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Cheers and Jeers: February 13, 2025

The Education Gadfly
2.13.2025
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Cheers

  • A districtwide cellphone ban in Massachusetts led to a 75 percent drop in student discipline referrals, mirroring nationwide trends where schools report improved engagement and stronger classroom dynamics after restricting cellphone use. —EdWeek
  • Louisiana performed remarkably well on recent NAEP results by emphasizing the science of reading, ending social promotion, and expanding school choice options. —The New York Post
  • The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page applauds recent state actions to launch education savings accounts, while acknowledging that “school choice alone won’t rescue America’s failing K-12 education system.”—The Wall Street Journal
  • When looking to address NAEP score declines, educators and policymakers should take a steady, evidence-based approach that includes adopting the Science of Reading, improving teacher preparation, and addressing chronic absenteeism. —Angélica Infante-Green, Education Week

Jeers

  • A looming Chicago teachers' strike underscores the financial crisis in the city’s school district, as the union demands higher wages and staffing despite a massive deficit, internal dissent, and the risk of state intervention. —RealClearInvestigations
  • Author Rebecca Haw Allensworth’s new book, The Licensing Racket, exposes how occupational licensing boards prioritize protecting their own members over consumers and impede upward mobility. —The Wall Street Journal
  • As students fall further behind, states quietly mask the crisis by lowering standards and giving parents the illusion of progress while learners are left unprepared. —Frannie Block, The Free Press
  • Emily Finley argues that the crisis of youth anxiety doesn’t just stem from technology; it’s the result of unrealistic dreams fueled by today’s culture of instant gratification rather than the wisdom found in classic books and music. —The Wall Street Journal
Tags: Chicago Louisiana Massachusetts Mathematics National Assessment of Educational Progress Reading
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