education

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Study Finds Steep Decline in US Students' Math Skills

But elementary school students were still slightly above average in study of 58 countries

(Newser) - American elementary school students aren't terrible at math—in a study of students in 58 countries, they were somewhere in the middle of the pack—but officials are alarmed by a steep decline in their skills in recent years. The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, which...

In the Reading Wars, 'Teaching Lucy' Is a Volatile Term

Atlantic explores the controversy around Lucy Calkins' Units of Study curriculum

(Newser) - The most recent assessment of American students' reading skills suggests too many kids are struggling. And as a story in the Atlantic explains, a 72-year-old educator named Lucy Calkins has become the "scapegoat" for the problem. Calkins champions a curriculum known as Units of Study, one that has become...

Texas Board Votes to Approve Controversial Curriculum
Texas Board Approves
Controversial Curriculum
UPDATED
Nov 22, 2024 12:44 PM CST

Texas Board Approves Controversial Curriculum

Critics say Bible-heavy public school curriculum is akin to 'religious indoctrination'

(Newser) - The state board of education in Texas on Friday approved an elementary school curriculum that includes Bible-based lessons, reports the Washington Post . Critics say the curriculum, which is optional, improperly pushes Christian beliefs in public schools. Gov. Greg Abbott and other supporters disagree, saying the Bible is a part of...

Louisiana's Plan for Ten Commandments in Schools on Pause

Federal appeals court stops Louisiana from requiring commandments be posted in classrooms

(Newser) - Louisiana's plan to make all of the state's public school classrooms post the Ten Commandments next year remains on hold under an order Wednesday by a federal appeals court in New Orleans. The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a state request to temporarily stay an earlier...

Teaching Not a 'Sustainable' Job for Parents
Teaching Not a 'Sustainable'
Job for Parents
OPINION
Nov 12, 2024 3:08 PM CST

Teaching Not a 'Sustainable' Job for Parents

So says Lauren Quinn in LAT op-ed, writing she had to quit her career to prioritize her own child

(Newser) - Being a teacher these days seems to be an exhausting, frustrating lot, at least according to the record-high turnover rate and low job satisfaction that Lauren Quinn cites in her op-ed for the Los Angeles Times . Quinn herself recently left her job as a high school English teacher, but it...

For Kids Who Endured COVID, Trump, Harris Can't Just Give Up

NYT columnist Jessica Grose pushes for more action in the K-12 arena from Trump, Harris

(Newser) - When COVID made its way onto the scene almost five years ago, it indisputably had an effect on America's students, especially those in the K-12 grades. But although the pandemic was like "this comet that hit our education system," as one expert puts it, "the downward...

English Class in America Is Now Reading 'in Baby Form'

Kids across America are reading fewer novels in school; not everyone is happy about it

(Newser) - Chris Stanislawski didn't read much in his middle school English classes, but it never felt necessary. Much of the reading material at Garden City Middle School on Long Island was either abridged books or online texts and printouts, he said. "When you're given a summary of the...

The Brainiest Cities in America
The Brainiest
Cities in America
Jul 6, 2024 10:00 AM CDT

The Brainiest Cities in America

Ann Arbor, Michigan, tops WalletHub's list

(Newser) - A smart city is a more prosperous one, according to WalletHub , which notes that higher education levels among an urban center's residents boost salaries and, in turn, tax dollars flowing into local government. The site wanted to see which cities are attracting the best and brightest, so it reviewed...

In Oklahoma, an 'Extraordinary Move' on Bible in the Classroom

Ryan Walters, state superintendent, orders the religious text to be taught in public schools

(Newser) - Coming to classrooms in Oklahoma: the Bible. The state's superintendent has ordered the religious text be taught in Oklahoma's public schools, reports the New York Times , which calls it "an extraordinary move that blurs the lines between religious instruction and public education." "Every teacher, every...

