When Covid forced students to learn from home in spring 2020, families were left largely on their own to figure out how to fill the gaps in school structure and supports, leading to the emergence of learning pods. Some of these small learning communities continued into fall 2021, either because of continued pandemic uncertainty or […]
New Report Highlights Charter Successes During Covid Shutdowns
By Paola Gilliam A sudden shift in the spring to effective online learning challenged all schools—but we quickly began to see anecdotal evidence of some charter schools reacting quickly and serving students well. In a new report we wrote with the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, we offer evidence that some charter schools—smaller networks and […]
Database of State Reopening Plans Shows Alarming Lack of Clear Expectations for Student Learning
Without decisive state expectations and action on remote learning, student learning will suffer: That’s the message from a new analysis of state reopening plans by CRPE (the Center for Reinventing Public Education) and Public Impact. Our just-released database of state reopening plans and accompanying blog post highlight the need for state action now, before it’s too late. As CRPE’s […]
Pinpointing Problems in COVID Response Plans
“Student learning is an afterthought in many state reopening plans; that’s a huge mistake” We’ve been working with the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) to create a database of all states’ reopening plans, accompanied by a series of briefs and analyses. The database will be published soon. Meanwhile, a new blog by CRPE’s Ashley […]
3 Model Options Give Schools Budget-Neutral Plans, Schedules, Roles for Partial School Closures
Districts and schools are confronting the learning loss caused by missed school time so far. Opportunity Culture schools—90 percent of which are Title I—have a special responsibility and opportunity to reverse that learning loss with the same method they’ve used for years: highly connective, high-standards instruction that helps more students achieve high-growth learning. Multi-Classroom Leadership by teachers […]
How NC Districts Handle Closures, and Next Steps—New Database From Public Impact and EdNC
By Paola Gilliam To understand how North Carolina’s 115 school districts are dealing with school closures, Public Impact and EducationNC joined forces to develop the NC District Response to COVID-19 School Closures Database. Read more about the database below, as well as an opinion piece on what the data tell us so far from Public Impact’s co-presidents. Why […]
High-growth learning potential during COVID-19: Where North Carolina stands
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published by Education NC, April 24, 2020 As Public Impact’s co-presidents, we’re pleased to have our organization collaborate with EdNC on the 1.0 version of the NC District Response to COVID-19 School Closures Database, based on CRPE’s national database. What do the data tell us so far? We took […]
On the Ground: Reflections from Opportunity Culture Educators on At-Home Teaching and Leading
By Paola Gilliam Over the past week and a half, Public Impact’s Sharon Kebschull Barrett has interviewed many current and past Opportunity Culture Fellows about their shifts to at-home learning—what’s going well, what worries them, and what tips they have for other Opportunity Culture educators and districts. Use this link to find these stories of how great teachers adapted […]
As COVID-19 Forces Shutdowns, Resources for Teaching and Learning at Home
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett As many schools close and turn to online learning due to COVID-19, multi-classroom leaders (MCLs) can help smooth and lead the way for their teaching teams and students. Students need their teachers’ steadying hand even more when the world feels chaotic and parents face extra stress. Public Impact published initial guidance […]
Meeting the Potential of a Virtual Education: Lessons from Operators Making Online Schooling Work
Report highlights the experience of two nonselective virtual charter schools making online schooling work for their student.
Strong Teachers, Good Design Important for Virtual Charters to Succeed
Education Dive, July 11, 2019, by Shawna De La Rosa Students in online charter schools have generally performed less well than their peers in brick-and-mortar classrooms, but this doesn’t have to be the case. With specific strategies, online schools can be a viable alternative to traditional public education, according to a new report from Public […]
Meeting the Potential of a Virtual Education: Lessons from Operators Making Online Schooling Work
In general, virtual charter schools have had poor outcomes. A 2015 study from CREDO (the Center for Research on Education Outcomes) found that, on average, students enrolled in online charter schools lost 180 days of learning in math and 72 days of learning in reading compared to similar students in brick-and-mortar schools. But virtual schools […]