Around 17% of American students experience bullying two to three times a month and according to the US Department of Health & Human Services, 50 percent of children aged 4 through 12 are bullied. Aside from children reporting instances of bullying and cyberbullying to their parents and teachers, experts note that the public school system has other options to help students. Tracking a student’s performance is one of those ways.

I prefer narrative studies in this blog, digging for real-world examples of teachers and schools that are making a difference. But data can also tell an interesting story, and I thought to share with you some interesting facts and figures that, when viewed at a distance, show us how far we have come as a national body of educators, and how far we have left to go in terms of challenges ranging from poverty gaps, staff equity and school infrastructure.

There is among K-12 schools a veritable on-rush to put a device in the hands of every student; a laudable and necessary ambition. However, while there are certainly successes, very many teachers and superintendents report that 1:1 programs are not correctly integrated, that the necessary training is not available, and that the focus is very much more on the “device” than what the device can do in terms of enhanced learning opportunities and outcomes.

Despite the advantages, PD is a challenge for many teachers. Not only do they not necessarily have the time to complete the required PD hours, but in many instances PD courses do not necessarily fit with their particular professional interests or are not nuanced enough to address specific professional goals. Fortunately technology, specifically in the form of micro-credentials, makes everything easier.