Natalie Yasmin Soto, an English as a new language teacher at the James Baldwin School in Manhattan, has taken proactive steps to combat teacher burnout and support her colleagues by enrolling in well-being courses in Barcelona, Spain, and Florence, Italy, through a Fund for Teachers grant. Soto plans to share the skills she learned to help her colleagues feel more balanced and better serve their students.

Socioeconomic disparities significantly affect postsecondary education outcomes, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Only 25% of graduates from high-poverty schools in 2017 and 2018 earned a degree within six years, compared with 59% of graduates from affluent schools, and only 51% of graduates from high-poverty schools enrolled in college immediately after graduation, compared with 74% of graduates from low-poverty schools.

A report from the New York City Education Department highlights limited access to journalism education, with only 1% of high school students enrolled in journalism classes last year across 90 of about 400 schools. The Journalism for All initiative, in partnership with the City University of New York, is piloting journalism courses in 30 high schools to address this gap.

You can transform challenges from a threat into an opportunity, and change another's mind, by being curious instead of argumentative, writes former FBI agent LaRae Quy, who offers three strategies. Being curious means showing vulnerability, using stories to create a sense of connection and sticking to facts over becoming emotional, Quy writes.

The Smithsonian offers free educational programs for teachers and students nationwide, enhancing lessons with authentic learning experiences. Notable initiatives include the Smithsonian Stars program, which aims to provide telescopes and astronomy lessons to rural schools, and the Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange program, which fosters civic understanding among students from different states.

Western culture's emphasis on self-control and productivity often stigmatizes individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as lacking discipline, writes licensed clinical social worker Whitney Coulson. ADHD is a distinct neurotype, not a moral failing, and this misunderstanding delays diagnosis and treatment, particularly for women, leading to mental health issues, Coulson asserts. Recognizing ADHD as a neurodevelopmental difference can foster compassion and support, allowing individuals to thrive.

Students are turning to AI chatbots for connection, comfort, and advice. In the new issue of Educational Leadership, Michelle Culver and Alison Lee, the founder and the chief research and development officer at The Rithm Project, share how schools can respond.

In the September issue of Educational Leadership, Sheldon Eakins, host of the Leading Equity Podcast, shares how to use the VIBE framework to center connection over control.

K-12 schools are improving their response to ransomware attacks, according to a Sophos report. In 2025, 67% of schools stopped ransomware before data