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Five years to destroy public faith in schools
Public schools' response to the pandemic has caused permanent damage.
Joanne Jacobs
Mar 103 min read
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What did we get for $190 billion in school aid? Very little
Pandemic learning loss averaged half a year for most students, but the neediest students lost more in reading and math.
Joanne Jacobs
Feb 122 min read
1 comment


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 52 min read
8 comments


Covid school closings hurt kids' learning, health and happiness -- for nothing
Reopening schools didn't increase Covid cases, hospitalizations or deaths in five countries. But kids learned more.
Joanne Jacobs
Jan 272 min read
4 comments


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 202 min read
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U.S. math scores show 'devastating' decline
U.S. students are doing much worse in math, while some other countries are improving.
Joanne Jacobs
Dec 5, 20242 min read
7 comments


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
2 comments


After the pandemic, more students are diagnosed with special needs
Special education numbers are up.
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 19, 20242 min read
1 comment


How good is my kid's school? Good luck figuring out state report cards
State report cards do a poor job of informing parents. IDEA charters want Texas parents to see their ratings.
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 6, 20241 min read
1 comment


Biden's education grade: 'D' for 'doesn't care about achievement'
President Biden's education agenda deserves a D.
Joanne Jacobs
Aug 8, 20242 min read
3 comments


'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
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Summer school helps, if students show up
Urban charter students made significant gains in reading and math in a summer program that combined instruction and enrichment, reports...
Joanne Jacobs
Aug 5, 20242 min read
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Harris thrills teachers' union, sticks to progressive orthodoxy
"God knows, we don't pay you enough," Kamala Harris told teachers at the American Federation of Teachers convention in Houston. That went...
Joanne Jacobs
Jul 26, 20242 min read
2 comments


'Covid kids' aren't catching up: 8th graders are 1 year behind pre-pandemic levels
This year's eighth graders were in fourth grade when their schools shut down. As they head to high school, the average student is nine...
Joanne Jacobs
Jul 24, 20242 min read
3 comments


$190 billion in federal relief raised achievement -- but not very much
The federal government gave schools $190 billion in emergency funding during and after the pandemic. The extra money helped students...
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 27, 20243 min read
3 comments


Four years after 'two weeks to flatten the curve' ...
Four years ago, schools across the country closed their doors. It was supposed to be for two weeks or three or . . . Most schools stayed...
Joanne Jacobs
Mar 22, 20242 min read
9 comments


Students are catching up in math, reading -- but gaps are wider
Reading and math scores are on their way up, reports the Education Recovery Scorecard. On average, students in grades three through eight...
Joanne Jacobs
Feb 1, 20242 min read
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Fix 'em, don't nix 'em: Tests show what's working and what's not
The Zeitgeist, it is a changing. First, the New York Times ran David Leonhardt's defense of college admissions tests as a way to...
Joanne Jacobs
Jan 19, 20242 min read
5 comments

Homework load keeps getting lighter as grades go higher
Forty-four percent of 13-year-olds (eighth grade) did no homework in 2022, writes Tom Loveless. The numbers are very similar for...
Joanne Jacobs
Oct 6, 20232 min read
8 comments


4-day school weeks are spreading, but students learn less
More schools -- and not just in rural areas -- are adopting four-day weeks, reports AP's Heather Hollingsworth. Districts hope the change...
Joanne Jacobs
Sep 26, 20232 min read
10 comments
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