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Idiocratic education
Relying on AI to do the math for you is "a recipe for idiocracy."

Joanne Jacobs
3 days ago3 min read


Unready or not, they're going to college
A third of high school graduates (or less) are ready for college math and reading, but a majority will enroll in four-year colleges.

Joanne Jacobs
Nov 132 min read


Harvard students fear tougher grading: 'I skipped classes and sobbed in bed'
Harvard students are distressed by the prospect of tougher grading standards.

Joanne Jacobs
Nov 12 min read


Teachers are skeptical of 'equitable' grading: 'Students sink to lower expectations'
Teachers don't like grading "reforms" that lower expectations.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 202 min read


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 202 min read


College students don't spend much time studying
College students don't spend much time studying or working for pay, but expect high grades for little effort.

Joanne Jacobs
May 21 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 12 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 202 min read


He had a 3.4 GPA, but he couldn't read
Passing special-ed students along with high grades and a diploma -- but no effective instruction --doesn't do them any favors.

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 192 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 291 min read


Teens are doing less homework, earning higher grades
Teenagers are working less and earning higher grades. Everybody's "phoning it in."

Joanne Jacobs
Dec 18, 20242 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


A's in English but he can't read: Deaf student wants job training, given a diploma instead
A deaf student with 3rd-4th-grade reading and math skills was given high grades and a diploma, ending special-ed services.

Joanne Jacobs
Dec 6, 20242 min read


Is everybody cheating?
Cheating is common for college students. Many think A is the only acceptable grade.

Joanne Jacobs
Nov 14, 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


Most grades don't match test scores: Is that a problem?
Most grades don't match students' test scores, according to the Equitable Grading Project.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 13, 20242 min read


'Locking in' learning loss: Math grades didn't return to pre-pandemic normal
Grade inflation soared when learning went remote, writes Amber Northern. Lax requirements to turn in work, fewer graded assignments, and...

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 6, 20241 min read


Up, up and away: 'Recalibration' is raising AP exam scores
Advanced Placement scores were released this week, and they're higher than ever. But not necessarily because students are learning more....

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 10, 20243 min read


Tests may be 'optional,' but not if you want to get in to an elite college
Yale is not “being honest about the reality of our admissions process” because the university is “denying 98 percent of the students who...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 6, 20241 min read


Why top college students don't read or go to class: Resume polishing is #1
At Harvard and other elite universities, students spend more time and energy on resume-polishing extracurriculars than classwork.

Joanne Jacobs
May 29, 20242 min read
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