Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, May 7, 2022

THIS WEEK Education Research Report

  Education Research Report


THIS WEEK 
Education Research Report



Strengthened school lunch standards improved obesity outlook for low-income children
Regulations that strengthened the nutritional requirements for school lunches were associated with a decline in signs of obesity among free or reduced-price lunch participating school children in kindergarten through 5th grade, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Examining low-income children over two periods of time, researchers found that students who participated in the free or reduced-

MAY 04

Affirmative action bans reduce diversity in physician workforce, impact health equity
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M21-4312 URL goes live when the embargo lifts A study of U.S. medical school enrollment data found that state bans of affirmative action policies significantly impact the percentage of underrepresented minority students enrolled in medical schools, which has important implications for the diversity of the physician workforce. The authors suggest
Student satisfaction in flipped classroom is built on guidance, pedagogy, and a safe atmosphere
Students are satisfied with flipped classroom when they have systematic guidance on the teaching approach in use, comprehensive understanding of both the content being taught and the discipline more generally, and a safe learning atmosphere conducive to conversation. Teachers also need to pay attention to the students’ technological skills and their own contact teaching skills, according to a new
Anti-idling campaign reduces idling time at elementary schools
An anti-idling campaign at two elementary schools was effective in reducing idling time by 38%, and an air monitoring experiment found that air quality around schools can vary over short distances. These findings, published in the journal Atmosphere , can help schools and school districts plan to protect students, staff and the community from unhealthy air pollution both indoors and outdoors. Fin

MAY 03

Money follows the child report built on false promises and assumptions
In recent years, supporters of school choice have promoted school finance reforms sometimes called “backpack funding,” but also called “money follows the child” or “student-based budgeting.” Whatever the term used, the idea is facilitate choice by attaching a funded amount to each student, with that payment following the students to their chosen schools. A recent version of this proposal is found

MAY 02

Study: Use of school mental health services rose just before the pandemic
Months after the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) declared a national emergency in child and mental health, Emory University researchers have found that use of school of mental health services went up among key adolescent groups in the year before COVID-19 struck compared to previous years in the U.S. The study offers critical insights about the importance of school mental health services in
Similar literacy skills at kindergarten entry, significant racial and socioeconomic differences in 3rd grade
Federal accountability policy mandates that states administer standardized tests beginning in third grade. In turn, third-grade test scores are often viewed as a key indicator in policy and practice. Yet literacy struggles begin well before third grade, as do racial and socioeconomic disparities in children’s literacy skills. Kindergarten readiness assessments provide a unique opportunity to bett
New evidence on educational inequality
This chapter provides new evidence on educational inequality and reviews the literature on the causes and consequences of unequal education. The authors document large achievement gaps between children from different socio-economic backgrounds, show how patterns of educational inequality vary across countries, time, and generations, and establish a link between educational inequality and social m
Successful early childhood programs - the evidence is mixed
The foundations for successful child development are established in early childhood. Two main policy approaches for strengthening these foundations have been subsidized preschool programs and programs targeting the home environment. This chapter reviews a large body of empirical work investigating whether these programs make a difference for children’s development, and if so, how and under what c

APR 28

Report shows access to personal finance courses is expanding in U.S. high schools
12 states now guarantee Personal Finance courses before high school graduation Next Gen Personal Finance , the leading nonprofit provider of free financial education curriculum and professional development, has published its 2022 State of Financial Education Report in collaboration with Dr. Carly Urban of Montana State University . The analysis of over 11,000 high school course catalogs shows tha

APR 27

Mental health of college students is getting worse
The rate of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression, has steadily increased over the past eight years, with rates even higher among racial and ethnic minority students To say that college years are a time of great change is an understatement; whether you stay at or close to home, or move away to a four-year university, the post–high school years are often a time of new experience
School segregation: Contributor to racial/ethnic childhood obesity disparities
- Obesity gaps are larger between segregated schools and smaller in racially-integrated schools among child populations, according to a new study in Obesity , The Obesity Society’s (TOS) flagship journal. This is the first study to examine childhood obesity disparities specifically within integrated schools to begin to elucidate the role of school segregation in the racial/ethnic patterning of ob
Use of Supports Among College Students with Disabilities and Special Needs
A new NCES report, Use of Supports among Students with Disabilities and Special Needs in College, investigates whether students informed colleges of their disabilities or special needs and who received accommodations and services for them. It also describes whether students used academic support services, sought help, or enrolled in remedial courses during college. The report finds— About a third