A look back at Monday, October 26: the good news, the hard news, and what is worth watching in middle and high school education.
The Wins
California: Starting this school year, English learners need to meet just one criterion to reclassify, which removes a bureaucratic hurdle. EdWeek
Dual enrollment: New numbers show more than 3 million high school students took a college course last year. EdWeek
Missouri: One career center is answering “why do I need math to be a firefighter?” by building English and math right into its career training. EdWeek
Attendance: Two new reports looked at which strategies actually reduce chronic absenteeism. K-12 Dive
The Losses
Tulsa: The school board approved a plan to close or consolidate 17 schools in 2027-28. The district has lost about a fifth of its students over the past decade. K-12 Dive
Budgets: Rising medical costs are straining school budgets. One report was headlined “Medical Inflation Is Crushing Us.” EdWeek
Civil rights: The Trump administration described protections for English learners and other minority students as not enforceable. K-12 Dive
Schedules: More states now require at least 60 minutes of daily math, and many schools are still working out how to fit it into the day. EdWeek
Worth Watching
The Supreme Court is weighing K-12 school admissions policies. K-12 Dive weekly review
Ohio is building pathways to advanced math starting in 4th grade, though some educators have raised concerns. K-12 Dive
Teachers report spending about 8 hours a week supporting student well-being. K-12 Dive
New From Us
Primary Source Analysis in Grades 6-12: How to Teach It and Which Framework to Use
Vocabulary Instruction in Grades 6-12: What Actually Moves Comprehension
Affective Statements in Restorative Practices: What They Are and What the Evidence Shows
3 Mega Bundles Just Got Cheaper!
We lowered the regular price on three Teacher Emergency Toolkit mega bundles. Right now the store-wide sale takes 50% off the new price. The sale ends today, Tuesday, October 27, at 6 PM CT. The lower regular prices stay.
Halloween Math & Writing Mega Bundle (grades 1-12, 10 no-prep packs, 100 sets)$19.99 → $14.99 new regular price → $7.50 sale price
Get it for $7.50
Halloween Mega Growing Bundle (K-12, color by number, spooky stories, grammar)$49.95 → $37.99 new regular price → $19.00 sale price
A living bundle. It is seasonal, so we add new resources nearly every day during the season, at no extra cost.
Get it for $19.00
Strange But True Sub Plans Mega Growing Bundle (grades 6-12, 29 sets, 145 no-prep lessons so far)$37.75 → $27.99 new regular price → $13.99 sale price
A living bundle too. We add new resources at least once a week, all year, at no extra cost.
Get it for $13.99
A Peek at What’s Next
We are thinking about opening our own store: the same quality content you already know, at prices about 25% lower. Founding members would also get a classroom website designed like shu.ae, with 6 months of hosting included. You would bring your own domain. Details are still coming together. If you want to be first to hear, reply to this email and tell us.
Join the Conversation
Want more between issues? Our free Facebook group, Daily Bell Ringers & Exit Tickets for Teachers (6–12), shares a new bell ringer every day plus classroom ideas from teachers like you. Come say hi.
Planning ahead? Follow us on Pinterest for printables, bell ringers, and classroom how-tos you can save for later.
Our sites: Elevate the Norm | Daily Bell Ringers | Teacher Emergency Kit
