YEAR END NEWSLETTER | FINISH STRONG. REFLECT DEPPER. PLAN AHEAD
Educators, School Leaders, and District Partners,
As the school year winds down, we know you're balancing a hundred things at once—from closing out grades and programs to making sure every student crosses the finish line feeling seen and supported. Before the final bell rings, we wanted to pause and simply say: thank you.
You’ve shown up—again and again—for students who count on you, for teams working toward equity, and for families navigating change. At LEDbetter, we’re proud to be in this work with you, and we’re here to help you reflect on this year, celebrate progress, and plan intentionally for what comes next.
This brief update includes end-of-year reflections, educator stories, actionable resources, and a sneak peek at what we’re launching next to support you and your students.
From the LEDbetter Blog: Real Educators, Real Strategies
Our LEDbetter Blog is your hub for year-end reflections, forward-looking ideas, and grounded educator perspectives. The Educator Spotlight series features voices from classrooms and leadership teams reflecting on what they’ve learned—and what’s next.
Each Spotlight includes linked Best Practices, strategy recommendations, and resource supports aligned to the themes discussed—whether it’s centering multilingual learners, supporting students facing housing instability, or rethinking SEL integration.
Coming soon: We’re launching a Student Voice series to elevate the lived experiences and insights of students navigating today's school systems. Stay tuned.
Best Practice Series: What’s Worth Keeping—and Scaling
Our evidence-informed content series focuses on the populations and practices that often fall through the cracks. If you’re developing PD or program design for summer or next year, don’t miss:
ENL & Multilingual Learners: Translanguaging, visual scaffolds, home language integration, and culturally responsive teaching
Students Experiencing Homelessness: Enrollment guidance, whole-child supports, McKinney-Vento compliance, and interagency collaboration
Social-Emotional Learning: Everyday SEL routines, co-regulation techniques, and equity-driven behavior management
Belonging: Strategies to embed inclusion into classroom culture, build trust, and celebrate student identity beyond one-time events
These resources are built for practitioners—concise, classroom-ready, and aligned to your equity goals.
Reintroducing Our “Week in Review” Education News Digest
Beginning in the fall, LEDbetter will re-launch our Week in Review feature—a brief, curated round-up of the most relevant K–12 education news from across the country. From funding shifts and Title I updates to NYC-specific ENL policies and federal education guidance, our goal is to keep you informed without being overwhelmed.
How We Support You: Programs Built for Real Schools
As you wrap up this year and look toward 2025-26, LEDbetter offers a suite of supports built around your priorities, your staff capacity, and your students’ needs:
ENL Consortium
For schools seeking more than compliance, our Consortium builds capacity through:
Live monthly focus areas with strategy rollouts
Coaching (individual or team-based) with real-time feedback
Templates and planning tools aligned to ENL outcomes, walk-throughs, and instructional rigor
Community learning alongside other schools committed to multilingual learner success
empowerED e-Learning
Self-paced, job-embedded, clock-hour-eligible professional learning on:
Inclusive and culturally responsive instruction
SEL and trauma-informed practices
Supporting ENL, SPED, and homeless populations in general education classrooms
Great for summer PD or year-round flex training that actually sticks.
New! Science of Reading Series (Summer/Fall 2025)
This robust 20-part course sequence provides a comprehensive look at SoR and its intersection with equity:
Foundations: Introduction to SoR, research-based practices, and the “Big 6” skills
Integration: Culturally Responsive Teaching, SEL, restorative practices, and MTS
Application: Literacy development from PreK through secondary, including writing and advanced skills for linguistically diverse students
Each module will include downloadable resources, strategy templates, and links to implementation tools—ideal for summer PD or coaching-aligned reflection and planning.
Excelerator Coaching
Site-based support for leaders and frontline staff. We provide:
Custom coaching aligned to local goals
Leadership development and capacity building
Support to design and deliver your own PD sessions, with slide decks, facilitation notes, and modeling
CTLE-Eligible Programming (Pending Full Approval)
We’re currently under NYSED review as a CTLE provider. In the meantime, we’re issuing temporary certification for all empowerED and Consortium-aligned trainings. Full status updates will be shared soon.
Thank you for another year of tireless work, courageous learning, and student-centered leadership. We’re proud to walk alongside you—and we look forward to supporting your journey into a stronger 2025–26.
With respect and in partnership,
The LEDbetter Team
www.led-better.org
