New data from the National Survey for Children's Health reveals significant disparities in kindergarten readiness based on family income, with a 20% gap between the poorest and wealthiest families. Cities like San Antonio are addressing this through programs such as Pre-K 4 SA, which offers free high-quality preschool to low-income families, showing positive outcomes in elementary school performance.

Teachers can enhance classroom stability and student engagement by using anchor tasks, which are daily or near-daily routines and activities that provide predictability and structure, writes high-school librarian Benjamin Barbour, who also teaches government, history and research. These tasks support a positive learning environment, help teachers with lesson planning and can serve as formative assessments, Barbour writes

Superintendent Erika Bare of Oregon's South Umpqua School District emphasizes the importance of honest and authentic communication with students to improve achievement and behavior. Bare advises educators to build relationships based on genuine care and avoid power struggles.

The Pennsylvania Senate has passed a bill that would mandate a universal bell-to-bell cellphone ban in public and private schools. The bipartisan legislation, endorsed by Gov. Josh Shapiro, aims to address concerns about the addictive nature of smartphones, includes exceptions for students with medical needs and allows teachers to use phones for lessons with approval.

Fresno Unified School District has invested $30 million in nearly 30 new services that go beyond academics, including housing assistance, food pantries, digital music production and lunchtime sports, to support students and families. In a podcast, Eugene Reinor, principal of Fort Miller Middle School, and Hector Giovanni Romero, a music teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, say the initiatives, which support the whole child, are increasing student engagement and attendance by addressing barriers to learning and getting students excited about being at school.

District leaders at the Future of Education Technology Conference discussed how to navigate challenges such as increasing budget constraints, AI integration and declining enrollment. Strategies suggested include creating dual budgets to manage funding uncertainties, developing signature programs to attract students and maintaining a positive school environment. Leaders emphasize the importance of adaptability, community involvement, and a calm, deliberate approach to decision-making.

When a paraprofessional shadows one student all day, good intentions can backfire. A fluid support model delivers better outcomes. Read more from clinical professor and author Lee Ann Jung in the February issue of Educational Leadership.

On Wednesday, February 11, join Nita and Michael Creekmore, authors of "Every Connection Matters," for a discussion on teacher sustainability that goes beyond retention and focuses on creating the conditions where educators can truly thrive.

Dublin Unified School District in California is limiting high-school students to four Advanced Placement or honors classes a year or 11 over four years to improve students' mental health. Students are concerned about college admissions, but college consultants say the policy is unlikely to hurt their chances because colleges value well-rounded applicants.

A report card evaluating state laws on banning phones in schools has given North Dakota and Rhode Island the only "A" grades for laws requiring devices to be stored in inaccessible places during the school day. The report, a collaboration between the Institute for Families and Technology, Smartphone Free Childhood US, the Becca Schmill Foundation and The Anxious Generation, finds that most states have "bell-to-bell" policies but lose points for allowing phones to be accessible.