Commentary
Teach For America’s 2015 national principal survey
Principals generally like core members, but there are some sore spots. David Griffith
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Commentary
Granite State of mind
New Hampshire’s alternative assessments. A peek under the PARCC and SBAC hood. And LAUSD’s ticking fiscal time bomb.
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Charter Schools
No, Hillary, public schools do not "take everybody"
Uncomfortable questions about school discipline, suspension, and expulsion Robert Pondiscio
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Curriculum & Instruction
Don't mess with NAEP now!
Remember that past changes were controversial and probably unwise. Do not stir this pot again now. Chester E. Finn, Jr.
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Charter Schools
Charters are much more than district R&D
When Hillary Clinton recently told an audience that the purpose of charter schooling is to “learn what works and then apply (it) in the public schools,” she made the obvious mistake of implying that cha
Commentary
Six headlines from 2015 NAEP TUDA
I spent a few hours digging into the recently released 2015 NAEP TUDA data. The results didn’t get much media coverage. That’s a shame because these are the best assessments for understanding student performance in (and comparing the results of) America’s biggest urban districts.
Commentary
A different kind of lesson from Finland
Finland has been lauded for years as this planet's grand K-12 education success story, deserving of study and emulation by other nations. The buzz began with its impressive Program for International Student Assessment results in 2000, which stayed strong through 2006.
Commentary
Denver area school board elections: Five lessons in education politics
Editor's note: On Tuesday, November 3, Denver and its surrounding suburbs held school board elections. What follows are five takeaways from Van Schoales and his colleagues at A+ Denver, a local education reform organization that aims to harness civil leadership to increase student achievement in the area.
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Charter Schools, Governance
Is Detente Possible? District-charter school relations in four cities
Whether you think the end game of the current “mixed economy” of district and charter schools should be an all-charter system (as in New Orleans) or a dual model (as in Washington D.C.), for the foreseeable future most cities are likely to continue with a blend of these two sectors. So we wanted to know: Can they peacefully co-exist? Can they do better than that?
Commentary
Charter Schools
Is detente possible? District-charter school relations
Collaboration tends to be fairly shallow, but it’s still worthwhile. Amber M. Northern, Ph.D. and Michael J. Petrilli
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Aligning K-12 and postsecondary career pathways with workforce needs
State efforts are uneven, but some are on the right track. Stephan Shehy
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Teachers and financial incentives: Structure matters
There’s a glaring weakness in merit pay systems, but we can strengthen them. Damien Schuster
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Charter Schools
Virtual charter school students are not learning nearly enough
CREDO’s latest charter school study paints a grim portrait of America’s e-schools. Chad Aldis and Jamie Davies O’Leary
Commentary
Charter Schools, Curriculum & Instruction
Doing the right thing
Pell grants for dual college enrollment and Nevada’s early returns on education savings accounts.
Commentary
Disruptive students hurt strivers most
Create orderly, challenging environments where high-achieving but disadvantaged students can learn. Michael J. Petrilli
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Germany is leaving its bright students behind
In The Atlantic this week, Carly Berwick praised Germany for raising its nationwide test scores while simultaneously reducing educational inequality. That’s no small feat—and one well worthy of recognition and accolades.
Commentary
The Race-to-the-Top mindset
Editor's note: This post is the second entry of a three-part series on Race to the Top's legacy and the federal role in education. You can read the first entry here and the final entry here.
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New York City is failing its bright poor students
New York is leaving too many gifted children behind. Scads of K–3 students in low-income neighborhoods aren’t even taking entrance exams for gifted programs. Four of the city’s 32 school districts don’t even have programs for gifted students, and many that do aren’t getting the word out.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
The problem isn't testing, it's short-term thinking
Last week, in the wake of President Obama’s pledge to reduce the amount of time students spend taking tests, my colleagues Robert Pondiscio and Michael Petrilli weighed in with dueling stances on the current state of testing and accountability in America’s schools. Both made valid points, but neither got it exactly right, so let me add a few points to the conversation.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
Pell grants should go (only) to needy students who are ready for college
What if federal aid for college students were focused exclusively on those who are truly ready for college? What if we stopped subsidizing remedial courses on campuses and insisted that students pursuing higher learning be prepared for college-level courses (none too strenuous nowadays in many places)?
Undefined
Accountability & Testing
The NAEP is falling edition
Petrilli and Pondiscio discuss the fallen NAEP scores, debate the meaning of Obama’s pledge to reduce testing, and ponder school dress codes. Amber takes a look at NAEP’s alignment with Common Core math.
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Common Core's alignment with the 2015 NAEP math assessment
Alignment is close, but some variations exist. Amber M. Northern, Ph.D.
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Charter Schools
Public charter schools must become even more innovative
Otherwise, we may end up with two struggling school systems
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Promises and pitfalls of using NAEP data to assess states’ roles in student achievement
A fascinating contribution that makes the sin of misNAEPery slightly harder to commit. Or abide. Robert Pondiscio
Commentary
The lost boys
More trouble for young males. And three cheers for Delaware’s approach to evaluating its education schools.
Commentary
Curriculum & Instruction
President Obama's meaningless pledge to reduce school tests
The time spent testing isn’t the issue; the problem is the sky-high stakes attached. Robert Pondiscio
Commentary
Charter Schools
CREDO’s latest findings: Virtual charter school students are not learning nearly enough
Dismal news for Ohio policymakers, pundits, taxpayers, and school choice advocates
Commentary
Heartbreak on NAEP
As disappointing as these results are, let’s not jump to conclusions. Michael J. Petrilli
Commentary
The administration wants it both ways on testing
It wants fewer tests but isn’t willing to give up on test-based teacher evaluations. Michael J. Petrilli
