Who Benefits From Student Cellphone Bans?
October 23, 2026 | 9 to 10 a.m. | Virtual
With Dr. Adam McCready, Associate Professor-In-Residence, UConn Neag School of Education
Relying on findings from a three-year mixed-methods study on middle school students' digital media use and in-school cellphone policies, Dr. McCready will provide insights about the strengths and drawbacks of bell-to-bell cellphone bans and recommendations for practice and policy. He will also address the relationship between student digital media use and well-being.
Sheff at 30: Where Do We Stand?
November 13, 2026 | 9 to 10 a.m. | Virtual
With Dr. Casey Cobb, Neag Endowed Professor in Educational Policy
Dr. Cobb will provide a brief history of Sheff v. O'Neill, then turn to where the desegregation program stands today — how Open Choice and the interdistrict magnet schools work, and what it takes to keep them going. Drawing on his studies of why families decline seats, why students leave, and how transportation shapes access, he will lay out the trade-offs of desegregating through voluntary school choice, discuss policy implementation challenges, and consider the implications for the future of school choice in Connecticut.
Strengthening Mathematics Education Through Math Teacher Leadership
January 11, 2027 | 9 to 10 a.m. | Virtual
With Dr. Megan Staples, Associate Professor, UConn Neag School of Education
Math teacher leadership is critical to advancing a stronger, more equitable mathematics education in Connecticut, yet it remains a largely untapped resource. Districts can strengthen instruction and mathematics programming by fostering math teacher leadership, providing experienced math teachers with opportunities to lead and expand their impact without leaving the classroom. In this session, Dr. Megan Staples highlights key findings from the research literature on teacher leadership and shares successes from the CT Noyce Math Teacher Leader (MTL) program, an NSF-funded professional learning and service program for experienced math teachers.