Essential education reporting across America

Curriculum and instruction

A student works at a laptop in her room.
From Chalkbeat New York Teaching & Classroom
New York to increase weekly instruction for medically fragile students
By Reema Amin
 
High school students wearing masks sit several feet apart at desks in a classroom,
From Chalkbeat New York Assessment and testing
Proposal would make it easier for NY students to pass Regents exams
By Reema Amin
 
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From Chalkbeat New York Teaching & Classroom
In a seismic shift, NYC to mandate elementary schools use phonics-based curriculum
By Amy Zimmer, Yoav Gonen, THE CITY, and 1 more
 
A male teacher stands in front of students at desks. A poster of Elvis Presley is on the wall behind them.
From Chalkbeat Indiana Politics & Policy
What should middle schoolers learn about history? Indiana debates civics standards
Education advocates say the proposed middle school civics standards need more specificity, especially in regards to the history of Black Americans and other people of color.
By Aleksandra Appleton
 
A classroom displays posters of Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, and others on the wall, along with other instructional materials. Several desks and a small table are also visible.
From Chalkbeat Newark Curriculum and instruction
Newark schools’ new curriculum highlights African American history. What’s in it?
A guide to the curriculum that Newark teachers created
By Patrick Wall
 
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From Chalkbeat New York English-language learners
NYC to expand transfer high schools to help English language learners
NYC education officials plan to expand transfer high schools to serve those students, using a Bronx school as one model.
By Reema Amin
 
Students raise their hands in a classroom with a bulletin board that says “American History.”
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Diversity & Equity
‘Age-appropriate’ books, history, and CRT: What you need to know about the Tennessee curriculum debate
Here is everything you need to know about how critical race theory has shaped the Tennessee curriculum debate up to this point — and what may be on the horizon.
By Chalkbeat Staff
 
A masked teacher with glasses, wearing a red shirt and brown slacks, looks at a laptop as she sits at a desk separated by a folding white partition from the row in front where another person sits.
From Chalkbeat Newark Politics & Policy
NJ school officials reject call to reevaluate sex ed standards passed in 2020
Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan defends sex ed guidelines that were revised in 2020.
By Catherine Carrera
 
Students gather around a poster board presentation in a room as a man with his back to the camera in a tan coat speaks to them.
From Chalkbeat New York Curriculum and instruction
Bronx high school students get a crash course in urban planning
The first-of-its-kind curriculum was meant to teach student students about urban planning and how to advocate for their neighborhoods.
By Reema Amin
 
A man wearing a suit speaks with a woman in a paneled committee room
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Politics & Policy
After book burning comment, Tennessee lawmakers vote to let state veto library materials
Republicans step up their campaign against books deemed ‘age inappropriate’
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
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From Chalkbeat New York COVID Stimulus
Adams’ NYC education budget plan: more summer programming for students
Questions remain about how the city will spend the remainder of billions in federal COVID stimulus funding on New York City’s school system.
By Reema Amin
 
In September 2020, the district plans to open a new high school, the Newark School of Global Studies, along with the Sir Isaac Newton Elementary School. (Pictured are students at East Side High School.)
From Chalkbeat Newark Diversity & Equity
In New Jersey, thousands of Black and Hispanic students are shut out of AP classes
New Jersey’s racial gaps are larger than the national average.
By Patrick Wall
 
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From Chalkbeat New York How I Teach
This award-winning Bronx math teacher developed a curriculum on gerrymandering
Kate Belin talks about why she sees teaching as inherently political.
By Amy Zimmer
 
An English teacher chats about “The Crucible” with her class at ELLIS Prep Academy in the Bronx, a transfer school that serves immigrant students.
From Chalkbeat New York English-language learners
Advocates seek more school programming for NYC’s newcomer immigrants
Immigration advocates say that public schools can be “largely inaccessible” for thousands of immigrant students.
By Reema Amin
 
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First Person First Person
Beyond recycled art projects: Why you should teach about climate change this Earth Day
Climate change can be intimidating for elementary teachers to address. Here are some ideas.
By Rebecca Woodard
 
Students raise their hands in a classroom with a bulletin board that says “American History.”
From Chalkbeat Detroit Curriculum and instruction
Michigan strives to boost social studies instruction
State superintendent says focus on math and reading crowded out other subjects.
By Tracie Mauriello
 
