CTAC - Community Training and Assistance Center

Teaching AI literacy means more than using new tools. Students need curriculum-based guidance to understand how AI works, think critically about outputs, and remember chatbots aren’t human.

AI literacy experts advise viewing the tech through a curricular lens Thoughtful, age-appropriate approaches can equip students with skills needed to effectively use the technology, says ISTE+ASCD’s Jennifer Garner.

AI can help schools communicate with multilingual families faster, but translation alone isn’t enough. True connection comes from transcreation: adapting tone, culture, and context so messages feel clear, respectful, and actionable.

From Translation to Transcreation: Using AI to Connect with Multilingual Families AI-generated translations can get your intended message across, but humans ensure that message is culturally relevant.

The summer slide is hitting math much harder than reading for K-8 students. New data shows math losses can equal 10–30% of a typical school year’s learning, while reading scores stayed nearly flat—making summer math support especially critical.

Math summer slide is ‘significant,’ but reading loss much smaller, data shows NWEA says schools can help keep students' skills sharp by offering summer learning opportunities and other resources.

Colleges and K-12 districts are building stronger workforce pipelines through dual credit, apprenticeships, paid internships, and industry credentials—helping students gain real-world skills and access high-demand careers before graduation.

Colleges, K12 are pioneering new models to address workforce needs The line between high school, college and the workplace is blurring as educators respond to growing pressure to deliver job-ready graduates.

Helping students thrive in a connected world means teaching digital wellness—not just banning phones. Set clear, flexible norms so students know when tech supports learning and when to put it away, building focus, respect, and empathy.

Students Need Digital Wellness Skills, Not Outright Device Bans Helping students thrive in a connected world means equipping them to navigate technology, not shielding them from it.

Traditional PD models often fail to meet teachers’ individualized professional learning needs. Instead, real learning happens when teachers reflect on what they believe works, learn with others across subjects, and test ideas through classroom research.

How Do Teachers Learn Beyond “Best Practices”? When teachers own their learning, connect across disciplines, and lead research, real professional growth follows.

Happy from all of us at CTAC!

A new report finds early-grade teachers are learning more about how kids learn to read. But many say their daily lessons still don’t fully reflect the research—and high-poverty schools face bigger support gaps.

Teachers’ knowledge of science of reading improves, Fordham reports However, at least a quarter of K-3 teachers say they are not fully committed to the literacy model, according to new research.

Teacher preparation can’t stop at graduation. Colleges of education must partner with districts to redesign working conditions, share accountability for teacher success, and measure outcomes beyond certification—shifting from a “pipeline” to co-ownership.

Why colleges of education must now co-own teacher outcomes Will colleges of education expand their role to meet this moment or continue operating at a distance from the systems they serve?

The best professional learning is designed for movement—gallery walks, walk-and-talks, active protocols—because bodies and brains learn together. Treating motion as a core PD design principle boosts energy, attention, and transfer.

The Best PD Never Sits Still Moving during PD isn’t a break from learning—it is the learning.