Below are some of the most recent op-eds and articles written by Public Impact. To read more, searchable by topic, visit our resource database.
How To Get Past the “Talent Hogs” Problem
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published in Education Next. A charismatic charter network leader reminded us recently of his high-poverty schools’ laudable learning results. His secret sauce? Wooing the best teachers and principals away from surrounding districts. We call this a “Talent Hog” strategy, and its prevalence…
Closing Achievement Gaps in Diverse and Low-Poverty Schools
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published on EdNC. Education leaders in North Carolina and across the U.S. have spent decades highlighting and attempting to close achievement gaps, focused especially on the gaps between African-American and Latino students compared to their white and Asian peers, as well as…
A Missing Key Ingredient for Widespread Personalization: Innovative School Staffing
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published on EdNext. Educators nationally are striving to incorporate more personalization: giving students what they need by adapting what, when, how, and where students learn. But personalized learning is just one of several big instructional trends—high standards, aligned curricula, teaching the whole…
Analysis: Through Co-Teaching, Team Teaching, and Collaboration, These Pioneering Schools Are Rethinking How to Best Deliver Personalized Learning for Students
Analysis: New Study Finds Huge Student Learning Gains in Schools Where Teachers Mentor Their Colleagues as Multi-Classroom Leaders
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published on The 74. In survey after survey, teachers report dissatisfaction with the professional development they receive. Many aren’t satisfied with their professional learning communities or coaching opportunities. Teachers say they want more on-the-job development, career advancement while teaching, and collaboration time. Some teachers are getting what they want. But is…
New Research on Opportunity Culture: Multi-Classroom Leaders’ Teams Produce Significant Learning Gains
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published on EdNext. What if every student actually could have an excellent teacher? According to a new study released through the CALDER Center, it might be possible. Study authors Ben Backes of American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Michael Hansen of the Brookings Institution…
One More Time Now: Why Lowering Class Sizes Backfires
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published on EdNext. You’ve probably read an article with a headline like this. Why say it again? Because class-size reduction continues to be so seductive. Our own state of North Carolina is just the latest in which policymakers have succumbed, causing a political…
Recruiting for Hard-to-Staff Schools
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett; first published in School Administrator magazine. You know rock star teachers when you see them. They are capable of commanding attention day in and day out, and they motivate students to achieve well beyond standard expectations. They even help other teachers succeed. So how can school…
N.C. must invest to magnify the impact of great teachers
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published in The News & Observer. North Carolina will never make the educational strides it needs until the best educators have far greater impact, for a lot more pay. A year ago in these pages, we called for state leaders to raise…
Expanding the Impact of Excellent Teachers
By Bryan C. Hassel, Celine Coggins & Emily Ayscue Hassel If you are a teacher who helps students learn exceptionally well, this is your moment—schools and policymakers must vastly expand your impact, now. Today, our nation is at a crossroads; we simply cannot fall short educationally for another decade as…