One of public schools’ responsibilities is to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory education experience for all students. NASSP’s Policy & Advocacy Center maintains it is the principal’s responsibility to provide an affirming school environment in which each student is treated fairly, respectfully, and with an understanding of their individual culture and context. School administrators are […]
Student Centered: February 2020
Read This, Save Lives: Creating Safer Classrooms for LGBTQ+ Students
I was a curious student who spent my free periods talking to teachers, and I could find my way around the library blindfolded. But for most of my life, I absolutely dreaded going to school.
The Principal Advocate: 5 Ways School Leaders Can Support Students, Teachers, and Communities
Americans trust principals to care about others, provide fair and accurate information, and handle resources responsibility. A Pew Research Center survey shows that Americans have an even higher trust for school leaders than police, military leaders, and less surprisingly, journalists and members of Congress. This trust brings tremendous credibility when advocating for students, teachers, learning, […]
Student Centered: December 2019
While it can sometimes seem that the advantages of study abroad programs are one-sided, it’s not just the student who travels abroad who wins. Students in classes where an international student is placed can also benefit greatly from the experience. In fact, even one exchange student’s attendance can positively impact other students and educators across […]
School Leaders Share How They Create Supportive and Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ Students
In September 2018, NASSP and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced a partnership to highlight the important role that principals have in striving for educational equity, with a focus on safety and inclusion for LGBTQ students. As part of this work, Dr. Beverly Hutton, NASSP’s deputy executive director for programs and services, led a team […]
Student Centered: March 2019
School leaders struggle with leading successful turnaround efforts in difficult schools in both the rural and urban South. Often, these rural and urban schools are haunted by societal problems that negatively impact the culture and undermine the learning environment. Early in my career, I witnessed myriad leadership models—some were good, some were bad. Once I […]
Testing Accommodations for Students With Disabilities
The parents of a 10th-grade student contact your school’s Section 504 coordinator seeking extra time for their student to take the SAT. As the basis, they report that their child is taking a prescription medication, Ritalin, before and after school for ADHD. This situation is neither new nor uncommon. Variations may include the ACT rather […]
Student Centered: February 2019
Seventy years ago, Vladimir Nabokov put pen to paper to share his vision of what a good reader possesses: “imagination, memory, a dictionary, and some artistic sense.” That vision holds true for those who are able to read for pleasure, but what about those with reading difficulties? The reality is that in almost every middle […]
Creating a School for All Students: Our Story of Inclusion
There are no restaurants, banks, grocery stores, or other everyday establishments or public places specifically for people with special needs, different education levels, or specific skin tones. Thankfully those places are there for everyone’s use. Shouldn’t students be educated the same way, with all their peers, as much as possible? That would be a great […]
NASSP and HRC Lead School Inclusion Efforts for LGBTQ Students
NASSP and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) have partnered to highlight the important role that principals have in striving for educational equity, with a focus on safety and inclusion for LGBTQ students. The need for culturally responsive practices that promote each student’s academic well-being is especially critical in this politically charged time. HRC’s 2018 LGBTQ […]