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No safety net: Look at the test scores, not the grades
Inflated grades fool parents and students into thinking they're doing well.

Joanne Jacobs
6 days ago3 min read


What works: 'Science of reading,' high-quality curricula, tutoring
Adopting the "science of reading" and high-quality curricula -- and holding schools accountable for achievement -- are the most cost-effective ways to improve schools, says a New York Times panel of researchers.

Joanne Jacobs
7 days ago3 min read


Do the work
Educators often say homework doesn't matter, but those who do the most (themselves) learn the most.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 241 min read


A black mother's choice for her son: It will be private school
An Atlantic writer who overcame her "abysmal education" will send her son to private school.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 231 min read


Choosing a bad school: 'I failed my values and my child'
She sent her daughter to a low-performing school, thinking she could make it better. It didn't work.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 215 min read


Rutgers prof: Math students got A's in high school, but can't add fractions
Graduation standards are weak. The state graduation exam is gone. SAT and ACT tests are optional. New Jersey's flagship university is adding low-level math classes.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 172 min read


NY regent: Testing students is like asking a fish to climb a tree
It's not fair to expect students to pass academic tests, says a New York Regent, because fish can't climb trees.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 162 min read


Is homework done?
AI cheating has robbed homework of its value.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 152 min read


Icebergs ahead! NY adopts no-test 'portrait' diploma
New York is headed for disaster: Fuzzy graduation standards -- with no tests -- will set students up to fail.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 22 min read


AP scores are up, but why?
Has the AP exam been "dumbed down" -- or are scores now a better match with college expectations?

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 293 min read


Is Alpha School for real?
Do Alpha students really learn 2.6 times faster in two hours a day? We need independent validation?

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 273 min read


Test-blind UC admits students who can't do algebra or write a sentence
Test-blind college admissions has failed at the University of California. The Regents should restore SAT/ACT scores.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 72 min read


It's impossible to fail in Philly: It's too much paperwork
Failing a student is nearly impossible, say Philadelphia teachers. Principals discourage or ban F's and change grades.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 241 min read


Gifted students need to be challenged, say 91% in Oregon
Challenging classes for high achievers is very popular with Oregon voters -- but half of districts do nothing for gifted students.

Joanne Jacobs
May 291 min read


Is Alpha's AI-powered model the future of learning?
Alpha, which claims students can excel with two hours a day of AI-powered learning, hopes to reach 1 million students.

Joanne Jacobs
May 203 min read


'Gamified' tools make homework into playtime
Playing a video game -- with occasional math or vocabulary questions -- now counts as homework.

Joanne Jacobs
May 182 min read


Education's circle game: Skills and 'reinventing high school' are back
Can schools teach creativity, collaboration and critical thinking -- and measure it?

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 292 min read


Online ladder-safety class helps Philly students to a diploma
Forty percent of Philadelphia students qualify as "graduation-ready" by passing easy online classes in low-value skills.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 131 min read


Mind the gap: 86% graduate in DC, 15% meet math standards
More students are completing high school, but fewer are prepared to learn a skilled trade or pass a college math class.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 132 min read


Education is fond of fads: If it feels good, fund it
Fads drive education. Research on what works is shaky, and consultants always have buzzy new ideas.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 82 min read
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