Quick Hits (4.5.12)

Preventing summer lapses in learning. A small Alabama district, now part of the national League of Innovative Schools, plans to send laptops home with students during the summer this year, in hopes of curtailing the learning losses that generally occur when students are out of school.  (h/t Marketplace K-12) (Anniston Star)

Because investment upfront equals big gains later. Andy Rotherham pushes for partnerships among state and federal governments to ensure low-income students have access to high-quality pre-K programs. (TIME)

Putting veterans where they’re needed most. A New York teacher suggests a Teach For America-style corps, but for experienced teachers, that would fill gaps in poor-performing schools. (SchoolBook)

More autonomy = more success? Beginning this fall, 10 Detroit high schools will have more autonomy over decisions regarding budgets, operations, and hiring, in hopes of boosting lagging achievement. Each of the schools will have its own five-member board that will make decisions based on the specific needs of its school. Education Sector analysts looked at the tools needed to implement this strategy in this report.  (Detroit News)