Our team is always seeking the latest news in the field of education. As advocates for a quality education for ALL students, we know we have to stay up-to-date on everything that’s going on in the education spheres of our nation…from the White House to the local public school district, from new legislation to the small acts of bravery and kindness made by a single teacher, from the milestones and celebrations to the hazardous injustices affecting many of our nations students.
Here are the best stories we came across last week…because we believe you should stay up-to-date, too!
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The 50 Most Segregating School Borders In America via NPR
NPR explores the extreme contrast in some of the nation’s most segregated school borders. The observe cities from Birmingham to Detroit.
“Birmingham’s district lines weren’t always a story of haves and have nots, at least not this glaring. Most of the affluent districts now bordering the city’s schools were once part of the larger Jefferson County School District. But over the years, they have seceded, using their considerable property tax wealth to create new minidistricts.”
74 Interview: Early Ed Expert Ruby Takanishi on Why K-12 Doesn’t Work Without Pre-K via The 74 Million
The 74 recently sat down with early education expert Ruby Takanishi to discuss why we need to stop advocating for pre-K as a separate add-on program. She also believes the next president should fund a financially stable pre-K system.
“We have gone through a long period of reform, from No Child Left Behind and both the Bush and Obama administrations. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a reaction against that long slog, which has not resulted in promising outcomes for students. Of course, ESSA is likely to reinforce state inequities. I hear little from the two candidates about their education platforms beyond stock phrases.”
LA Johnson/NPR
Mental Health In Schools: A Hidden Crisis Affecting Millions Of Students via NPR
In part one of a new NPR series on mental health in schools, they explore the realities and roles of different individuals in the lives of students…from the principal to the parents.
“So in a school classroom of 25 students, five of them may be struggling with the same issues many adults deal with: depression, anxiety, substance abuse. And yet most children — nearly 80 percent — who need mental health services won’t get them. Whether treated or not, the children do go to school. And the problems they face can tie into major problems found in schools: chronic absence, low achievement, disruptive behavior and dropping out.”
Photo by Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post
Low-income kindergartners are closing the achievement gap, reversing a decades-old trend via The Washington Post
The Washington Post discusses a new study that shows the achievement gap is closing low-income kindergartners and their more affluent peers. Research shows these children are entering school with higher math and reading skills.
“Low-income kindergartners are entering school with stronger math and reading skills, narrowing the academic gap with their affluent peers and reversing a decades-old trend, according to research released Friday. The good news surprised researchers, who had expected to see school-readiness gaps growing — particularly given the broad societal trends of increasing income inequality and economic segregation.“
Did any of these articles particularly speak to you? We would love to know your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below:
September 7, 2016
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The Expectations Project
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