Welcome to Playground Post, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps education innovators ahead of what’s next.

Here’s what we have on deck for today…

1. Student choice improves reading levels

2. School creates jewelry pathway to 5400+ jobs

3. Multiple success paths boost student achievement

Are You Ready to Judge Education's Hottest $50K Pitch Battle?

Every week, education's boldest innovators step into the ring at Pitch Playground podcast. 

The prize? $50,000 to turn their breakthrough idea into reality.

Join thousands of education innovators who tune in weekly to discover which ideas could transform tomorrow's classrooms.

Be a judge → Vote for your favorites and see if you can spot the next education unicorn before everyone else.

Student choice improves reading levels

Teachers are reigniting interest in reading by giving students the ability to choose what books they read and how they read them. Educators are helping students fall in love with reading by:

• Creating themed book clubs with options at different reading levels

• Pairing physical books with audiobooks

• Adding context throughout news articles and videos

For education innovators, there's a clear opportunity to develop platforms integrating traditional novels with audio, visuals, and supplementary materials that accommodate diverse learning styles and reading abilities.

School creates jewelry pathway to 5400+ jobs

Baldwin High School in New York launched a Future Jewelers Academy that teaches students all aspects of the jewelry business — from design to marketing.

The program started with 12 students but expects to double enrollment next year.

With 5,400 annual job openings projected in this field, the school partnered with industry groups like the Black In Jewelry Coalition to ensure real-world relevance.

"Students have been vocal about their positive experiences and have been showing up to every class," says Superintendent Shari Camhi.

The initiative highlights an opportunity to develop frameworks that help schools identify and create specialized programs based on regional workforce needs.

Multiple success paths boost student achievement

Research shows that confidence is the precursor to persistence, not the other way around.

When students believe they can succeed, they willingly tackle difficult challenges. Traditional education forces everyone onto a single path, but human learning follows jagged patterns.

• Students who excel in areas they're naturally good at build confidence that transfers to other subjects.

• Creating multiple success pathways — through projects, real-world experiences, and diverse skill recognition — helps every student find their strengths first.

The finding highlights opportunities to develop tools that help schools identify and celebrate achievements beyond traditional academic metrics.

If you enjoyed this edition of Playground Post, please share it with your friends!

We’ll be back with another edition on Tuesday. See you then!

To stay up-to-date on all things education innovation, visit us at playgroundpost.com.