The Aspen Institute

The Education & Society Program and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching release unbiased review of 30 years of standards-based education in the US, and the impact of the standards agenda on equity—specifically on Black, Latino, indigenous students’ education.

Aspen Education recently released resources and strategies in Coming Back to Climate. In this webinar, representatives from Cleveland Metropolitan School, DC Public Schools, and Transforming Education will share how they’re putting climate data to use this fall.

Resumption of the school year will not cease after a few weeks back in the building. There is much to be learned from adaptations made during the social distancing and online learning experiences since March, but there is more disruptive innovation ahead as schools cope with the “new normal.” Our panelists will explore innovation and continuous learning, including the role of parents and students as change agents.

Our panel will look at the role for governors and mayors in prioritizing cross-agency collaboration, placed-based community work, alternative funding streams, and engagement with students and families, inspired by Aspen Education & Society’s report on this topic.

Inequities that existed long before the pandemic are on stark display as the year unfolds, particularly as they pertain to racial injustices for people of color. If we are to link school success to community success, including the future of work, we need to respond to the forces reshaping America. Nothing less than the health of democracy is at stake and that warrants a lively panel discussion followed by actionable insights from those in the field.

Schools are grappling with what should stay the same and what needs to be completely overhauled. This webinar will explore how brain science can help us do more that replicate an old system. From instilling a sense of belonging to the differences between adolescent learners and young children, we will lift up best practices and research. We are also seeking additional recommendations, particularly in ways trauma-informed care will aid school recovery and renewal.

Financial resources are going to be scarce in the new school year, and districts are already expressing frustration over how to compensate without a holistic approach. Explore state practices that coordinate across all youth-serving agencies and how social-emotional learning, the digital divide, and wraparound require more than school-based solutions. Policymakers from outside the K12 system will add perspective to this dialogue.

True equity is about more than providing instructional supports based on test scores, it’s about ceding power. An expert panel will discuss student and parent voice and how district leaders should make room at the table for those most affected by decisions and often the furthest from opportunity. Participants will be asked to share actions they have already taken so that additional best practices can be published for the field.

Join this webinar to explore the practical realities and research foundations of how distance learning offers both opportunities, and imperatives, to re-establish relationships during school closure—and learn some of the new ways that students, parents, and educators are connecting to advance the work of schools.

Join us as we discuss a new book co-edited by Andy Smarick and Michael McShane, No Longer Forgotten: The Triumphs and Struggles of Rural Education in America, and hear from people working on the frontlines of rural education about what the present and future holds for these schools.