to “get better at math,” a SMART goal might be: “Raise my algebra grade from a B to an A by the end of the semester through weekly review sessions and regular practice.”

    Writing down goals, creating timelines, and revisiting them regularly keeps students on a clear and measurable path to achievement.

    Tip 6: Take Time to Reassess

    Even the best-laid plans encounter obstacles. That’s why it’s essential to periodically review goals and strategies to see what’s working—and what’s not.

    Regular reassessment allows for course corrections before small setbacks turn into major roadblocks. Adjusting plans as needed isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a smart, proactive approach that helps ensure steady progress toward success.

    Remember, assessment isn’t just a beginning-and-end exercise—it’s an ongoing process throughout the high school years, and one of the most powerful tools for long-term achievement.

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