News

A new book from PennCLO faculty based on alumni dissertations argues that, in an era defined by volatility, leaders must become designers of systems that foster connection, resilience, and continuous learning.

Professors Janine Remillard and Sharon Ravitch recently joined the Re-Educated podcast to discuss curriculum use and practitioner research in education.

Drawing on her nationally recognized expertise as an economist of education, Dean Katharine Strunk warns that a new federal proposal misclassifies education degrees and threatens the pipeline of counselors, principals, and mental health professionals.

Through virtual reality, online professional development, and hands-on curriculum design, Learning Sciences and Technologies alumni are partnering with the Center for Engineering MechanoBiology and the School District of Philadelphia to bring interdisciplinary STEM to life.

In this co-taught class, Abby Reisman and Sigal Ben-Porath encourage students to consider their roles and identities as participants and facilitators of discussion as they grapple with the role of classroom discourse in K–12 and higher education settings.

In Chalkbeat, Penn GSE graduate Nimet Eren, now principal of Kensington Health Sciences Academy, is featured for leading a school initiative that helps students identify AI-generated misinformation and critically evaluate online content through a new media literacy curriculum.

A nationally recognized leader in education policy and equity, Forte will speak at the School’s 2026 Commencement ceremony on May 16 as part of the University of Pennsylvania’s 270th Commencement.

Bad Bunny’s recent Grammy wins and Super Bowl performance may have thrust multilingualism into the headlines, but educators have worked in linguistically diverse classrooms for years. Betsy Rymes has advice for navigating your multilingual class.

During a recent “inquiry day” at nearby Penn Alexander School, students in SLP had an immersive opportunity to observe and report on the real-world impact of the leadership frameworks they’ve been studying.

Karen Weaver sits down with higher-ed governance experts Raquel Rall of UC Riverside and Penn GSE's own Peter Eckel to unpack fiduciary duty, board education, and how to make mission-driven decisions in college athletics amid NIL, revenue sharing, realignment, and rising financial risk.

From language and literacy to the ecosystems that shape schools, four faculty members were recent guests on the acclaimed podcast.

A new series spotlighting the unique offerings and pedagogy of Penn GSE courses kicks off with a spotlight on Julie Wollman’s class on leadership in higher education.

We gathered four Penn GSE alumni, now serving as college presidents, to discuss the current state of higher education, the evolving demands of academic leadership, and how the presidency is a calling, not just a career.

Two Penn GSE alumni and teacher leaders with the Philadelphia Writing Project (PhilWP), housed at Catalyst at Penn GSE, will be featured on the opening panel at the Civic Learning Week National Forum, hosted in Philadelphia on March 9, 2026.

Dr. Sharon M. Ravitch and Dr. Raghu Krishnamoorthy delve into key insights from their new book on topics like adaptability, artificial intelligence, resilience, emotional intelligence in virtual teams, and designing for dissent.

On Inside Higher Ed’s The Key podcast, Robert Zemsky says that three-year bachelor’s degrees could help colleges respond to declining student demand by offering a more efficient model.

Rashelle Johnson, a dual degree candidate at Penn GSE and SP2, spent the year working for organizers and shares her perspective on the annual event.

Sharon Wolf says the world has failed to meet its promise to eliminate child labour by 2025, with research suggesting that hundreds of millions of children remain in work globally, underscoring the need for stronger enforcement, social protection, and investment in education.

Robert Zemsky says that momentum behind three-year bachelor’s degrees is growing as more states and colleges explore accelerated degree options to lower costs, improve affordability, and help students enter the workforce sooner, reflecting broader shifts in higher education models.

A group of Penn GSE alumni recently launched the China EdTech Leadership Network to connect alumni educators, entrepreneurs, and innovators across borders.

In The Boston Globe, Robert Zemsky says that Massachusetts’ move to allow colleges to propose three-year bachelor’s programs reflects a broader shift in higher education toward more affordable and efficient degree options that help students enter the workforce sooner while reducing the overall cost of earning a degree.

With this new support from Penn GSE’s School and Mental Health Counseling program, she is transforming adult learners’ lives and charting a path toward becoming a Philadelphia school counselor.

On CBS News Philadelphia, alumna Sibylla Shekerdjiska-Benatova and her nonprofit, A Book a Day, were featured for their work helping West Philadelphia children better understand their world through access to books and literacy programming.

In The Hechinger Report, Julie Wollman says that proposed federal funding cuts and changes in financial aid could make college even less affordable for low-income families by reducing support programs and shrinking the amount of aid available, potentially lowering enrollment and limiting access to higher education for students with the greatest need.

Betsy Rymes discusses how language shapes our understanding of the world and why it can never be neutral, exploring the powerful role language plays in culture, identity, and education.

