D.C. school serves as community’s anchor
Abig bomb with a short fuse is how Vincente Weaver describes himself a year ago. With each of life’s disappointments, he ticked away a little more. [ Washington Post]
NCLB waiver bid stalled by Ed Dept. concerns
It turns out that the U.S. Department of Education has quite a few issues with the District’s application for relief from No Child Left Behind. The problems start with two chronic concerns: The city’s poor record of handling and accounting for federal grants, and its difficulties staying in compliance with special education laws. Both were inherited by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education when it was formed in 2007, but they remain obstacles. [Washington Post]
Children’s advocates are applauding the latest state budget in North Carolina, hailing it as the latest victory in a long and drawn-out battle over the future of pre-kindergarten programs in a state that was once to early childhood education what Michigan was to cars and Mississippi was to the blues. [Huffington Post]
Teaching for all levels — in one class
In Elise Carter’s second-grade class, some students still write their numbers backward or look at their fingers to add. Others race through multiplication tables or search the Web to teach themselves about negative numbers. [Washington Post]
Why rating teachers by test scores won’t work
I don’t spend much time debunking our most powerful educational fad:value-added assessments to rate teachers. My colleague Valerie Strauss eviscerates value-added several times a week on her Answer Sheet blog with the verve of a Samurai warrior, so who needs me? [Washington Post]
One-third of TJ freshmen need math, science remediation
One-third of the freshmen at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology — the elite Alexandria magnet school ranked No. 2 in the nation — have been recommended for remediation in math, science or both, according to a letter obtained by The Washington Examiner. [Washington Examiner]
800 Volunteers to Converge on DC Public Schools Walker-Jones Education Campus for Day of Service
ARLINGTON, Va., May 14, 2012 - Corporate Executive Board (CEB) (NYSE: EXBD), a leading research and advisory services company, will “Get Out and Give Back” around the globe on Friday, May 18, 2012 with its second annual Global Service Day. More than 1,500 staff in 14 cities around the world will actively partner with service organizations that exhibit excellence in entrepreneurship, sustainable growth, social impact and innovation. In Washington, DC, more than 800 CEB staff, in partnership with City Year, will convene on the District of Columbia Public Schools Walker-Jones Education Campus to donate a day of service to transform the school environment to benefit 400 youth. [Seeking Alpha]
‘Chronically Absent’ Students Skew School Data, Study Finds, Citing Parents’ Role
Up to 15 percent of American children are chronically absent from school, missing at least one day in 10 and doing long-term harm to their academic progress, according to a new study by researchers atJohns Hopkins University. [NY Times]
Students Make Gains in Testing on Science
American eighth graders have made modest gains in national science testing, with Hispanic and black students narrowing the gap between them and their white and Asian peers, the federal government reported Thursday. [NY Times]
