Mike Petrilli and Tom Loveless take to the pages of the NY Times to argue, yet again, that No Child Left Behind has been harmful to gifted students. Their real critique is with a recent report that attempts to show, with state test trend lines, that NCLB has benefited both top and bottom students. That’s [...]
All Posts Tagged: 'Achievement Gaps'
Duncan’s Data
On Monday Alexander Russo asked for more information on how Chicago Public Schools have fared under Superintendent Arne Duncan, a likely Secretary of Education candidate. Eduwonkette gave a harsh review of the data, but the truth is a little more mixed.
Since Duncan took over in 2001, Chicago has made statistically significant progress in fourth and [...]
Tier Ducks
The latest international test results are in, and they bring mostly good news for US educators. Yesterday’s release was the fourth edition of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) since the original 1995 administration. Rather than use TIMSS merely for hyperbole, it’s worthwhile to look at them more holistically.
First, TIMSS should not [...]
Everyone’s favorite sound bite
Eduwonkette’s post this morning on the long-term effects of teachers needs explanation. In attempting to report on a new study, the crux of her argument is thus:
It’s everyone’s favorite sound bite: good teachers alone can close racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps. But if the entire teacher effect doesn’t persist from year-to-year – that [...]
Smoldering
In the announcement heard ’round the edu-blogosphere today (but on the back page of the Washington Post), Secretary Spellings invited states to apply to be one of 10 which will be granted more flexibility under NCLB. The selected states will be allowed to differentiate consequences for schools that are failing to reach NCLB goals on [...]
Real Issues, Real Learning
Adam Doster, in an article in the 25 Feb. 2008 issue of The Nation, discusses several schools across the country that are using social issues to teach basic concepts. For instance, in Social Justice High School (SJHS) in Chicago (part of the brand new Little Village Lawndale High School, where 98% of students qualify as [...]
20 More Days (of the same?)
D.C. Superintendent Clifford Janey is proposing to extend the school year for a group of low-performing schools, as reported by the Post. This would mean a 200-day school year, reducing summer break by nearly 20 days and giving these students more time to learn. This isn’t a bad idea, given research that shows low-income [...]
Rothstein, Concluded
Richard Rothstein recently posted a lengthy essay at the Economic Policy Institute Web site responding to various critics–most prominantly Checker Finn–who’ve been writing in recent weeks about his views on race, class, and educational achievement. I’ve blogged overmuch on this topic, but I’m going to go back to the well one more time, because the [...]
This Lede’s Not Just Buried, It’s Six Feet Under.
The No Child Left Behind Act is designed to increase student learning in math and reading, primarily in the elementary and middle school grades, by holding schools accountable for student performance on state standardized tests. It also focuses on closing achievement gaps for low-income and minority students.
Last week, the Education Trust released a report which [...]
Lowering Student Loan Default Rates: What One Consortium of Historically Black Institutions Did to Succeed 
College and Career-Ready: Using Outcomes Data to Hold High Schools Accountable for Student Success
03/19/10 | Ben Miller is quoted on college graduation rates and the NCAA Tournament in the Detroit Free Press.
03/19/10 | Linda Perlstein links to Education Sector's "College- and Career-Ready" event.
03/17/10 | Ben Miller's column on graduation rates and NCAA Tournament eligibility is mentioned on The Wall Street Journal's The Daily Fix.
03/17/10 | Kevin Carey's critique of Diane Ravitch's latest book is quoted in Doublethink's Conventional Folly blog.
03/15/10 | Ben Miller pens an op-ed for US News & World Report on using graduation rates to determine NCAA Tournament eligibility.