top of page


As attention spans get shorter, so does the SAT -- and soon the ACT
The SAT, and soon the ACT, are changing to cater to students with short attention spans.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 20, 20252 min read


1460+ (SAT) or 33+ (ACT) and you're in at U of Austin
The University of Austin will guarantee admissions to students with very high test scores.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 1, 20252 min read


What's a 'good' school? Parents have more choices, need more info
As school choice expands, parents need to evaluate test scores to find a "good school."

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 19, 20253 min read


Data-loving district sees big learning gains: Is there too much testing?
Math and reading scores are way up in a high-poverty California district, but some teachers say there's too much testing.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 18, 20253 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


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


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


Getting better: How Louisiana is raising reading and math scores
How Louisiana is raising reading scores and hoping to improve math achievement.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 3, 20253 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


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


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


If tests are optional, calculus is mandatory for aspiring students
Taking AP Calculus is almost obligatory for students applying for top colleges, even if they aren't interested in math or science majors.

Joanne Jacobs
Dec 12, 20241 min read


Who was the Good Samaritan? Let there be Bible stories in Texas schools
Texas' board of education has narrowly approved a new K-5 curriculum that includes Bible stories , reports Shaun Rabb for Fox News....

Joanne Jacobs
Dec 2, 20242 min read


Who will lead us out of the education depression?
"We're in the midst of an "education depression," an "era of shrinking outcomes and opportunity," writes Tim Daly. From 1990 to 2013,...

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 29, 20242 min read


Diplomas for all: Massachusetts will vote on ending state graduation standards
A Massachusetts ballot measure ending state graduation requirements is backed by 58% of voters, says new poll.

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 15, 20242 min read


An 'F' for grading: Can expectations go any lower?
Grading may be stressful, writes George Leef on the Martin Center for Academic Renewal. It may deliver unwelcome news to students or...

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 4, 20242 min read


Learning is hard, and cheating is easier than ever: What can teachers do?
Teachers can't turn every student into an eager learner, but they can make it harder to cheat.

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 3, 20242 min read


Georgetown students 'have trouble staying focused on even a sonnet'
Even elite colleges don't read very much and have trouble staying focused on books.

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 2, 20242 min read


The honesty gap: 'How are parents supposed to understand this?'
States are hiding pandemic learning loss by lowering the bar for "proficiency" on state tests.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 26, 20242 min read


Books are too long and boring, say English teachers
When I was in school in the '60s, we read Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights , Great Expectations, Hard Times, Canterbury Tales, The...

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 23, 20242 min read
bottom of page