August 23, 2017
Education Week, Vol. 37, Issue 01
Teaching Profession
The Nation's Teaching Force Is Still Mostly White and Female
While a vast majority of the nation’s public school teachers are white women, the latest data from the federal staffing survey shows increasing diversity, and big differences between the teaching force at traditional and charter schools.
School Choice & Charters
Public Support for Charter Schools Plummets, Poll Finds
Support for charter schools has dropped significantly over the last year, while opposition to private-school choice programs has softened, according to a new public opinion poll from Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.
School & District Management
Are Student-Privacy Laws Getting in the Way of Education Research?
Louisiana's two-year-old law, the nation's strictest, may be complicating the work of the researchers who use student data to study schools.
Special Education
DeVos Invested More Money in 'Brain Performance' Company, Despite Weak Evidence
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently invested as much as $5.5 million in Neurocore, a company that experts say makes questionable claims based on weak scientific evidence.
Federal
Is a New English-Proficiency Test Too Hard? Educators and Experts Debate.
After scores plummeted this spring on the most-used English-proficiency test, some states are easing up on the criteria for students to exit English-learner support services. Is that the right thing to do?
Budget & Finance
Tax Breaks for Big-Box Stores Can Drain Money From Schools
Using a tactic known as "dark store theory," some corporate retailers aggressively pursue property tax breaks that can end up costing public schools and local communities hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual revenue.
College & Workforce Readiness
States Adopt STEM Seals for High School Diplomas
Colorado is the latest state to create an endorsement in science, technology, engineering, and math for students who succeed in rigorous courses in those fields. Will the new credential carry weight with colleges and employers?
Every Student Succeeds Act
Opinion
Is School Funding Fair? A Roundtable Debate
Is the United States on the right track when it comes to funding education? Five education experts and practitioners discuss.
School & District Management
What Has Betsy DeVos Actually Done After Nearly Six Months in Office?
The U.S. secretary of education is finding little traction on school choice, key personnel, or in using her megaphone to broaden the administration's K-12 audience.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Florida to Seek Waiver From Key ESSA Provisions
A draft proposal targets requirements in the federal K-12 law dealing with disadvantaged and historically underperforming students and already has drawn fierce pushback from civil rights advocates.