A Big First for 'World's Most Important Beverage'

Coffee is focus at UC Davis Coffee Center, said to be first coffee research hub on US college campus

(Newser) - A college in Northern California is now home to a center devoted to educating students and closely studying one of the most consumed beverages in the world known for powering people through their day—coffee. UC Davis launched its Coffee Center in May with research focused on providing support for...

Woman Who Skipped Thesis in 1941 Gets Master's

'It's nice to be recognized,' says Virginia Hislop, whose education was disrupted by WWII

(Newser) - A 20-something Virginia Hislop was on the verge of completing a master's degree in education in 1941 when World War II threw a wrench in her plans. She'd completed all degree requirements but a final thesis when her fiance was called to serve. Hislop abandoned her studies to...

Here Are the Most, Least Educated States in America

Massachusetts tops WalletHub's list, West Virginia brings up the rear

(Newser) - If your mantra is "surround yourself with people smarter than you are," some US states may be a better bet than others, per WalletHub , which looked at the data to see which states offer more in the way of education. The site examined 18 metrics in two main...

Oklahoma Asks Some Teachers to Return 5-Figure Bonuses

At least 9 teachers were reportedly told to repay the money

(Newser) - With four young children and a fifth on the way, Kristina Stadelman was ecstatic after qualifying for a $50,000 bonus for taking a hard-to-fill job as a special education teacher in Oklahoma. She used the money to finish home improvements and buy a new car for her growing family....

Don't Call Them Truant Officers Anymore
Don't Call Them
Truant Officers Anymore
longform
Jan 14, 2024 3:55 PM CST

Don't Call Them Truant Officers Anymore

Schools turn absenteeism problem over to private companies and 'professional student advocates'

(Newser) - That school absenteeism remains sky-high after the pandemic has been well documented . But a story by ProPublica and the New Yorker adds a new wrinkle to the narrative: More schools across the US are turning to private companies to try to get kids back in the classroom. And their focus...

After Test Results, Ed Secretary Calls for 'Math Revolution'

PISA results show 33% of US students lack basic math proficiency

(Newser) - The first assessment of global achievement in math since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic reveals further evidence of what some are calling a "crisis" in US education. The average math score for American students taking part in Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams fell to 465 out...

'Unapproved' Schools Illustrate an Education Trend

The AP looks at such schools in Louisiana, an offshoot of the homeschooling movement

(Newser) - Arliya Martin accepted her high school diploma with relief and gratitude. It was her ticket to better-paying work, she felt, after getting kicked out of high school and toiling for eight years at factory jobs in Springfield, Louisiana, to support her children. "This is a new path for me,...

It's Time for Schools to Ban Smartphones
It's Time for Schools
to Ban Smartphones
OPINION
Nov 27, 2023 5:58 PM CST

It's Time for Schools to Ban Smartphones

'Washington Post' editorial board implores parents to get on board

(Newser) - The Washington Post editorial board has a controversial wish for 2024: It wants education officials to prohibit students from bringing smartphones to school. What's more, the board argues that "parents should welcome and support" such a ban. Individual districts around the country already have restrictions in place to...

The Downside of Grade-Tracking Apps

The Cut explores how parents can get too obsessed

(Newser) - Most public and private high schools these days use some version of learning-management software, tech that allows parents to check on their children's grades and whether they're keeping up with their schoolwork in general. The principle behind popular ones like Schoology is straightforward enough—"research has long...

Learning Cursive Is Back in Some Schools

New California law requires public schools to teach handwriting in elementary school

(Newser) - Older generations are regularly appalled to discover kids don't loop their letters anymore, but the Golden State is about to buck that trend. California Gov Gavin Newsom signed a bill last week that requires students in first through sixth grade to learn cursive handwriting, reports the Hill . The bill...

Here Are the 10 Best Colleges in the US

Princeton University is No. 1, per new 'WSJ'/College Pulse rankings

(Newser) - The Wall Street Journal is out with its annual college rankings , prepared in conjunction this year with College Pulse, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, an Ivy League takes the top spot. Princeton University is No. 1, and the Journal says that instructors, a rigorous curriculum, and ample resources all play a part...

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