Should high school graduation requirements include a project or research paper? Jay Mathews looks into the somewhat daunting task. (Class Struggle/Washington Post)

Grade inflation. Sixty-two percent of grades given to Yale undergrads are an A or A-. Forty years ago, only one in 10 grades were As. (The Atlantic)

School leaders matter. A new study shows that high-achieving schools tContinue Reading »

Uneven opportunity. A new College Board report shows that while thousands more students are taking (and passing) Advanced Placement exams, those opportunities vary depending on location and race. (USA Today)

“College is an inside game.” A San Jose charter school seeks to teach “college as a second language,” helping first generation students navigate the logistics—as well as the academicContinue Reading »

Only about one in eight high school seniors at District of Columbia public schools have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at this stage in the application cycle. These  completion rates suggest that while some District of Columbia high schools are well on their way to getting students financially prepared for college, others haven’t had a single student complete the fContinue Reading »

“Skirting” the law. Some Ohio charter schools are still open and operating, despite a state law mandating their closure, because they changed their name, according to a new report. (h/t StateImpact Ohio) (Policy Matters Ohio)

For a better ROI in higher ed. Indiana’s education commissioner, Teresa Lubbers, wants to improve the return on investment for college students by creating mentorinContinue Reading »

Successful turnaround. The secretary at this Kansas charter school has already started an enrollment waitlist for 2018—with names of some students yet to be born. It’s a stunning turnaround from six years ago, when enrollment fell below 80 students and the school faced closure. Education Sector’s Susan Headden profiled the same school, called the Walton Rural Life Center, in this piece on projeContinue Reading »

Recently, I was at a technology conference near Phoenix and decided to drop by my old high school which I hadn’t visited since I graduated in… well, let’s just say when chalk was considered the go-to classroom technology.

Some things have changed since I graduated from Saint Mary’s, such as a new campus and fewer priests and sisters; but the culture of the school has remained the same &#Continue Reading »

Where did all the money go? Fifty years ago, Colorado funded about 98 percent of higher education costs for its state universities; today, that number is around 30 percent—and dwindling. (Denver Post)

Education (barely) in the mix. This interactive graphic shows a breakdown of education mentions at both Democratic and Republican conventions. (New York Times)

Happy birthday. 20 yeaContinue Reading »

Changing identity. In a New York City first, a public school could be replicated and expanded as a charter school, which poses certain “tricky technical issues.” (Gotham Schools)

“Fights can’t just be worth fighting, they have to be more important than other fights.” A 20-year-old college student reflects on his role as a school board member—for a district on the other side of the countrContinue Reading »

Lessons learned from New Orleans. In 2008, two charter schools opened, led by close colleagues with similar plans for their respective schools. Four years later, one is closing its doors, while the other is celebrating a college-going rate of 95 percent. What happened? (Title I-Derland)

Digital cheating. Some educators are creating multiple versions of tests to stifle students’ attempts Continue Reading »

Last week’s GAO report on special education in charter schools prompted the predictable dust-up between charter advocates and opponents. Opponents hailed the report as evidence that charter schools cheat the public system by failing to serve as many special needs students as regular public schools do. Advocates responded that the GAO unfairly compared charter schools with public school systems:Continue Reading »