Now that student-athletes are eligible for direct payments from some schools, as well as lucrative endorsement deals, is the age of the amateur over? How will colleges and universities navigate this new normal and the inequalities inherent in this revenue-sharing era?

Sigal Ben-Porath discusses the critical role of higher education in defending free speech and fostering democratic engagement, arguing that colleges must model open dialogue and civic responsibility if they are to prepare students to sustain democratic norms in an era of polarization.

In Chalkbeat, Laura Perna says that even though some students in Kensington see open-air drug use every day, strong school support systems and targeted interventions are helping them graduate from high school, highlighting how focused resources can make a difference in students’ educational journeys.

This new program, led by Digital Promise, will fund the development of openly shared datasets, models, and other digital resources so developers, school districts, and educators can build safe, effective, and equitable AI tools for K–12 teaching and learning.

Dr. Jess Jones explores her research on psychological safety in B2B sales and how “small L leadership” can foster trust and cooperation across professional relationships.

Richard Ingersoll says that with a school district unanimously approving a four-day week beginning in August 2026 as part of a broader trend in U.S. schools, the move highlights growing efforts to address rising teacher turnover and burnout by offering schedule flexibility and professional development time on the fifth day, even as research on its impact remains mixed.

The editorial director at Scholastic, Inc. gives us a tour of her Nashville home office and explains how her time as a classroom teacher influenced the two imprints for young readers that she started.

Annie Yang and Sora Cha developed an AI-powered platform for families of autistic children that earned recognition at a recent global hackathon and is now starting pilot testing.

Membership in the NAEd is widely recognized as one of the highest honors in the field of education research, and Dean Strunk joins 10 recent Penn GSE faculty members in being recognized.

He writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer that such lists are an affront to civil liberties and a reminder of dark chapters in history when such inquiries were used to marginalize and persecute Jewish communities.

Ben-Porath co-authored a piece with faculty from Wharton and Penn Carey Law in the Guardian about how such lists have historically been a prelude to persecution and could set a precedent for broader government overreach into personal data and academic freedom.

Charlotte Jacobs, Robert Zemsky, and Jonathan Zimmerman appeared on “The Teacher’s Forum,” “College Knowledge,” and “The Re-Educated Podcast,” respectively, to discuss some of the biggest issues in education.

Alan Ruby says that Chinese universities are climbing global rankings while many U.S. institutions slip, reflecting broader shifts in investment, research capacity, and international engagement that are reshaping the global higher education landscape.

Karen Weaver says that as Pennsylvania schools, including Temple, Villanova, and Penn State, begin directly paying athletes under new revenue-sharing rules following federal class-action settlements, questions are emerging about how institutions will fund payments and whether equity concerns could prompt future legal challenges.

In The Chronicle of Higher Education, Karen Weaver says that colleges are increasingly using bowl-game advertising to highlight institutional impact and public value, leveraging the large sports audience to shift the narrative about higher education beyond athletics to community and research contributions.

The EBPC, considered the most prestigious and well-funded education business plan competition, invites education and edtech innovators from around the globe to apply.

John Fantuzzo and Leland McGee describe how a conflict resolution program at SCI Chester brings incarcerated people across generations together to build trust, strengthen communication, and support rehabilitation, showing how education rooted in respect can foster safer communities and more successful reentry.

Penn GSE is leading this new era of technological innovation by launching new degree programs, hiring expert faculty, collaborating with school districts on professional development, and conducting vanguard AI-focused research.

Janine Remillard highlights efforts to narrow the gender gap in STEM education, noting that teachers are encouraged to engage more female students in STEM through hands-on activities, practical lessons, and extracurricular programs to boost confidence and support long-term participation in science and math fields.

Karen Weaver says that the rise of the transfer portal is reshaping college sports as athletes like Luke Baklenko make strategic decisions about their careers, weighing playing opportunities, development, and long-term goals.

Eight Penn GSE faculty feature prominently in the rankings—including at Number 1—celebrating the most influential education researchers in the nation.

In USA Today, Michael Gottfried says that student homelessness has become a nationwide crisis impacting more than one million students, with far-reaching consequences for learning, academic progress, and long-term student success.

In WHYY-AM, Jen McLaughlin Cahill reflects on the enduring impact of A Wrinkle in Time, showing how the beloved novel—and the Arden Theatre’s stage adaptation—serves as both a mirror and a window for young audiences by inviting them into imaginative worlds and fostering empathy through storytelling.

Karen Weaver says that with up to 25 Michigan football players considering opting out of their bowl game and the transfer portal looming, athletes are acting like rational economic agents, weighing their human capital and future earning potential amid shifting market dynamics in college sports.