Kindergarten students at Brooklyn School of Inquiry, the first citywide gifted and talented program to join the city’s diversity efforts, learn how to read a number line in Nov. 2016.
From Chalkbeat New York Curriculum and instruction
NYC unveils changes to ‘gifted’ program, adding 1,000 seats to third grade
Admission to gifted kindergarten programs will continue to be based on teacher recommendations, in lieu of admission based solely on a test administered to preschoolers.
By Christina Veiga
 
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From Chalkbeat New York Teacher training
New York officials vote to scrap edTPA teacher certification exam
The pandemic helped drive the state’s decision to scrap the requirement, and follows reforms in recent years to teacher certification in New York.
By Reema Amin
 
A young boy with short hair sits at a school desk looking ahead and watching as a teacher points to a whiteboard.
Teaching & Classroom Teaching & Classroom
‘Am I not allowed to mention myself?’ Schools grapple with new restrictions on teaching about gender and sexuality
Some educators have already made changes to lessons about LGBTQ issues because of these new curriculum laws.
By Kalyn Belsha
 
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From Chalkbeat New York School segregation / integration
De Blasio promised to overhaul NYC’s ‘gifted’ programs. Chancellor David Banks will likely shift course.
The new mayor and chancellor have indicated that dramatic changes are off the table.
By Christina Veiga
 
Inside of a paneled legislative chamber, a man wearing a suit looks somber as he receives paperwork from another man.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Politics & Policy
Bill to bolster school library book bans advances in Tennessee legislature
Tennessee bill could subject school librarians with criminal penalties over books deemed obscene by local boards.
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
A teacher leads her class of young students as they read books at their desks.
From Chalkbeat New York Curriculum and instruction
This Bronx school ditched its reading curriculum mid-pandemic. Will its new approach work?
“We could not wait till we were back to normalcy,” the school’s literacy coach said.
By Alex Zimmerman
 
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From Chalkbeat New York College and career readiness
Queens high school is one of 12 in U.S. teaching about cybersecurity and the military
The school will combine JROTC and cybersecurity to ready students for cybersecurity careers as the sector sees a worker shortage.
By Reema Amin
 
A spectator watches from the balcony as legislators conduct business in large legislative chamber lit by massive chandaliers.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Politics & Policy
‘Age-appropriate’ school library bill heads to Tennessee governor’s desk
The legislation seeks to scrutinize library materials based on ‘maturity levels’ of students who can access them.
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
A teacher points at a screen while sitting on a desk in front of a group of students sitting at desks with laptops.
From Chalkbeat Philadelphia Curriculum and instruction
Philadelphia is updating its mandated African American history course
As controversy swirls in the U.S. over how schools teach about race, the district is refocusing the class on “intellectual genealogy.”
By Dale Mezzacappa
 
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From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
NYC schools Chancellor David Banks outlines fixes for ‘broken’ education department
In a speech at the education department headquarters, Banks promised a new approach to reading instruction and to shake up the bureaucracy.
By Christina Veiga
 
A woman sits in the middle of a round desk surrounded by elementary school students points at the white board.
From Chalkbeat Chicago Curriculum and instruction
While red states debate CRT, Illinois looks at curriculum transparency
Three bills have stalled, but the concept could have a big effect locally.
By Samantha Smylie
 
Junius Williams, in a gray suit and tie, gestures with his hands while standing at a lectern with flags behind him in a portico at Newark City Hall.
From Chalkbeat Newark Diversity & Equity
‘Separate was never equal’: Newark activist Junius Williams on segregation, Black history, and resistance
A veteran of the Civil Rights Movement and a Newark organizer and historian, Williams spoke about his life and the ongoing fights over Black history and school integration.
By Patrick Wall
 
A woman points to a notebook during literacy instruction in a small classroom, as students work on reading skills.
From Chalkbeat Chicago Curriculum and instruction
‘Something I really needed’: States are revamping reading instruction. Illinois is just catching up.
In Illinois, where curriculum traditionally is the domain of individual districts, the conversation is just getting started.
By Cassie Walker Burke
 
View looking down on the floor of the Indiana House, with people sitting at desks, separated by empty seats
From Chalkbeat Indiana Politics & Policy
‘Divisive concepts’ bill moves forward in the Indiana Senate
House Bill 1134 restricts teaching three ideas that Indiana lawmakers describe as “divisive,” a limit that has drawn overwhelming public criticism.
By Aleksandra Appleton
 
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