From new research surrounding the downside of four-day school weeks to multiple stories about student discipline — and school discipline reform — here were our most popular articles of the month:

Teacher Appreciation: As the mother of a teen with Down syndrome, Krystal Gurganus has seen her son Landon face his share of challenges. So it came as a shock when special education teacher Hannah Land taught Landon to read this year, via Zoom. “I’ve never heard my child read before. And he’s 14 years old,” she said. “So this was in that moment when I was sitting beside him on a computer, and I hear him read an actual story for the very first time … it was mind-blowing that this teacher was able to engage my child through a screen.”

School Funding: States have until Monday to distribute $81 billion in federal relief funds to districts — two-thirds of the total for K-12 schools in the American Rescue Plan. And while the law requires districts to allocate 20 percent of their funding on learning loss, the Georgetown Edunomics Lab’s early review of spending plans shows they’re not prioritizing efforts to help students catch up, such as tutoring and extending the school year. Rather, they are using the money to fill budget gaps, hire staff and issue “thank you” bonuses to teachers.

Student Safety: Video of a Florida elementary school principal spanking a 6-year-old with a wooden paddle last month sparked national outrage and calls for her arrest. Though the district where the paddling took place prohibits corporal punishment, the state does not, and the principal was not criminally charged. The incident highlights a troubling reality across the country: Even in states and districts where corporal punishment is banned, kids are still getting hit in school.

Read the full article about how schools handled COVID-19 at The 74.