Stories

California

We Used to Be One of the Worst Schools in California. Not Anymore.

With high suspension rates, low achievement scores and ineffective teachers, Pacoima Elementary had the dishonor of being one of the worst schools in California. So in 2003, we parted ways from the...

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student achievement

Every Teacher Tried to Get Him on Track But Only This Student Knew Exactly What He Needed

During the first seven months of this school year, I struggled to find a way to motivate a ninth-grade student whom I’ll call Ameer. Ameer is a naturally curious, bright and charismatic young man...

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student achievement

A Parent’s Guide to the Changes Coming to Florida Schools

Let’s just start with the bottom line: Florida lawmakers passed a big education bill Monday that is mostly good for kids: It protects recess for elementary students, reduces state tests for high...

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student achievement

The Hidden Costs of Our Tutoring Epidemic

There’s a tutoring epidemic. It goes beyond four-year-olds prepping to ace gifted and talented screenings, and teens cramming for the Specialized High School Admissions Test. Those exams are for...

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student achievement

Michelle Obama Isn't in the White House But She's Still on for #CollegeSigningDay

There’s nothing quite like walking around with former First Lady Michelle Obama when she’s meeting students for the first time. I’ve seen her stroll across a campus dorm quad at Howard University...

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opportunity gap

No One Should Ever Have to Feel Like They're Not Smart Enough

“I could never make it there,” they said. “I am just not smart enough,” they explained. Those were some of the comments I heard from students in my high school teacher's Spanish class. I was back in...

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