by Carol A. Josel | Jan 15, 2013 | Making Education News
The federal government spends about $750 million a year to educate English-language learners who now account for 10% of all our students. On the TIMSS, nearly 50% of 8th graders in South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan scored at the advanced level in math vs. 7% of...
by Carol A. Josel | Jan 10, 2013 | Making Education News
Last year, nearly 50% of our schools failed to make Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind Act. Standardized testing regimens cost states $1.7 billion a year–or .25% of total K-12 spending. A recent Gates Foundation report of more than...
by Carol A. Josel | Dec 21, 2012 | Making Education News
A Chicago policy requiring 9th graders to double-up on algebra has resulted in a 17% improvement in graduation rates when combined with those who graduated in 4 or 5 years. Newark’s highly praised new contract includes a pay-for-performance component allowing...
by Carol A. Josel | Dec 13, 2012 | Making Education News
All but Alaska, Texas, and Virginia have adopted the Common Core Standards, which are being taught in English/language arts, math, and literacy in science, history, social studies, and technical subjects. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and...
by Carol A. Josel | Dec 11, 2012 | Making Education News
To comply with such existing federal programs as School Improvement Grants, more than 30 states have changed statutes to require principal evaluations based in “significant part” on standardized test scores. Says the Pew Research Center, for the first...
by Carol A. Josel | Dec 6, 2012 | Making Education News
Turns out districts applying for the latest Race to the Top grant competition will, in many cases, spend more applying than they’d receive if they win–sometimes nine times more. A Time and Carnegie Corporation poll of 1,000 adults found that 80% believe...
