June 5, 2019
Education Week, Vol. 38, Issue 34
Education
Letter to the Editor
Hope for Real Reform?
To the Editor:
It was refreshing to read "The End of Education Reform," not only because many architects of failed reform efforts seem not to have done the post-mortem that Van Schoales clearly has (May 1, 2019). This is not to criticize "reformers" unnecessarily, but to remind ourselves that the responsibility for what ails the current public education system cannot be simply laid at the feet of teachers.
It was refreshing to read "The End of Education Reform," not only because many architects of failed reform efforts seem not to have done the post-mortem that Van Schoales clearly has (May 1, 2019). This is not to criticize "reformers" unnecessarily, but to remind ourselves that the responsibility for what ails the current public education system cannot be simply laid at the feet of teachers.
Education
Letter to the Editor
If You Can't Reform It, Change It
To the Editor:
Van Schoales' opinion essay, "The End of Education Reform," has done our nation a great service in declaring the end of some 60 years of ineffective changes in an education system requiring restrictive, though convenient, standardized test scores (May 1, 2019).
Van Schoales' opinion essay, "The End of Education Reform," has done our nation a great service in declaring the end of some 60 years of ineffective changes in an education system requiring restrictive, though convenient, standardized test scores (May 1, 2019).
Education
Letter to the Editor
Why Ed. Reform Fails
To the Editor:
Van Schoales' recent Commentary declared that the education reform movement as we know it is over ("The End of Education Reform," May 1, 2019). The statement itself gives us a clue as to why he makes this declaration: Neither education in the United States, nor the education reform movement, are monolithic in nature. Both are comprised of many components which are not aligned.
Van Schoales' recent Commentary declared that the education reform movement as we know it is over ("The End of Education Reform," May 1, 2019). The statement itself gives us a clue as to why he makes this declaration: Neither education in the United States, nor the education reform movement, are monolithic in nature. Both are comprised of many components which are not aligned.
Equity & Diversity
Letter to the Editor
Talent Is Often Innate
To the Editor:
In a recent article, Richard D. Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, is quoted as saying that "talent is distributed equally, but opportunity is not" ("The Battle Over Who Gets Into Elite Public Schools," May 8, 2019).
In a recent article, Richard D. Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation, is quoted as saying that "talent is distributed equally, but opportunity is not" ("The Battle Over Who Gets Into Elite Public Schools," May 8, 2019).
School & District Management
Los Angeles School Board Takes Stand on Abortion. Should It?
Los Angeles is among a handful of school boards that issued public statements on social or political issues. Experts disagree on whether that's a good idea.
Federal
Biden, Sanders Lay Out Broad Education Platforms
A dramatic boost in Title I aid features in proposals by both former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in their quests for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Education
News in Brief
Transitions
Brenda Cassellius is the new superintendent for the Boston district. Mike Looney has been hired to lead the Fulton County, Ga., school system. Michael Rice has been chosen to head up Michigan's education department.
Education
Correction
Correction
A story on selective-admissions high schools in the May 8, 2019, issue of Education Week misstated the division of seats in Chicago's first assignment plan for selective high schools.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Research Report: English-Language Learners
One in 5 English-learners move so often or so far that their academic careers cannot be tracked, putting them at risk of struggling in school, according to a 15-state analysis by the nonprofit WIDA Consortium.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Research Report: Reading
While 77 percent of students agree that summer reading will help them, 20 percent report reading no books during the summer. The finding is part of Scholastic's biennial nationally representative survey of children ages 17 and younger and their parents. Thirty-two percent of children ages 15 to 17 said they...
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Adolescent Learning
A new report by the National Academies of Science suggests changes in education to boost the academic potential of secondary students, including: • Teachers should provide "culturally sensitive" classrooms, which may help prevent stereotype threats that can interfere with students' perform...
School & District Management
Report Roundup
College and Career Readiness
Students from low-income families face a bumpier road than their wealthier peers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics' annual Condition of Education data compendium.
