Back-to-School: Leveraging EdTech | Improving Attendance | Boosting Family Engagement

It’s Back-to-School season, a time to appreciate possibilities for learning and growth. We’re excited to share useful Back-to-School resources that support the diverse needs of learners and their families at every age and every stage.  

In this edition of the WestEd 360° newsletter, let’s dive into integrating and evaluating technology in classrooms, improving student attendance, and fostering strong connections between students and adults.  

Exploring the Relationship Between Education, Technology, and Positive Learning Outcomes 

With the rise of generative artificial intelligence (A.I.) in education and a significant increase in edtech solutions fueled by federal relief funding, some families, schools, and districts may now have more technology options than ever before. How can we harness the power of technology to facilitate learning while helping students balance its use both in and out of the classroom?  

Educators, leaders, and families must work together to effectively use edtech tools in a way that supports educational goals, helps students learn how to navigate technology, and fosters critical, independent thinking.   

To grapple with this challenge, start by collaborating with your peers about how you can align edtech tools with instructional goals. Dr. Tracy Huebner Director of Special Programs and Initiatives at WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility and Dr. Dr. Rachel Burstein discuss how helping educators learn about technology-enabled instructional practices—rather than focusing on using trending tools—can help schools effectively advance outcomes by prioritizing student learning goals.  

Leveraging technology-enabled practices can also be used to support students’ digital well-being. “We need to help schools think about creating balanced classroom ecologies where tech serves teachers’ and students’ goals and supports their agency and creativity,” says Tanner Higgin, Ph.D. , Senior Education Technology Researcher in a recent @EdSurge piece.   

 As researchers continue to investigate the impact of edtech tools on student learning and the culture of classrooms, here are three approaches educators and leaders might take to determine which edtech tool might be the most effective:   

• Create a shared vision for school culture and articulate your pedagogical philosophy 

• Survey students and teachers to better understand how existing tools are impacting classroom culture and pedagogy 

• Revise edtech vetting and selection rubrics to better examine how they will impact culture and the kind of instruction they will enable or inhibit 

  Educators, how are you thinking about using technology in your classrooms and schools this year? We’d love to hear from you -— let us know in the comments!  

Learn more about supporting teachers to effectively integrate technology:   

• Technology-Enabled Instruction: Bridging Instructional Practice and Technology Integration  
• How Teachers Can Be Supported In in Technology-Enabled Instruction 
• Strategies for Encouraging Effective Technology-Enabled Instructional Practices in K-–12 Education 

Leaders Play a Powerful Part in Increasing School Attendance

The start of a new school year provides us with exciting opportunities to build communities where all can thrive. This Back-to-School season, improving attendance is more critical than ever. Creating a sense of belonging, implementing culturally responsive policies and practices, and encouraging family engagement are all key elements of improving attendance.  

What strategies can leaders use to reengage and help students and their families feel excited to return to school? We’ve compiled five research-driven resources to support your efforts:  

1. Tackling Chronic Absence Through Data and Evidence  
2. Family Engagement: Authentically Integrating Essential Competencies 
3. Six Strategies for Effective School Family Engagement Events 
4. Four Strategies to Increase Student Attendance Through Personalized Family Messaging 
5. Centering the Experiences and Perspectives of Educational Partners: Five Considerations for Schools and Districts 

Centering Student Voices: Youth Perspectives  

A culture of belonging and connectedness starts with caring relationships between adults and students. When students feel seen, they are more likely to engage, and the beginning of a new school year is a pivotal time to lay the foundation for safe and supportive learning environments.  

To offer more insight into the youth perspective, members of the California Center for School Climate Youth Advisory Team discussed the impact of having positive relationships with adults at school. Here are some highlights: 

“It really starts with intention and adults having the intention to connect with their students and support them beyond just academics. I think that makes [students] feel more comfortable and supported and especially seen, and that’s where really beautiful relationships can begin.” 

• “I think students can feel more comfortable sharing what’s going on in their lives and any concerns or worries they have if they hear that the adults are also sharing a lot of those same concerns and worries. It brings on that community feeling that they’re not just going through it alone.” 
• “It’s very important that whatever support the student needs, that there is some way that they can voice that support and that the staff or administrators of a school are able to receive it and really be able to consider what would work best to meet the students where they are and what they need done for them.” 
• “I really value our wellness center that we have designated in our counselor’s office as just a space to be able to go and breathe if you’re ever stressed out or having a difficult time.” 
• “Having student committees where students are able to directly voice their concerns or opinions directly to administrators or superintendents…can help bridge the gap between admin specifically and students.” 

Watch the full Q&A session on the importance of caring relationships at school.

Improving Family Engagement through Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) 

Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) is a strengths-based model of family engagement designed to build the capacity of teachers and families and transform family participation in their children’s education. This WestEd model is adopted by more than 2,000 schools throughout the nation and has been the subject of multiple studies showing positive outcomes for students, families, and schools. 

In collaboration with schools and districts, we develop a tailored approach to our professional learning and technical assistance services that meet the needs of your school community. Learn more about how we can help.  

Upcoming Learning Opportunities & Events 

August–October 2024: PITC Program Assessment and Reflection System (PITC PARS) Instrument Training   

August 21: Accelerating English Learner Success with Formative Assessment hosted by the Region 15 Comprehensive Center, in collaboration with the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) at the U.S. Department of Education (USED) 

August 28: Levers for Improving Access to Core Content for Multilingual Students hosted by the National Research & Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners 

September 19: Spotlight on Teacher Compensation Reforms: Insights and Innovations from State and District Leaders  

September 16–17: Second Annual IES Research and Development Centers Conference on Improving Instruction, Assessment, and Policies for Secondary English Learners Across the Content Areas 

September 19–21: WestEd researchers will present at the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness 2024 Conference 

 Stay tuned for details about our upcoming webinar series, beginning October 1!  

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