Tuscaloosa City Schools marked a decade of strengthening teacher excellence by honoring 23 educators who earned National Board Certification. State and district leaders praised the milestone, highlighting the district’s substantial investment in professional growth and the proven positive impact certified teachers have on student achievement.

K-12 education is at a crucial point in integrating AI, which could either modernize schools or worsen existing issues, a report from the Center on Reinventing Public Education finds. The report highlights an "efficiency paradox," where unguided AI adoption might make outdated programs more efficient without addressing students' needs, and the study urges a human-centered approach, emphasizing innovation, personalized learning and collaborative teaching models.

Sonya Murray-Darden, co-author of the book "Serving Educational Equity: A Five-Course Framework for Accelerated Learning," in this article emphasizes the importance of an acceleration mindset over remediation. Murray-Darden writes that teachers should focus on factors they can control, such as teaching grade-level content with appropriate scaffolds, as part of an approach she says helps students catch up while also maintaining high expectations and motivation.

The process of hiring principals has become more rigorous, with districts involving teachers, parents and students to ensure the best fit for their schools. Andrew Rebello, assistant superintendent at Bristol-Plymouth Technical High School, emphasizes the importance of building trust and managing diverse challenges, while Joe Craig, superintendent of Fairfield Independent School District, highlights the need for principals with specific experience and adaptability to unique community needs.

New York City middle schools are using AI-powered teaching assistants to enhance English language arts instruction, offering real-time feedback and support during lessons to foster deeper understanding of texts. Early results show significant improvement in reading achievement, with participating schools doubling their rate of growth compared with the rest of their district, write Cristine Vaughan, superintendent of Community School District 11, and Celeste Terry, superintendent of Community School District 18.

Julia Rafal-Baer, founder of Women Leading Ed, writes that women in education leadership face systemic bias that affects their career advancement, often being placed in challenging roles with little margin for error. Rafal-Baer highlights the need for systemic changes in recruitment, training and support for women leaders. She suggests sponsorship and coaching, fair promotion and hiring practices, comprehensive support and benefits and public accountability for gender equality.

Superintendent Carmen Balgobin has led Florida's Volusia County Schools with a focus on holistic educational improvement and strategic vision since 2022. Her leadership has been marked by a commitment to adapting education to meet the needs of 21st-century learners, energizing staff with a shared belief in student success and driving key initiatives such as STEM outreach and dual-language programs.

Wisconsin lawmakers have introduced a comprehensive bill package to address teacher retention issues. The proposed measures include setting a minimum teacher salary, introducing longevity bonuses for experienced educators, establishing hourly wages for student teachers, adding paid prep time, requiring school boards to include a teacher representative and compensating teachers for non-classroom duties. These steps aim to improve working conditions and incentivize teachers to remain in the profession.

Stay connected with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the educators who make this work matter. Follow us on our socials @NBPTS for updates, stories from classrooms across the country, and moments that highlight the impact of accomplished teaching. We’re grateful you're part of this community.