School & District Management
Report Roundup
Credit Recovery
Online credit-recovery courses may help students graduate on time and even enroll in college, finds a new working paper—but those students don't seem to learn as much as peers in regular, face-to-face classes.
Equity & Diversity
News in Brief
Teacher Ratings Skewed by Race
Teachers of color are disproportionately more likely to be rated "minimally ineffective" or "ineffective" on evaluations than their white counterparts, a new study indicates.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Trump Administration Wants to Shift Money for Pell Grants to NASA
Education advocates say a Trump administration plan to use federal Pell Grant money to fund space exploration would jeopardize aid for future college students and could trigger a budgeting crisis within just a few years.
School Climate & Safety
News in Brief
New York State Halts District's Plans To Install Facial-Recognition Software
New York state has put the brakes on a district's planned trial run of new facial-recognition software aimed at improving school safety, after civil liberties advocates raised alarm bells about the program's impact on student privacy.
School & District Management
News in Brief
Chicago School Board Members Resign After Mayor Reveals Plan to Oust Them
Newly inaugurated Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who endorsed an elected school board on the campaign trail, has announced that she will overhaul the seven-member board of education.
Law & Courts
News in Brief
High Court Declines to Hear Challenge To Pa. District's Pro-Transgender Policy
The U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to hear the appeal of a group of students who object to a Pennsylvania district's policy of permitting transgender students to use restrooms or locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.
Education Funding
News in Brief
Education Dept. Reverts to Initial Timeline For Racial-Bias Rules in Special Education
An Obama-era Department of Education policy relating to racial bias in special education was on, then off, and now is back on again. The rule was supposed to have taken effect for the 2018-19 school year but was delayed for two years by the department until a court blocked that move.
Education Funding
News in Brief
New Commission Aims to Find Out If Higher Education Really Pays Off
As the cost of college rises, and students go deeper into debt to finance it, families are increasingly asking whether higher education is worth the pricetag.
Federal
Showdown in California Over Proposed Charter School Curbs
Lawmakers are considering legislation that would put limits on the state’s charter school sector and give districts broader discretion to deny applications.
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
How Schools Can Foster a Better Racial Climate
Racist thinking and practices are deeply rooted in many schools, writes Tyrone C. Howard. These five approaches can create a less hostile environment.
Privacy & Security
Schools Are Deploying Massive Digital Surveillance Systems. The Results Are Alarming
To prevent shootings and suicides, K-12 schools are monitoring digital information, often with little regard for civil liberties.
Federal
Where the Presidential Candidates Went to School
Public school student? Private school? And where did they send their kids? Here’s a rundown of the K-12 careers of those in the race for the White House.
School Climate & Safety
Ditching Detention for Yoga: Schools Embrace Mindfulness to Curb Discipline Problems
As more schools aim to address students’ social and emotional needs, some are using meditation, yoga, and other mindfulness practices to address misbehavior and stress. But the research on the effectiveness of such practices is mixed.
Federal
Opinion
Who Shows Up for Teachers? Coalition-Building in the Era of Educator Activism
"Teaching is a political act," argues teacher-turned-politician John Waldron. And it's going to take more organizing to rescue public education.
College & Workforce Readiness
Counselors Blast College Board's Plan to Assign Students a 'Disadvantage' Score
The College Board's plan to score students' 'level of disadvantage' based on their schools and neighborhoods has some college counselors asking: Will wealthy parents try to game the system?
Families & the Community
Opinion
Teens Need to Be Able to Discern Fact From Fiction. That's Where Adults Come In
Media literacy is becoming more challenging by the day. That's why teacher and parents need to team up, argues Mike Stone.
School Climate & Safety
Substitute Teacher Shot in Santa Fe High School Attack Says Subs Need Safety Training
Flo Rice, a substitute teacher who was grievously wounded in last year’s mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas, said the incident exposed a massive blind spot in school safety: little to no emergency preparation for subs like her.