NYKids’ Top Five Blogs from 2023: Reflections and Launch of 2024 Study
by Jessie Tobin & Lisa Graham-Donato
The NYKids team wishes everyone a wonderful start to the new year! To gear up for the year ahead we are taking a trip down memory lane and reflecting on our audience engagement in 2023. Today we are highlighting our top five favorite and most popular blogs from the past year and announcing the launch of our latest study!
What this blog highlights: In this blog, we provide additional updates on the progress of our RPP and share news about our AIR colleagues’ visit to UAlbany, Chatham CSD, and TVHS.
Since 2021, NYKids has partnered with Chatham Central School District (CSD), Tech Valley High School, and American Institutes for Research (AIR) to address problems of inequity in education following the COVID-19 pandemic. In this blog from October, 2023, we shared updates from our collaboration with educators and researchers, as well as highlights from our on-UAlbany campus retreat hosting our partners from AIR.
How Educators in Rural Schools Met the Challenge of the COVID-19 Pandemic
What this blog highlights: In this blog, EPL doctoral student Gregory Massara draws on NYKids’ data to explore the particular impacts of the pandemic on rural schools.
What strategies do educators in rural schools use to innovate and adapt to challenges? Our NYKids team was thrilled to work with University at Albany School of Education and Educational Policy and Leadership doctoral student Gregory Massara for this timely blog. Gregory drew on NYKids’ latest study data to explore how rural schools adapted through uncertain pandemic times.
Better Relationships – Better Decision-Making – Better Outcomes for Students and Educators
What this blog highlights: Guest author Dr. Manya C. Bouteneff of Monroe College, Bronx, NY, and Better Outcomes Research, NY, shares the findings of her research involving 164 New York State public-school leaders whose students in poverty do well.
“Poverty is not fate. The cycle of poverty and poor academic performance is not inevitable.” Dr. Bouteneff identified two practices most often named by these principals as key to their success. She gives practical examples of how the principals a.) used data strategically, and b.) built relationships and culture, improving academic outcomes for economically-disadvantaged students, and how any school can do so without additional funds.
What this blog highlights: This blog highlights the inclusive practices at Albany School of Humanities, an elementary school serving a diverse population of students in Albany, New York.
What strategies do educators at Albany School of Humanities (ASH) put in place to ensure students and their families feel a strong connection to school? ASH integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion not only in curriculum but also in hall décor, school events, and resources. While ASH places a strong emphasis on humanities and multiculturalism, the academic performance of its students reflects high achievement in reading and math. Read more in this blog written by ASH principal, Marie Culihan, and our colleague and former ASH parent, Dr. Maria I. Khan.
Back to School: Key Strategies to Encourage Student Engagement and Belonging
What this blog highlights: This blog draws on NYKids research to describe a range of supports to encourage student engagement and belonging.
Finally, the reported strategies in this blog about the importance of encouraging student engagement and belonging at the start of a school year also serve as a great reminder at the start of a new calendar year. One strategy mentioned is “Creating formal and informal mentoring programs to allow youth to assist one another during and outside of class.” This blog contains key information for continuing work this school year and getting a head start and planning for the next school year.
Announcing the launch of NYKids 2024 study!
We are pleased to announce NYKids Study of Adaptation and Innovation in New York State schools during the 2023-24 school year. This study is designed to learn from schools previously studied by NYKids which have continued to demonstrate above-predicted outcomes for students especially from diverse backgrounds.
The new study will focus on several critical lines of research including:
- Instructional leadership
- Parent/family and community engagement
- Organizational capacity for academic, social, and emotional needs of diverse youth
- School culture and climate
- Culturally-responsive curriculum and instruction
- Assessment and interventions for struggling students
We’re currently recruiting 8 schools which have demonstrated persistent positive outlier status and 2 more which have emerged recently as positive outliers. Stay tuned for more updates on this ongoing project!
Thank you for your continued interest and dedication to NYKids’ work over the years. Our team looks forward to 2024 and sharing our latest research with you. Stay informed on strategies to inform, inspire, and improve via our Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. As always, we welcome your feedback on topics of interest for future blogs at nykids@albany.edu.
