BICS and CALP are two commonly used acronyms that describe the different types of language competence new English language learners need to develop. BICS stands for Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, and CALP stands for Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. Both refer to the time and processes required for learners to reach conversational fluency and grade-appropriate academic … Read more

With college costs continuing to climb and student loan debt a growing concern, many people are rethinking the assumption that a four-year degree is the only path to a well-paid, stable career. An associate’s degree typically costs a fraction of a bachelor’s degree and can be completed in roughly two years, making it an attractive … Read more

At the Learning Counsel’s National Gathering in Dallas, three award-winning school districts came together on a panel to describe their journeys toward digital transformation. Each district shared what worked, what didn’t, and how technology was used to improve learning opportunities for every student. Anne Arundel County Public Schools — Skip Lee, Director of Curriculum Skip … Read more

By Betsy Hill and Roger Stark Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has become an increasingly prominent topic in education. To better understand how schools and educators approach SEL, we conducted a targeted survey and summarized the findings below. Our goal is to share practical insights about current practices, perceived priorities, and gaps educators identify in … Read more

Where U.S. College Students Study Abroad: Trends and Top Destinations For many college students, studying abroad is a defining part of their higher education. Leaving the familiar campus environment to learn and live in another country broadens perspectives, sharpens language skills, and adds real-world experience that can shape careers and personal growth. American higher education … Read more

You Care Too Much: A Teacher’s Experience Dealing with Bullying and Redistricting My final year as a public school teacher was the hardest year I’d experienced in the classroom. District-wide redistricting meant that teachers were reassigned, sometimes to schools they had not chosen, and entire groups of students were split apart. What began as a … Read more

Written by Erika Page, PledgeCents.com How Crowdfunding Eases the Burden of Classroom Costs “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Dickens’ famous opening line captures the mixed emotions teachers feel on the first day of school. There is the bittersweet end of summer paired with the electric anticipation of a … Read more

Learning Leadership Society Podcast: Research Design and Program Causality for Emergent Bilinguals The Learning Leadership Society Podcast, hosted by Learning Counsel News Media and Research CEO LeiLani Cauthen, features an in-depth conversation with Nicholas Feroce, Ph.D., a Research Scientist at Lexia Learning. This episode focuses on research design considerations for emergent bilingual students and on … Read more

By Charles Sosnik Schools are businesses that depend on the balance of supply and demand. To operate efficiently, districts need buildings to be used at or near capacity. So when roughly 40 percent of parents choose alternatives to traditional public schools, the implications are substantial. At first glance the fix seems straightforward: move students from … Read more