The following resources focus on the educational climate and betterment of those serving the K–12 educational community.

All in the Family: Supporting Students through Family Engagement in ESSA — The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) strives to reduce academic achievement gaps for children. Research shows family engagement is essential to meeting this education goal. Families guide children on their learning adventures both in and out of classrooms, beginning at birth.

This Program Could Skyrocket AP Scores — Participating in a specific college readiness program could cause a massive increase in qualifying Advanced Placement (AP) scores for students. (eSchool News, April 26)

School Improvement: Don’t Wait Until Third Grade — For years, the combination of federal and state education law has created conditions in which school improvement efforts were based almost exclusively on accountability test scores that started in third grade. With new ESSA provisions, states now have an opportunity to change those conditions. Elliot Regenstein, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at the Ounce of Prevention Fund, makes a case for school improvement in the early grades.

Getting Students on Track for Graduation: Impacts of the Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System After One YearThis study examined the impact of the Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System (EWIMS), a systematic approach to the early identification of and intervention with students at risk of not graduating from high school on time. The study randomly assigned 73 schools to use EWIMS or to continue with their usual practices for supporting at-risk students. After a year of limited implementation, the study findings show that EWIMS reduced chronic absence and course failure but not the percentage of students with low grade point averages or suspensions. Furthermore, EWIMS did not have a detectable impact on student progress in school (credits earned) or on school data culture – the ways in which schools use data to make decisions and identify students in need of additional support. The findings provide initial rigorous evidence that EWIMS is a promising strategy for reducing rates of chronic absence and course failure, two key indicators that students are off track for graduation. (Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest at American Institutes for Research)

Promising Futures: Report Calls for Better Supports for Children and Youth Learning English — A new report provides insights for new directions for researchers, policymakers and practitioners to better support Dual Language Learners (DLLs) and English Learners (ELs). The report also has specific guidance to improve the preparation, competency, and practice of the early care and education workforce serving DLLs and ELs.