Explainers

Go deeper on the latest education issues with these explainers from Education Week
Photograph of office supplies with a bright yellow paper that reads "what you need to know."
Education Issues, Explained
Browse research-based background explainers on the most important education issues.
Visit the Page
Illustration of the side view of a man sitting in an office chair with his head down and with a red arrow heading downward toward him while various sized white arrows in the background are all heading upward.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Explainer What's Going On With Public School Enrollment? All the Big Questions, Answered
Districts across the country are contemplating a future with fewer students. What are the trends, and how did this happen?
Mark Lieberman, June 27, 2024
•
11 min read
In this Nov. 21, 1979 file photo, Bella Abzug, left, and Patsy Mink of Women USA sit next to Gloria Steinem as she speaks in Washington where they warned presidential candidates that promises for women's rights will not be enough to get their support in the next election.
In this Nov. 21, 1979, photo, Bella Abzug, left, and Patsy Mink of Women USA sit next to Gloria Steinem as she speaks in Washington at an event where they warned presidential candidates that promises for women's rights will not be enough to win their support in the next election.
Harvey Georges/AP
Federal Explainer What Is Title IX? Schools, Sports, and Sex Discrimination
Title IX, the law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, is undergoing changes. What it is, how it works, and how it's enforced.
Libby Stanford, May 31, 2024
•
2 min read
Generic school hallway with lockers
Some districts have integrated more restorative justice practices into their disciplinary structure. Experts describe what restorative justice looks like and how it can be implemented in schools.
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety Explainer Restorative Justice in Schools, Explained
What is restorative justice, and how can it be implemented in schools?
Brooke Schultz, May 31, 2024
•
1 min read
Hands holding different colored placards with the letters LGBTQ+
iStock/Getty
Equity & Diversity Explainer These LGBTQ+ Terms Can Help Create A Safe School for Students
To create a safe environment for LGBTQ+ students in schools, here are some terms that educators should know.
Brooke Schultz, May 24, 2024
•
8 min read
052124 Cell Phones jb BS
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Ed-Tech Policy Video Cellphone Policies in Schools, Explained
Educators have multiple factors to consider when deciding how to handle cellphones in schools. Education Week breaks them down.
Lauraine Langreo & Kaylee Domzalski, May 21, 2024
•
2:04
Glossary abstract concept open book with special education iconography
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty Images
Special Education Explainer A Guide to Special Education Terms
The number of students in special education has increased steadily in the last four decades. Here are some of the common terms used.
Brooke Schultz, May 21, 2024
•
7 min read
Vector illustration concept of a cyber criminal with laptop stealing user personal data while a woman expresses frustration.
iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession Explainer What Is Doxxing, and How Can Educators Protect Their Privacy Online?
Keeping personal and professional information separate can be difficult for teachers, experts say.
Sarah D. Sparks, May 9, 2024
•
7 min read
Second grade students raise their hands in Dalia Gerardo's classroom at West Elementary, in Russellville, Ala., on Dec. 9, 2022.
Second grade students raise their hands in Dalia Gerardo's classroom at West Elementary, in Russellville, Ala., on Dec. 9, 2022. Gerardo's classroom includes several English learners served by Title III federal funding.
Tamika Moore for Education Week
English Learners Explainer Title III Funding for English Learners, Explained
As the nation’s English-learner population continues to grow , researchers look to the Title III for how to best support these students.
Ileana Najarro, April 26, 2024
•
7 min read
Students from two kindergarten classes at the Lewiston elementary campus of Saint Dominic Academy listen to a teacher read a book in Lewiston, Maine, on Aug. 22, 2018.
Students from two kindergarten classes at the Lewiston elementary campus of Saint Dominic Academy listen to a teacher read a book, in Lewiston, Maine, on Aug. 22, 2018.
Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal via AP
Reading & Literacy Explainer Make Time for the Read-Aloud. Here's How
Literacy experts explain the benefits of making the read-aloud a daily classroom ritual.
Elizabeth Heubeck, April 24, 2024
•
4 min read
Illustration of woman turning back hands on clock.
Education Week + iStock / Getty Images Plus Week
Education Funding Explainer How Can Districts Get More Time to Spend ESSER Dollars? An Explainer
Districts can get up to 14 additional months to spend ESSER dollars on contracts—if their state and the federal government both approve.
Mark Lieberman, April 11, 2024
•
4 min read
Science teacher assists elementary school student in the classroom
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Curriculum Explainer Social Studies and Science Get Short Shrift in Elementary Schools. Why That Matters
Learn why the subjects play a key role in elementary classrooms—and how new policy debates may shift the status quo.
Sarah Schwartz, February 27, 2024
•
10 min read
Conceptual image in blues: female student with diabetes wears glucose monitoring patch
E+/Getty
Student Well-Being Explainer More Students Are Getting Diabetes. Here's What That Means for the Classroom
More than a half million people under 20 could have the chronic health disorder by 2060, and they'll need support from schools.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 22, 2024
•
8 min read
School of Education teacher candidates at Dalton State College take part in an exercise in their ESOL class culture and education class in Dalton, Ga., on May 24, 2018.
Teacher-candidates at Dalton State College take part in an exercise in their English for Speakers of Other Languages culture and education class in Dalton, Ga., on May 24, 2018.
Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP
Teacher Preparation Explainer Teacher Preparation, Explained: Alternative Routes, Enrollment Trends, and More
Learn about teacher preparation in the United States, including how new apprenticeships work and how the pipeline has recently narrowed.
Madeline Will, January 10, 2024
•
7 min read
schoolboy sitting on a chair isolated in a hallway
DigitalVision/Getty
School Climate & Safety Explainer What Is Restraint and Seclusion? An Explainer
Restraint and seclusion are dangerous practices that are used to control students with disabilities, experts say.
Eesha Pendharkar, November 14, 2023
•
8 min read
Load More ▼