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Why Are Teachers Facing Greater Challenges in Getting Students to Grade Level? New NWEA Study Explains

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Findings show post-COVID classrooms have more students off-track and further below grade-level proficiency

BOSTON, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A new NWEA study finds that the spread of achievement in the classroom is wide. What’s more concerning is that after the pandemic, more students are off-track and further below grade-level proficiency, making instruction significantly more challenging for teachers.

NWEA, a K-12 assessment and research organization, released today a new research report examining academic diversity — the share of students who are on- and off-track for grade-level proficiency — in post-COVID elementary classrooms. The findings highlight how instruction is more challenging today because more students are further away from the end-of-year target to reach grade-level proficiency. Using MAP Growth and classroom roster data for upper elementary grades from about 6,000 U.S. schools, the report takes an in-depth look at classroom composition and distance to proficiency, and finds:

Before the pandemic, classrooms were academically diverse, with students spanning a wide range of achievement levels. This remains true after the pandemic.However, slightly more students are now off-track, and those students are further from grade-level proficiency, increasing the instructional demands to accelerate learning.

“This report reflects what teachers are telling us: getting an entire classroom to grade-level proficiency is becoming increasingly difficult,” said Dr. Megan Kuhfeld, Director of Growth Modeling and Analytics at NWEA. “With more students starting further behind, teachers must help many achieve nearly three times the typical annual academic growth — a herculean task.”

The report suggests that intervention and support efforts solely focused on returning to pre-pandemic ways of teaching may not be enough. More students now require accelerated growth. Today’s teachers need strong support that reflects this reality, including professional learning and teacher preparation programs that have evolved to match this shift.

“This new research report shows why meeting the needs of every student in a classroom feels so hard right now for teachers,” said Jenna Talos, former teacher and current instructional coach at NWEA. “With more students further from grade-level proficiency, teachers must leverage every single minute of a day to grouping students flexibly, choosing the right scaffolds, checking for understanding, and adjusting in real time to drive the needed academic growth.”

She also noted that district leaders can support teachers in three specific ways:

Building schedules that protect time for small-group instruction and collaborative planningProvide practical, job-embedded professional learning that helps teachers rehearse and refine those moves using their own curriculumUse interim data in simple routines to check progress and adjust instruction along the way.

Read the full report: https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/academically-diverse-classrooms-deeper-needs-what-teachers-face-after-the-pandemic/

About NWEA

NWEA®, a division of HMH, supports educators worldwide by providing responsive, evidence-based assessment solutions that illuminate learning needs and fuel student growth. For more than 40 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K–12 assessments, including its flagship assessment – MAP Growth, and professional learning that helps educators strengthen their practice and improve student outcomes. As part of its commitment to bring valuable insights to the education community, NWEA engages in research that examines issues that shed light on inequities and other barriers to academic opportunities. Visit NWEA.org to find out how NWEA partners to help all kids learn.

Contact: Simona Beattie, Communications Director, simona.beattie@nwea.org or 971.361.9526

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/why-are-teachers-facing-greater-challenges-in-getting-students-to-grade-level-new-nwea-study-explains-302754815.html

SOURCE NWEA

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Data4Life and Monash Health Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Clinical Research

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Data4Life and Monash Health have partnered to optimize clinical trial design and execution, complemented by educational workshops and professional training programs, with a shared commitment to improving patient outcomes.

– Picture is available at AP –

MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Monash Health, the largest public health service in Victoria, Australia, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Data4Life, an international nonprofit digital health organization funded by the Hasso Plattner Foundation. The announcement was made by Associate Professor Tam C. Nguyen, Director of Research & Innovation, Monash Health and Tim Walz, Chief of Staff, Data4Life, at the Launch of the Monash Health Global Relations Office, with Monash Health Chief Executive Prof. Eugine Yafele and Global Victoria CEO, Danni Jarrett in attendance.

The Global Relations Office is a new site launched at Monash Health to strengthen international health partnerships, building alliances with leading international hospitals, universities, and health organisations for research, training, and knowledge exchange.

