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AP tests are tough: Is the bar too high for disadvantaged students?
"The basic philosophy of the Advanced Placement Program is simply that all students are not created equal," said the program's director,...
Joanne Jacobs
Nov 21, 20233 min read
6 comments


No hablo ingles? No es un problema at California community colleges
Immigrants can find classes in Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Armenian, Korean and other languages at some California community colleges. ...
Joanne Jacobs
Nov 17, 20232 min read
1 comment

Job skills, dual enrollment boost California community colleges
Enrollment is rebounding at California's community colleges due to career programs and dual enrollment, reports Michael Burke on...
Joanne Jacobs
Nov 7, 20231 min read
0 comments


'Dual credits' aren't very helpful, but that can be fixed
Dual-credit programs are supposed to put students "on the fast track" to an affordable college degree, but many teens are earning credits...
Joanne Jacobs
Nov 7, 20232 min read
11 comments


Shut up, they explained
Cancel culture -- "campaigns to get people fired, disinvited, deplatformed, or otherwise punished" for dissenting from orthodox views --...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 29, 20232 min read
1 comment

SAT scores fall, as the number of test takers rebounds
Despite the surge in colleges going "test optional," the number of students taking the SAT "is growing back to pre-pandemic figures,"...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 27, 20231 min read
0 comments


Rich kids, smart kids
Wealthy parents raise high-scoring children, according to new SAT and ACT data, reports Claire Cain Miller in the New York Times....
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 27, 20232 min read
20 comments


America needs strivers
Rewarding mediocrity is a losing strategy for America, writes Doug Lemov, author of Teach Like a Champion 3.0, on Education Next. U.S....
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 26, 20232 min read
10 comments


'A' is for 'awesome,' 'awful' and 'average'
"The most popular high school grade in America" is "A," writes Tim Donahue, who teaches high school English at Greenwich Country Day...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 25, 20232 min read
7 comments


Oregon keeps grad requirements low: No need for reading, writing, math competency
Oregon won't require students to show mastery of reading, writing or math to collect a high school diploma, reports Sami Edge in The...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 24, 20232 min read
13 comments


When inclusion isn't enough: The new buzzword is 'belonging'
"Belonging" has joined "diversity," "equity" and "inclusion" (and sometimes "access") as the newest buzzword on college campuses, writes ...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 21, 20232 min read
3 comments


College kids turn away from free speech, tolerance for dissent
"Young Americans are turning their backs on basic American principles of free speech, tolerance and due process," writes Brad Polumbo of...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 14, 20232 min read
1 comment


Arkansas students can qualify for 'free' bachelor's degree
The University of Central Arkansas will offer a tuition-free bachelor's degree to in-state students from families earning less than...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 12, 20231 min read
3 comments


To control college costs: Work harder, dump gen-ed, fire DEI staff
College costs keep rising, even as more young people question a degree's value. The James Martin Center for Academic Renewal asked for...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 12, 20232 min read
7 comments


Rejected by 16 colleges, 18-year-old takes Google job: Yes, he's Asian
Stanley Zhong earned nearly perfect grades (3.97 unweighted, 4.42 weighted) and SAT scores (1590 out of 1600). He founded his own...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 11, 20231 min read
23 comments


Everyone passes -- or else!
Universities will have to push failing students above the 50 percent mark or pay hefty fines under legislation proposed by the Australian...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 29, 20231 min read
6 comments


Darning socks, shorthand, algebra
Selective colleges should stop expecting top students to take calculus, argues Scott White in Forbes. I was with him that far. My...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 28, 20231 min read
10 comments


Timed tests are misleading: Success is a marathon, not a sprint
The new digital SAT will take two hours, instead of three, and will give students more time to answer each question. That's a much better...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 22, 20232 min read
6 comments


Competency counts: No lectures, no mandatory classes, lots of tests
"Competency-based education," which assesses students on skills rather than seat time, is finally becoming a reality for vocational...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 17, 20232 min read
3 comments


Yale changes admissions, avoids bias lawsuit
Elite colleges have "rolled out new application questions this fall to provide students with opportunities to discuss their racial...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 16, 20231 min read
11 comments
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