What we're reading this week: June 13, 2024
The Education GadflyPandemic-era school closures explain only one-fifth of the rise in chronic absenteeism. —David Wallace-Wells, New York Times Education reform is challenging because it’s unclear what “better schools” or “challenge the teachers unions” even means.
Measuring the long game in education
Matt GandalEditor’s note: This was first published by Forbes.
#924: How presidents polarize education debates, with David Houston
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, David Houston, an assistant professor at George Mason University, joins Mike
If we can’t get rid of bad teachers, then what?
Tom CoyneIn his recent column “Let’s Talk About Bad Teachers,” Michael Petrilli fearlessly seized the third rail of U.S. K–12 education.
One new idea, and two old ones, for moving beyond age-based grouping of students
Michael J. PetrilliA child’s age is only a crude proxy for their academic readiness, yet it’s the primary means by which we group children in school. More age variety in classrooms could allow for greater academic consistency; grade retention and grade acceleration could help us get there. So too could a new idea from Petrilli: transitional kindergarten–5.
Finding the sweet spot on accountability
Dale ChuFor thirty years, most education reformers have hung their hats on test-based accountability. Let's kick the tail of traditional public schools on standardized tests, as the thinking goes, and much else will take care of itself.
Further adventures in teacher-evaluation reform
Charles BaroneIn April, Tim Daly penned an incisive three-part series on the trials and tribulations of teacher evaluation reforms.
What we're reading this week: June 6, 2024
The Education GadflyThe nation’s graduation rate rebounded after a Covid-era slump. —K12 Dive Major reforms make for splashy headlines, but small, incremental policies win achieve lasting improvements.
#923: Debating school funding inequities, with Alex Spurrier
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Alex Spurrier, an associate partner at Bellwether, joins Mike and David to discuss w
How “Young Sheldon” provided insight into parenting bright children
Jonathan PluckerEditor’s note: This was first published by Education Next.
The campaign for knowledge-rich curricula is winning
Barbara DavidsonThe drumbeat for a more nuanced treatment of the Science of Reading got louder last week with a hard-hitting new Fordham Institute monograph, Think Again: Should Elementary Schools Teach Reading Comprehension? In it, author Daniel Buck chronicles the recent history
Five things we learned this school year
Tim DalyWhile 2023-24 had the usual ups and downs, on balance, American education seemed to bend towards normality: chronic absenteeism is improving, standardized testing is making a comeback, and phonics has finally won. There’s reason for optimism, but education reformers must be wary of making obvious, if appealing, errors.
Are poor schools underfunded? It's more complex than you'd think.
Emma CampOne of the most persistent myths in K–12 education is the idea that high-poverty schools are near-universally, significantly underfunded. However, the truth is much more complicated. As it turns out, poor districts get more money in almost every state—and school spending has an incredibly weak relationship with school quality in the first place.
America’s education system is a mess, and it’s students who are paying the price
David Steiner“Math and reading scores for 13-year-olds have hit their lowest scores in decades.” When the recent NAEP long-term trend results for 13-year-olds were published, the
This Maryland “Grow Your Own” teacher program may be a win-win-win
Meredith Coffey, Ph.D.In the effort to expand and diversify the teacher pipeline, states and districts have invested millions in actively recruiting and training teachers from local communities.
What we're reading this week: May 30, 2024
The Education GadflyFalling enrollment thanks to demographic trends means that many districts will soon have to make hard decisions about school closures.
#922: Redesigning high school diplomas, with Dr. Katie Jenner
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Dr.
What makes Britain’s most successful school tick: An interview with Headmistress Katharine Birbalsingh
Daniel BuckIn 2010, Katharine Birbalsingh gave a speech at Britain’s Conservative Party conference, after which the school where she was employed asked her not to return. She eventually established her own school, which now regularly boasts the highest growth scores of any K–12 educational institution in England. Buck recently spoke with her about her school's success.
Blaming charters for segregation is dumb
Chris StewartEditor’s note: This was first published on the author’s Substack, “citizen stewart,” which covers race, education, and democracy.
Recent teacher survey indicates morale crisis among educators
Alli Aldis, Colyn RitterEditor’s note: This was first published by EdChoice.
What we're reading this week: May 23, 2024
The Education GadflyGrades continue to rise even as attendance rates and test scores drop. —Wall Street Journal Some 300 “segregation academics,” private schools founded after Brown v. Board of Education to educate white children, still exist in the South today.
#921: Rethinking reading comprehension instruction, with Daniel Buck
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show podcast, Daniel Buck, Fordham’s policy and editorial associate, joins Mike and David
Think Again: Should Elementary Schools Teach Reading Comprehension?
Daniel BuckReading comprehension depends on the acquisition of decoding, vocabulary, and knowledge, not “comprehension skills” as such. Yet the instructional practices and curricula that are the foundation for many English classrooms assume otherwise.
Actually, teacher evaluation reform was good—when it happened.
Kevin HuffmanTim Daly, a friend with whom I usually and enthusiastically agree, recently published a three-part series autopsying the teacher-evaluation reforms of the 2010’s.
We need more automatic enrollment for advanced courses
Sarah R. Morris, Ph.D.According to national data, children from low-income families and students of color do not have the same access to advanced courses as their more advantaged peers.
How a parent movement could revolutionize education
Daniel BuckIn his new book, “The Parent Revolution,” school choice advocate Corey DeAngelis explains the notable plummet in the public’s trust of public education, especially in the past five years. By his telling, school choice is the answer to all that ails us. But he’s likely overselling its healing powers.