Under the MoU, Monash Health will support the alliance’s clinical trials through optimized trial timelines and patient enrolment, helping to achieve fast and effective subject recruitment. Data4Life will streamline clinical trial processes, collaborate on patient recruitment activities, and support the secondary use and standardisation of health data through open science and common data models, alongside professional training in Good Clinical Practice (GCP), study conduct, and other areas of clinical research.

Monash Health provides care for 1.2 million residents through 250 integrated services delivered across more than 40 locations and communities in southeast Melbourne, including statewide tertiary support for complex women’s, neonatal, and paediatric care. Its research portfolio comprises 1,600 active studies, including 600 FIH and phase 2 trials and observational studies. Monash Health also operates two paediatric and two adult clinical trial centres, supported by two ethics committees/IRBs covering both paediatric and adult studies.

”Monash Health is an institution that brings exceptional clinical depth. With over 175 years of experience and decades of longitudinal records, it is a world-leading partner for such a collaboration. Data4Life is committed to providing Monash Health’s teams with the tools and expertise required to perform federated studies, cross-border comparisons, and reproducible real-world evidence as efficiently as possible.”- Dr. Ben M.W. Illigens, CEO, Data4Life

The collaboration brings together Monash Health’s clinical research expertise with Data4Life’s scientific and technical expertise and open-source software platforms, D4L Collect and Data2Evidence, built on HL7® FHIR® and the OMOP Common Data Model, respectively.

D4L Collect is a platform for collecting prospective, multimodal health data in clinical and epidemiological studies through a secure researcher workspace and participant mobile app. It supports patient-reported outcomes (PROs), questionnaires, wearable and sensor data, and other health data in HL7® FHIR® format. D4L Collect workflows are designed to support decentralized data collection, conforming with GCP and ICH E6(R3) requirements.

Data2Evidence is an integrated Real-World Data (RWD) platform, designed for standardization and analysis of healthcare data, and reproducible Real-World Evidence (RWE) generation. It combines ETL mapping, quality assessment, cohort definition, OHDSI analytics, secure governance, and supporting federated studies in one platform, reducing manual processes and time to evidence.

Beyond clinical trials, both organizations will expand their collaboration through knowledge exchange, workshops, training programmes, and other joint initiatives. Tim Walz has been invited to Monash Health’s Research and Innovation Week 2026 (7–11 September), where he will discuss the collaboration’s progress to date and the strategy ahead.

About Data4Life

Data4Life develops open-source clinical research software built on internationally recognized standards, including FHIR and OMOP CDM. Funded by the Hasso Plattner Foundation, we operate under nonprofit governance, serving researchers, healthcare organizations, life sciences companies, and regulators with the digital tools required for fit-for-purpose real-world data and real-world evidence generation.

Designed to support multicenter studies and decentralized data collection, our integrated software ecosystem streamlines the secondary use of health data, from prospective multimodal data collection and standardization to reproducible data quality assessment and data analysis.

Our federated approach enables collaboration across distributed data sources while preserving patient privacy and data sovereignty as well as supporting security, governance, and regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.

We’re headquartered in Potsdam, with offices in Berlin and Singapore, and partner with leading academic and healthcare institutions including Mount Sinai, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and the Hasso Plattner Institute.

As co-lead of OHDSI Germany, Data4Life contributes open-source software and technical expertise, supports OMOP CDM adoption, and participates in network studies and collaborative research across borders.

Data4Life will co-host the OHDSI Europe Symposium 2028 in Germany with our OHDSI Germany partners, bringing together researchers, healthcare organizations, regulators, and industry from across the globe for three days of scientific exchange in observational health research.

www.data4life.care

Press Contact:
Aishani Rajarai
Marketing & Communications
Email: media@data4life.care

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/data4life-and-monash-health-announce-strategic-collaboration-to-advance-clinical-research-302863119.html

SOURCE D4L data4life gGmbH

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PG&E Statement on Senate Bill 492

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OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today released a statement on Senate Bill 492.

“On Saturday, the California Legislature amended Senate Bill 492 to address the state’s wildfire risk reduction and recovery framework.

