Vacation Reading: 9 Great Education Articles From 2013
Stories about iPads, high-school dropouts, standardized testing, and more
Sometimes, it takes a longer article to illuminate something as complex as education in America. Here are nine articles from 2013, covering everything from public policy to teaching practice. Many of the lessons highlighted by these writers will remain relevant in 2014 and beyond.
"The iPad Goes to School" — This has not been a good year for tablets in schools. The Los Angeles Unified School District suspended its iPad rollout after students hacked the devices. In North Carolina, Guilford County halted the rollout of devices made by the education technology company Amplify due to technical problems. Bloomberg Businessweek's Devin Leonard heads to a Massachusetts high school that successfully brought iPads into the classroom—by using them to explore the Internet, not just as a vessel for education software.
"Crash Test" — Is the high-stakes testing movement dying in Texas? In the state where the accountability movement began, Nate Blakeslee of Texas Monthly finds little academic progress and a whole lot of angry parents. Texas's state legislature recently cut down the number of tests students need to graduate from high school from 15 to five. For related reading, try "The Science of Citizenship," from environmentally focusedOrion magazine.
"Them and Them" — In a suburban New York community, an Orthodox Jewish majority controls the local school board even though almost all Hasidic children attend private, religious schools. The East Ramapo school board has approved deep cuts to public school funding that are forcing immigrant families out of town. Read New York magazine's Benjamin Wallace-Well's article to find out why.
"What Does It Take for Traumatized Kids to Thrive?" — Good question. In Walla Walla, Wash., a high school for troubled students has transformed its