1/14/2014 – And End To Sanction-Driven Education?
January 14, 2014 Subscribe
THIS WEEK: What Could Close The Achievement Gap … Will States Give Up On Education … Politicians Face Tough Choices On Common Core … Vouchers Aren’t Popular … Colleges Fail Student Athletes
TOP STORY
The Beginning Of An End To Sanction-Driven Education?
By Jeff Bryant
“Last week, the Obama administration took an important step for the well being of the nation’s youth – especially those who are of racial minorities – by issuing new guidelines that many hope will shut down what has come to be known as ‘the school-to-prison pipeline.’ This action – welcome, for sure – constitutes a beginning to what should be a major shift in education policies across the board … in addition to discipline reform, the next policy shift needs to be for assessment reform.”
Read more …
Read more …
NEWS AND VIEWS
This Is What Could Close The Achievement Gap Among Young Kids, Study Says
The Huffington Post
“A few years of high-quality early childhood education could close the academic achievement gap between low-income and affluent students, a new study suggests … Researchers found that after providing low-income children with quality preschool early in life, the kids had the same IQs as their wealthier peers by age 3 … Although students analyzed in the study were not offered preschool past the age of 3, by age 5 and 8, they still had IQs that were more similar to their wealthier peers than is typical … The study concludes that if all low-income children were offered free, high-quality preschool, it ‘could make a large, persistent positive impacts on low-income children’s cognitive skill and academic achievement and reduce, if not eliminate, the early skills gap between America’s children from low and higher-income families.’”
Read more …
Read more …
What’s The Matter With Kansas’ Schools?
The New York Times
“Kansas has become the epicenter of a new battle over the states’ obligation to adequately fund public education … Gov. Sam Brownback and the Republican-led Legislature have made draconian cuts in school spending, leading to a lawsuit … The outcome of that decision could resonate nationwide. Forty-five states have had lawsuits challenging the failure of governors and legislators to provide essential resources for a constitutional education. Litigation is pending against 11 states … If the Kansas Supreme Court orders restoration of the funding, legislators are threatening to amend the state’s Constitution by removing the requirement for ‘suitable’ school funding and to strip Kansas courts of jurisdiction to hear school finance cases altogether. And if the amendment fails, they have vowed to defy any court order for increased funding or, at the very least, take the money from higher education … As Kansas goes, so may go the nation.”
Read more …
Read more …