While the proposed legislation would make some progress in helping wildfire survivors recover and strengthening wildfire preparedness, it would not provide the sustainable solution California needs.

Specifically, the bill does not adequately address the financing risks created by California’s current wildfire liability framework. As a result, it falls short of creating the long-term durability needed to attract affordable investment to support a safer, more reliable energy system and help keep costs down for customers.

The California Earthquake Authority’s April report found, among other conclusions, that existing funding mechanisms are not sufficient. PG&E believes that SB 492 does not adequately address these concerns.

California still needs a durable solution that supports wildfire survivors, maintains strong safety incentives, reduces wildfire risk, and enables the affordable investment needed to serve customers and communities safely and reliably.”

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news  

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pge-statement-on-senate-bill-492-302864453.html

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company

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My Employment Options (MEO) Empowers SSI/SSDI Beneficiaries to Achieve Career Independence Through Expert Ticket to Work Services

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Empowering SSI/SSDI Beneficiaries

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — My Employment Options (MEO), a nationally recognized authorized Social Security Administration (SSA) Employment Network (EN), is reinforcing its commitment to empowering individuals with disabilities to secure gainful employment and financial independence. Since 1993, MEO has dedicated itself to bridging the gap between individuals receiving SSI/SSDI disability benefits and career opportunities, leveraging the Ticket to Work (TTW) Program to transform lives through employment.

“Our mission has always been to focus on our clients’ abilities, not their disabilities.”

With over two decades of experience, MEO has established itself as a pioneer in remote workforce integration. Having specialized in work-from-home placements since 2003, MEO provides a robust, nationwide platform that enables job seekers in 48 states and D.C. to access career paths regardless of their location.

“Our mission has always been to focus on our clients’ abilities, not their disabilities,” said Paula Vieillet, Founder and CEO of My Employment Options. “By combining deep expertise in the Ticket to Work Program with a compassionate, retention-focused approach, we help our clients not only find a job but build a sustainable career that provides financial security and professional growth.” We also pride ourselves on putting human interaction at the center of career development. By treating every client as an individual with unique abilities, goals and challenges, MEO’s employment counselors, benefit and retention specialists can guide individuals through the complexities of benefits and employment.

A Holistic Approach to Employment

MEO distinguishes itself through a comprehensive support system that extends far beyond initial job placement. Recognizing that the path to career stability is continuous, MEO offers a dedicated long-term retention program that includes:

Expert Career Counseling: Assistance with identifying career paths and navigating professional transitions.Benefits Counseling: Guidance provided by a Certified Work Incentive Coordinator (CPWIC) to help clients understand how working affects their SSI/SSDI benefits.Accommodations Advocacy: Supporting clients in requesting and negotiating necessary workplace accommodations.Retention Support: Regular check-ins, disaster outreach and recovery assistance, and access to a rewards program, ensuring clients have the ongoing support needed to thrive in their roles.

Commitment to the Industry

The MEO team is proud to announce its upcoming participation in the National Employment Network Association (NENA) conference, taking place in D.C. August 31 – September 2, 2026. This event serves as a vital venue for networking with peers, engaging with SSA representatives, and sharing best practices to further improve the efficacy of the Ticket to Work Program nationwide.

About My Employment Options (MEO)

My Employment Options is a nationally recognized authorized Social Security Administration (SSA) Employment Network. With a track record of over 4,500 placements in the last five years, MEO specializes in assisting SSI and SSDI beneficiaries in finding meaningful and suitable work-at-home and community-based positions. By partnering with quality employers and maintaining a focus on individual employability and professional growth, MEO continues to be a driving force in national workforce development.

For more information about My Employment Options, please visit www.myemploymentoptions.com.

Media Contact

Lori Adler, My Employment Options (MEO), 1 800-441-3114, ladler@myemploymentoptions.com, https://myemploymentoptions.com/

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/my-employment-options-meo-empowers-ssissdi-beneficiaries-to-achieve-career-independence-through-expert-ticket-to-work-services-302863155.html

SOURCE My Employment Options (MEO)

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