Consortium for Public Education

08/28/2026

Our Building a Positive School Climate cohort is back this year! The BPSC program is a year-long cohort experience for educators committed to building strong school communities, most often through the implementation of house systems. Students learn best when they feel safe, connected, valued, and supported. A positive school climate strengthens a student’s sense of belonging, which can positively impact their attendance, engagement, behavior, and academic success. Email [email protected] to learn more!

08/26/2026

Applications for the Phipps Youth Climate Advocacy Committee (YCAC) are now open! Applicants should be high school and college-age youth (ages 16-23) who have a passion for the environment, nature, sustainability, and/or climate action. Learn more here: https://ow.ly/kFE450ZFB0m

08/26/2026

The new school voucher program offers a unique opportunity to support public school students, but maximizing the impact of the program will depend on local coordination and communication:

Starting next year, taxpayers can earmark up to $1,700 to not only help families pay private schools, but also to support some services at public schools

08/25/2026

Our fall human-centered design Act 45 cohort is filling up fast! In-person, 50 hours of credit. Register here: https://ow.ly/tIMO50YWgsB

08/21/2026

Don't forget to vote for our SXSW sessions! Voting closes on Sunday, August 23rd!

Vote for:
"Belonging Beyond One Building" and "Schools & Employers Co-Creating Career-Connected Learning"

https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw27/community-voting-edu/page/community-voting/session/1784513458047001KH3G

https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw27/community-voting-edu/page/community-voting/session/1784567996025001E1dC

08/20/2026

For any of our sustainability-focused educators out there, Penn State is hosting their K-12 Sustainability Summit on October 14-16th! Check out the flyer for info. Deadline to apply is Sept. 18th: https://ow.ly/QwyG50ZC2ZV

08/19/2026

Join our Student Sustainability Design Challenge for the 26-27 school year!

Project-based learning + career exploration + sustainability

Teachers, be sure to complete the interest form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbC-q_kX4SlDBAYA2T_qZSfU-wjb66dU633Mifs5mKQVQnMQ/viewform?usp=header

Thank you to all of our students, teachers, and sustainability partners who have helped make the SSDC possible each and every year!

Thanks to JW Pro Media for creating this fantastic video!

08/19/2026

Really interesting results from a recent survey report from Common Sense Media. Skills that students see as most important:
1. Working well with other people
2. Fact checking & critical thinking
3. Reading & understanding complex information

Read the report here: https://ow.ly/AoWw50ZB50u

08/18/2026

To all of our educators friends and partners returning to school in the coming days, we wish you all a great start to your year! Let's Gooooooo! ❤️

08/14/2026

As the school year is about to launch, we have an exciting opportunity to share. The Consortium is partnering with the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC) at Pitt around AI. They are looking for educators to field test AI approaches in the classroom so they can assess impact. These are approaches they designed in partnership with classroom teachers from across the region.

See the flyer for more info and click the LRDC link to learn more or volunteer: https://ow.ly/Bx1q50Zz1EZ