Written by: Reagan Flowers, Ph.D. As we near the end of the first full school year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, districts around the country are making decisions about the near future. That includes the availability of summer school classes and altering schedules to help students catch up on lost time and progress. The Importance […]
Taking a Look at Our Biases
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD In the midst of one of the most trying years in recent decades, and with the election approaching, conflict and controversy continue to run high. One way we can examine any situation, including approaching how we serve all students adequately, begins by taking a look at our own personal biases. […]
Big Steps Backward for Early Learning
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD Having passed the sixth-month of the impacts of COVID-19, we’ve now seen schools close and reopen. We’ve seen the cancellation of standardized tests. We’ve seen parents and students struggling to keep up and get the resources they need, especially the most economically disadvantaged families and minorities. Now we’re seeing something […]
2020 Will Permanently Change Education
With the COVID-19 pandemic followed immediately by the escalation of the Black Lives Matter movement, everything has changed this year. Classrooms are operating with remote learning, and in some cases, there are students attending classes and others attending school from home. We are now re-examining how to address injustice and inequality in many facets of […]
Impact on College Plans
Written By: Reagan Flowers, PhD The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Plan A and B for some high school seniors who intended to take the SAT or ACT for the first time this semester, or to improve upon their scores. Those options are now off the table. The College Board has canceled all tests through the […]
Moving Forward Without Test Scores
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD We have reached unprecedented times in education. At least 124,000 schools across 48 states have been impacted by the canceling of standardized tests, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These standardized tests have historically been purported to help measure student progress and school performance, though many doubt the effectiveness. […]
Coronavirus Hard on Students With Limited Resources
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD The complete impact of the Coronavirus remains to be seen. Across the board, our efforts as a nation to keep our country safe are already having a significant impact on education. The announcements of school closings keep coming, and the dates for projected reopening continue to be extended. The hardest […]
Ignite Passion for STEM with Reading
Written by: Dr. Reagan Flowers, PhD Though many activities associated with STEM are implemented through hands-on activity, reading is still a crucial skill for students. First, reading can help students discover which areas of science, technology, math, and engineering excite them. Second, it provides a crucial base of knowledge for engaging in these areas. […]
Digital World Results in New Career Paths
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD Twenty years ago, we were skeptical about even making a purchase on a computer, but today we store payment information, passwords and a wealth of personal information on laptops, phones and “in the cloud.” Hackers make fortunes stealing this information, and cybersecurity has become essential to prevent this from […]
Distance and Location Take a Toll
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD Many students dream of going to college far away, but the reality is that most seek higher education close to home. As referenced in the article “The Education Deserts of Rural America”, nearly 40 percent of college freshmen attend a school less than 50 miles from home. Though the […]
TEA 2018-2019 Accountability Ratings Show HISD has Made Progress
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD With the newly released 2019 Texas Education Agency (TEA) accountability rating, it is clear that replacing the HISD board is not the best course of action at this point. The TEA ratings revealed that three of the four schools, which were poised to trigger closure of the individual schools or […]
Looking at the Whole Picture
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD Continually improving our schools is necessary and highly impactful; however, it doesn’t tell the whole story. As referenced in the article, Better Schools Won’t Fix America, school inequality is based on much bigger issues and takes a closer look at why schools in some neighborhoods have more impressive resources and […]