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Schools are becoming social services hubs with a little reading and math on the side
Schools are trying to solve every student's every problem, but neglecting their academic mission.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 28, 20251 min read


Ed Dept's end will make Florida schools as good as Finland's, says Trump. Probably not.
Dismantling the U.S. Education Department will cut costs and improve learning, says President Trump.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 21, 20252 min read


McMahon's mission: What does 'send it to the states' mean?
If education is sent "to the states," will they do a better job?

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 12, 20252 min read


Ignorance isn't bliss: We need testing to know what students don't know
Testing is essential to improve schools and inform parents.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 5, 20252 min read


Dear Colleague: Do what the Ed Department wants -- or else
The Education Department has used "guidance" letters to force states, colleges and districts to spend hundreds of millions of dollars.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 4, 20253 min read


McMahon is in charge at Education Department -- or is she?
Linda McMahon is the new Education secretary, but will she be able to restore DOGE-ordered cuts in research and data collection?

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 4, 20251 min read


Honesty is the first step to higher achievement, and it's a doozy
As achievement falls, the "honesty gap" grows.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 20, 20252 min read


Education's naked-emperor problems
School leaders are often naked emperors surrounded by people who'd rather pretend than speak the truth.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 15, 20252 min read


Shock, awe and chaos
The Education Department's research arm may have needed reform, but it's getting the Attila the Hun treatment.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 14, 20252 min read


Trump: Ed Dept is 'a big con job'
President Trump called the Education Department a "big con," and said most states could do better on their own.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 14, 20252 min read


If the scores are bad, should we dump the test?
A majority of black, Hispanic and low-income fourth-graders have "below basic" reading skills. Does it matter?

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 11, 20253 min read


81% of teachers, 56% of parents want 4-day week -- but students will learn less
The four-day school week is popular with teachers and parents, but research shows students learn less.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 6, 20252 min read


'I can't learn if I have no idea what to do'
When teachers teach, ask questions, let students practice and provide feedback, students learn more.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 5, 20252 min read


The way back: Refocus on things schools can do
Schools need to focus on teaching academics rather than trying to end injustice or combat climate change.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 5, 20252 min read


Catholic schools ace NAEP
Catholic school students are one to two years ahead of public students in reading and math.

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 31, 20251 min read


Fixing classroom culture is first step to high achievement
Schools need to reset classroom culture to improve achievment.

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 30, 20252 min read


Schools need to get more brains for the bucks
School spending soared in the last 10 years as test scores fell -- except in states such as Louisiana and Mississippi.

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 30, 20251 min read


Parents say kids are learning in school, but students say 'meh'
Parents overestimate how well their children are doing in school.

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 29, 20251 min read


Dumber and dumber: Americans, young and old, are slipping
Achievement is falling, and gaps are widening, for American students and adults since well before the pandemic.

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 28, 20252 min read


Biden's education legacy: Lots of spending, no new ideas
Biden's education legacy: He gave schools billions to recover from the pandemic, but didn't focus on learning.

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 20, 20252 min read
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