Low achievers' gains outpace high achievers' gains since NCLB
According to a recent study by he Fordham Institute low-achieving students have made greater gains on NAEP than their high-achieving peers since the No Child Left Behind Act was put into law.
June 26, 2008
Test Scores Have Been on the Rise Since NCLB Was Enacted
State and national test scores have increased and achievement gaps have narrowed since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act.
June 26, 2008
High school graduation rates keep rising
According to Education Week high school graduation rates are higher now than five years ago.
June 6, 2008
States standards continue to improve
National teachers union finds that most states have improved their academic standards but more work needs to be done.
April 2008
U.S. students perform well on latest writing assessment
According to the latest NAEP assessment in writing our nation’s eighth and twelfth graders continue to improve their writing abilities.
April 6, 2007
Report: High school graduation rates lower today than 40 years ago
More students are graduating high school than some recent reports have suggested. However, fewer students are graduating today than 40 years ago.
March 17, 2008
Students are not given too much homework according to national survey
Contrary to many reports most parents, teachers, and students do not feel too much homework is given at school according to the Metlife Survey of The American Teacher: The Homework Experience.
February 14, 2008
States receive mediocre grades in annual report card
States receive mediocre grades over six educational categories in Education Week's annual special report Quality Counts 2008.
January 10, 2008
New teachers need support too according to national survey
First year teachers, especially those from alternative certification programs, do not feel they are given the support they need from school leaders or their fellow teachers according to a recent national survey of teachers in high-needs schools.
December 17, 2007
U.S. 4th grade reading performance compares well internationally
U.S. 4th graders continue to outperform most of their international peers in reading according to the 2006 PIRLS.
December 5, 2007
U.S. 15 year-olds lag in math and science on international test
International assessment results show that U.S. 15 year-olds lag many of their international peers in math and science achievement.
December 5, 2007
Urban districts make gains on national assessment
National assessment results show that large urban school districts have been making gains in math and reading achievement.
November 16, 2007
College course taking, a tool for high school reform
A recent study shows the benefit of high school students taking college courses, especially for low-income and lower-performing students.
October 31, 2007
Minority students make strong gains on national assessment, but achievement gaps remain
According to the Nation's Report Card (NAEP) U.S. 4th and 8th grade Black and Hispanic students have made significant gains in their math and reading achievement over the last seventeen years although the achievement gap between them and their white peers remains.
September 26, 2007
Are high performing lower-income students being left behind?
Students from lower-income families who start school as high-performing students are being left behind as they climb the education ladder.
September 14, 2007
SAT scores decline for second straight year
SAT scores dropped for the second straight year. However, more minority students than ever are taking the test and expecting to go to college.
August 29, 2007
The public's view of public education and No Child Left Behind
The latest Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll once again provides insight into how the public perceive public education, the No Child Left Behind Act and various other issues related to education.
August 28, 2008
The landscape of rural education described in new Department of Education report
A new report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) offers a comprehensive look at the current condition of rural education, including demographics, outcomes, and resources
August 16, 2007
Kids connect online about school, new study finds
Teens and 'tweens spend a sizeable chunk of their time online discussing education. According to a new study, 60 percent of 9- to 17-year-olds talk about education topics while online, and 50 percent say they talk specifically about schoolwork.
August 14, 2007
ACT scores rise again
ACT scores continue to rise and more graduates are leaving high school prepared for college coursework even as more students continue to take this college admissions exam.
August 15, 2007
U.S. 12th graders know their economics
How well do U.S. 12th graders know their economics? The first ever National Assessment of Education Progress report in economics found that most 12th graders know at least basic economic concepts they would need in everyday life.
August 8, 2007
Study finds gap between high school preparation and college expectations
Are high schools preparing students for college? According to a report by ACT there is a gap between what students are learning in high school and what they are expected to know when they enter college.
August 3, 2007
Report finds student achievement up but impact of NCLB unclear
What's changed since NCLB took effect? A report from the Center for Education Policy (CEP), finds that student achievement in reading and math has improved, but cannot say whether those improvements were realized because of NCLB.
July 19, 2007
Getting students prepared for life after high school
The second installment of Education Week's "Diplomas Count" takes an in-depth look at the skills high school graduates need for work or career readiness and how these skills translate into future earnings. Once again the report provides graduation rates for the nation, each state, and each district across the nation.
June 13, 2007
Some gaps in adult literacy closing; others persist
According to a new federal study, the literacy gap between White and minority adults persists overall, but the gap between White and Black adults narrowed between 1992 and 2003 as did the gap between males and females in quantitative literacy.
April 30, 2007
In urban districts, administrators report higher expectations of students than teachers, new survey finds
Both teachers and administrators in urban districts care deeply about their students, but administrators are more likely than teachers to believe their students can attain high achievement in high school and success in post-secondary education finds a report from the Council of Urban Boards of Education.
April 26, 2007
Nation's report card finds decline in 12th grade reading scores
The reading scores of U.S. 12th graders are on the decline according the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).According to the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), reading scores dropped six percentage points between 1992 and 2005. While trend data on math scores isn’t available for the same period, on the 2005 assessment only 23 percent of 12th graders scored at or above proficient in math,
February 26, 2007
Schools with greatest need receive least funding, says report
Schools with the greatest need are given less according to the most recent Education Trust report Funding Gaps 2006. Schools serving our nation’s minority and low-income students receive less funding than schools serving more advantaged students. According to the report all three primary sources of education funding, the federal government, states, and districts, contribute to the funding disparity.
