PROOF POINTS: Why reading comprehension is deteriorating
Scholars weigh decline in reading habits and other theories Before the pandemic, eighth graders’ reading comprehension declined substantially. Since then, scholars have been trying to figure out why their scores dropped so much between 2017 and 2019 on a highly regarded national test known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP. Researchers at the […]
Not your typical summer school: Districts expand programs to catch up students after pandemic year
ANN ARBOR, MI – Ann Arbor mom Kristen Bodley said she feels like her 10-year-old son, Jackson – who is bright and normally top of his class in reading, writing and math – hasn’t learned a single thing all year. After spending over a year of fully remote learning at Ann Arbor Public Schools, the […]
Georgia’s Public Universities Will Reinstate ACT/SAT Requirement
The University System of Georgia will reinstate its ACT and SAT requirement after a one-year suspension, the system announced on Wednesday. Students applying for admission for the spring of 2022 and beyond will be required to submit standardized-test scores. Last summer, amid uncertainty about applicants’ ability to take the ACT and SAT during the pandemic, the Georgia […]
To Teach Students to Read, Give Them Something Worth Reading
Every year, students across the United States take standardized tests such as the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) exam. Schools, like the one where I teach in Wisconsin, rely on these assessments to evaluate student achievement and to judge teacher performance. Some educators applaud tests like the MAP, a computer-adaptive assessment that adjusts the questions in real-time […]
It’s been a year of Zoom and gloom. Here’s how we can build something better.
Online learning works best when students, families, and school communities have chosen it to meet their specific needs. A year ago, as the country was thrust into remote schooling, I found myself thrown unwittingly — and uncomfortably — into the role of “expert.” For the past decade, I’ve been a champion of online learning as […]
Baltimore schools see positive results in virtual tutoring districtwide
Baltimore City said it’s starting to see results from its districtwide virtual tutoring program. It was put into place to help students recover from learning loss. Now, some religious leaders are hoping it’ll continue over the summer and they’re willing to help out. It was billed as a sort of prescription for academic progress for […]
Don’t blame the test for the small number of minorities at elite NYC high schools
The class of ninth-graders that in September will enter the city’s eight “specialized high schools” — entry to which is determined solely by doing well on a standardized test — will be substantially less black and Latino than before. Per Department of Education data, black and Latino kids, who make up almost 70 percent of […]
Don’t blame the tests: Getting rid of standardized testing means punishing poor students
Teachers unions aren’t happy, but this time, they’re mad at President Joe Biden. In February, the Biden administration released guidelines to keep standardized tests in schools. Needless to say, a lot of school administrators weren’t pleased. After all, school board officials across the country are trying to delegitimize test scores. But the administration did the right thing […]
Back to Class After a Year Online
In recent weeks, a growing number of students across the country have set foot in their schools, some for the first time since last March. Here’s what they said it was like to return. Maisie Robinson was so excited for her first day of kindergarten that she woke up at 2:30 a.m. to make her […]
As Pandemic Upends Teaching, Fewer Students Want to Pursue It
Disruptions to education during the pandemic are turning people away from a profession that was already struggling to attract new recruits. Kianna Ameni-Melvin’s parents used to tell her that there wasn’t much money to be made in education. But it was easy enough for her to tune them out as she enrolled in an education […]
Hybrid Teaching Strategies for Elementary Classrooms
Some adaptations for hybrid classrooms, like digital manipulatives and instructional videos—will be worth keeping when all students are back in the room. During this past year, the pandemic has molded how I teach. When my school went fully online, I had to learn strategies for keeping my students motivated and engaged behind a computer. Now […]
77-year-old substitute teacher who lives in his car gifted $27,000 check by former student
A former substitute teacher who was living in his car was gifted with a $27,000 check by a former student. Jose Villarruel, lovingly known as “Mr. V” by his students, turned 77 years old on Thursday. His former student, Steven Nava, now 21, decided to arrange a celebration for Villarruel. Villarruel has served as a substitute teacher for […]