THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT
Frequently Reassigning Teachers Limits Their Improvement
Experienced teachers make a difference in student performance, but their experience matters most if they have continued to teach the same grade, according to a new study by a University of Illinois at Chicago researcher.Students whose teachers have not switched grades show greater improvement in test scores than students in similar classrooms with equally experienced teachers who switched grades
The Book-Reading Habits of Students in American Schools
Published foro the sixth consecutive year, this year's What Kids Are Reading report, based on data for more than 9.8 million kids from 31,195 U.S. schools who read over 318 million books during the 2012–2013 school year, includes:- Top 20 books read overall and by gender for grades 1–12- Top 20 nonfiction books read overall and by gender for grades 1–12- A three-year look at reading trends for col
MAY 08
Tackling test anxiety may help prevent more severe problems
Showing students how to cope with test anxiety might also help them to handle their built-up angst and fretfulness about other issues. The results of a new study by Carl Weems of the University of New Orleans show that anxiety intervention programs that focus on academic matters fit well into the demands of the school routine, and do not carry the same stigma among youth as general anxiety progr
States Are Still Funding Higher Education Below Pre-Recession Levels
Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities PDF of this report (27pp.) Most states have begun in the past year to restore some of the cuts they made to higher education funding after the recession hit. Eight states, though, are still cutting, and in almost all states — including those that are have boosted their support — higher education funding remains well below pre-recession levels. The
MAY 07
The Nation’s Report Card: 2013 Mathematics and Reading at Grade 12: No progress since 2009
In 2013, more than 92,000 twelfth-graders were assessed in either reading or mathematics. The national sample of schools and students is drawn from across the country. The results from the assessed students are combined to provide accurate estimates of the overall performance of students in the nation and in the 13 states that volunteered to participate in the twelfth-grade state pilot program. Na
Suspension and Expulsion Rates in Oregon Urban School Districts
This Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northwest study identifies how frequently students in six selected urban districts received exclusionary discipline during the 2011/12 school year, the most common reasons for such discipline, the percentage of students receiving multiple suspensions, and how many school days students lost to suspensions. The study also examined the application of exclus
MAY 06
Is It Still Worth Going to College?
Earning a four-year college degree remains a worthwhile investment for the average student. Data from U.S. workers show that the benefits of college in terms of higher earnings far outweigh the costs of a degree, measured as tuition plus wages lost while attending school. The average college graduate paying annual tuition of about $20,000 can recoup the costs of schooling by age 40. After that, th
MAY 05
Scores of bullying victims bringing weapons to school
An estimated 200,000 high school students who are bullied bring weapons to school, according to research to be presented Sunday, May 4, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.Researchers also found that youths who have been victimized in multiple ways are up to 31 times more likely to carry a weapon to school than those who have not been bul
Using Substances at School May be Cry for Help
When teens are caught drinking or using marijuana at school, a trip to the dean’s office may not suffice. These students also should be screened for exposure to trauma, mental health problems and other serious health risks, according to a study to be presented Saturday, May 3, 2014 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Researchers found
Lower verbal test score for toddlers who play non-educational games on touch screens
A recent study by pediatricians from the Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York examined infants 0-3 years old that used touch-screen devices to determine if their use was of any educational benefit to infants and toddlers. The study showed that children who played non-educational games using touch-screen devices had lower verbal scores upon testing.The results also showed that although the m
MAY 02
Small classes can have an important and lasting impact on student achievement
Small classes, especially in the first four years of school, can have an important and lasting impact on student achievement, a new report shows.In a review of over 100 papers from 1979-2014, education expert Dr David Zyngierfrom Monash University’s Faculty of Education looked at whether the conclusions reached on the effect of smaller class sizes still hold true today.“The question of class size
1in 5 students at an Ivy League college report ADHD medication misuse
Survey of college students shows 18 percent use stimulants to help them study, write papers Nearly one in five students at an Ivy League college reported misusing a prescription stimulant while studying, and one-third of students did not view such misuse as cheating, according to a study to be presented Saturday, May 3, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British