States blazing the trail towards mastery instead of seat time

In his March 30 Flypaper piece, “Rewrite attendance laws to promote learning, not seat time,” Chester Finn makes the case for reorienting school around student achievement rather than time spent in class.

Can we have both school choice and shared institutions?

If we put all our education hopes in markets, self-interest, competition, and “invisible hands,” will that contribute to the other fissiparous forces that are weakening the valuable shared assets we inherited from earlier generations? Recent surveys certainly suggest that mounting public support for school choice is coinciding with diminishing confidence in shared institutions and public values of all kinds, including patriotism itself.

Third grade reading retention is right

In 2022, seventeen states mandated that schools hold back students who aren’t meeting reading standards by the end of third grade, and eight others allowed it.

Progressive schools aren’t the problem

I read with interest Daniel Buck’s recent piece, “The agonizing individualism of progressive education.” In his view, progressive schools fail to uphold communitarian values by overemphasizing individualism.

How the switch from paper to computer tests impacts student achievement

Despite the expansion of computer-based testing in schools over the last decade—and ongoing concerns about negative impacts

More accurate identification of low-performing schools through math

As school accountability systems reset following pandemic disruptions, an opportunity arises to improve their accuracy and make sure the intended responses to data resulting from them are properly tuned. A new study from the U.S.

Cheers and Jeers: April 6, 2023

Cheers “We are in the midst of another national argument about schools. But, as usual, the squabbles do little good for children who need to learn.” —Jay Mathews Jeers

What we're reading this week: April 6, 2023

A majority of Americans don’t believe a college degree is worth the cost. Economist Bryan Caplan agrees and thinks college is worthwhile for only “A” students in high school (and “B” students if they pursue certain majors).

The wonderful but weighty challenges of parenting a gifted child

Until my oldest child entered elementary school last fall, I was blissfully ignorant about giftedness and the extent to which it colors and affects a young child’s educational experience. My husband and I have always been amazed at our son’s busy brain and body, as well as exhausted by his limitless energy, boundless curiosity, and never-ending questions.

Yes, good schools matter for low-income kids

As someone who’s had firsthand experience in the ups and downs of the education reform movement, I agree with Matthew Yglesias calling it a “strange death.” Reformers did over-promise, and they did fail at scaling up once-promising ideas.

The federal government is underinvesting in education research

In some circles, education research has a bad reputation.

Fordham Institute congratulates Chester E. Finn, Jr. on his appointment as Ohio state superintendent

Teachers union completes recovery of pro-charter spy balloon

Manhunt ends after think-tank bigwig found in state of partial undress

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cancels Checker Finn over Advanced Placement book

Who wore it better, Mike or Harry?

(1)

Could bringing baseball’s pitch clock into the classroom boost efficiency?

Putting the “economics” back into home ec

Lizzo is rewriting social-emotional lyrics

HÆIR

Miguel Cardona to step down, joins the cast of CBS’s Ghosts

George Santos resigns to return to his roots as a guidance counselor

AP course on creationism banned in California

Rewrite attendance laws to promote learning, not seat time

Two depressing developments of the past couple years have given birth to a radical idea: Let’s rethink state “compulsory attendance” laws so that they’re phrased in terms of kids learning rather than years in school. First is evidence that lots of students who need it don’t avail themselves of high-dose tutoring when available. Second is the growing number of districts and schools that are moving to four-day weeks.

The agonizing individualism of progressive education

Perhaps my favorite moment teaching this year came as my class finished reading Of Mice and Men. In the final moments of the story, one character executes his friend to save him from a far worse fate. It’s sudden and thus shocking. I set them to read this final scene silently. The faster readers finished first. I watched eyes widen and flit faster from word to word.

Secretary Cardona asked states to “raise the bar.” New York responded by lowering it.

This school year was supposed to mark the beginning of the comeback. Largely free from pandemic-related disruptions and with coffers flush with Uncle Sam’s Covid cash, states could finally turn their attention toward clawing back what students have lost.

High schoolers don’t graduate with the learning habits to succeed in college

Much of my work as a kindergarten teacher was teaching young children how to be students. Even the routine for “circle time” on the carpet required days, if not weeks, of explicit practice. Making eye contact, waiting one’s turn to speak, and ignoring distractions are skills so basic that it’s easy to forget that they don’t come naturally to many kids.

Cheers and Jeers: March 30, 2023

Cheers