February 22, 2007
America's perfect storm: Three forces changing our nation's future
A report from the Education Testing Service looks at the impact three forces could have on our economy, our nation, and our nation's future if current socio-economic trends continue without interventions.
February 16, 2007
Report documents gap in academic course-taking
Harder courses in high school translate to higher scores on standardized tests and a greater chance of success in college--but black, Hispanic, and poor students don't take as many of these rigorous courses as their white and more affluent peers finds a report from the U.S. Department of Education.
January 3, 2007
Study finds minority students fall behind at both poor and affluent schools
African American and Hispanic students make less academic growth during the school year than white students who begin the school year at similar achievement levels, according to a report from the Northwest Evaluation Association.
December 11, 2006
Improving results for students wtih disabilities
This report summarizes seven studies commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate the effects on student outcomes of changes made in 1997 to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
November 16, 2006
Poll finds teachers happy overall, but sizeable numbers still plan to leave profession
Public school teachers are more satisfied with their careers than they have been in 20 years, in part because more U.S. adults see teaching as a greatly prestigious career, according to a recent MetLife report on The American Teacher. Even so, the percent of teachers planning on leaving the profession has remained steady over the same period.
October 26, 2006
High school sophomores, then and now
A report from the U.S. Department of Education that compared the attributes and attitudes of sophomores from the years 1980, 1990, and 2002 found, among other things, a dramatic increase in the number of students, particularly minority and low SES students, who expect to receive at least a four-year degree after high school.
October 12, 2006
High price paid for unprepared high school grads
A study from the Alliance for Excellence in Education calculates the cost of students who graduate high school without the knowledge and skill necessary to succeed in college or the workplace.
September 28, 2006
Taking the public's pulse on attitudes toward public schools
As they have for decades, the public strongly supports the public schools in their communities while they believe schools outside their communities need to improve. These are among the findings from the 38th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools.
September 20, 2006
Value of high school diploma underscored by international report
A high school diploma is more important in the United States than in any other country according to data released today by the Organisation of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).
September 12, 2006
SAT scores drop in 2006, but reasons for dip unclear
The average SAT score in math and reading combined for the class of 2006 dropped 7 points from last year—cause for concern at first glance, to be sure. But a closer look suggests the 2006 results don't necessarily mean this year's crop of graduates are less prepare for post-secondary schooling.
September 1, 2006
ACT scores and test-takers at 10-year high
ACT scores increased for the fifth consecutive year while the number of test-takers hit a historic high. But many of these college-aspiring students still fall short of the skills that will enable them to succeed when they get there.
August 18, 2006
Public, private schools perform about the same on reading and math
All things considered, public and private schools perform about the same when it comes to teaching kids math and reading—this is the main message out of a new report from the U.S. Department of Education.
August 1, 2006
Study evaluates effect of NCLB on national assessments of reading and math
A study by the Civil Rights Project looked at whether the No Child Left Behind Act improved student achievement in math and reading as intended, especially for poor and minority students? and found mixed results. The study looked at scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) before and after NCLB.
July 20, 2006
Report finds poor and minority students have least access to best teachers
This report from the Education Trust highlights selected findings from studies of teacher distribution in three midwestern states and three large urban districts within those states. The studies all found that poor and minority students were the least likely to be taught by the most qualified teachers.
July 20, 2006
Readiness for college and readiness for work: Same or different?
ACT released on May 8, 2002, The College and Workforce Training Readiness Study. This empirical study answers the question: Is readiness for college and readiness for work the same or different?
June 20, 2006
Some good and not-so-good news about 2005 science scores
According to the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), elementary students are smarter in science than their peers were a decade ago. Fourth-graders of every racial, ethnic and economic group have improved and achievement gaps between them have narrowed. In contrast, progress by 8th-graders is flat, and the performance of high school seniors is falling, particularly in the field of earth science.
May 30, 2006
Parents concerned over No Child Left Behind Act implementation
Parents, students, and community members identify concerns about how No Child Left Behind is being implemented in their schools at a hearing conducted by the Public Education Network. The three major concerns are NCLB's accountability structure, school labeling, and neglecting NCLB's parent and community involvement provisions.
May 8, 2006
School climate is fair weather to most students, but many still see clouds
How do urban students feel about the climate in their schools? Most report feeling safe in their schools, respected by their teachers, and hopeful about the future. But the report also cautions that a sizable number of students are not so sanguine.
April 27, 2006
Report questions 65 percent solution for school funding
A school funding proposal called the “65 Percent Solution is gaining traction in the education arena.” But, is it sound education policy? SchoolMatters, an education data collection and analysis service sponsored by Standard and Poor’s, looks at relevant data to determine if there is a realtionship between spending on classroom instruction and student achievement.
April 27, 2006
Staffing rules in urban districts have unintended consequences
A report from the New Teacher Project finds that contractual staffing rules can hobble efforts in urban districts to make the best matches between teachers and schools.
November 27, 2005
More evidence that aiming high yields successful schools
In perhaps the largest-scale study of its kind, California researchers found more evidence that high-poverty elementary schools with high academic expectations, a coherent curriculum and sufficient resources outperform other schools with similar students.
October 27, 2005
Few gains in reading shown on 2005 assessment
The reading skills of American students show little improvement, particularly at the 8th grade level. According to the latest results from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP).
October 24, 2005
Math scores improve on 2005 national assessment
In the good education news department, the math skills of American students are continuing to improve and are significantly stronger than they were a decade ago.
October 24, 2005
