Yesterday we wrote about a National Center on Education and the Economy study which argued students were learning a lot of math they won’t end up using in their career. And schools were not spending enough time on more fundamental concepts in elementary and middle school which were more likely to be used by workers. [...]
This week we started our series in partnership with the Florida Center for Investigative Journalism looking at why so many students in the Florida College System require remedial classes before they can start on their degree. The classes cost money, students receive no credit and they lengthen the time it takes to earn a degree. [...]
Our story about Henry Frost’s efforts to enroll in his neighborhood school also sparked a discussion about language. Dean McIntosh criticized our describing Frost as a “student with autism.” The debate is over what’s known as “people first” language — that is emphasizing the person over the diagnosis. But McIntosh says you can’t separate autism [...]
Readers came to the defense of K12 after our series of stories this week looking at the nation’s largest online educator. The Florida Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General is investigating the company after Seminole County schools turned over evidence that the company was using improperly certified teachers and asking teachers to sign off [...]
Last week we told you about the giant temptation facing Florida students: Itchy texting fingers. Many teachers and principals grew up without the devices. But those who have lived their whole lives plugged in say they think about Facebook constantly. Students don’t like to be cut off from their phones during class. A researcher argues [...]
Is 20 minutes enough time to figure out how well a teacher is doing his or her job? That’s what Miami-Dade teacher Karla Mats asked after she received a 20-minute observation from her principal — the minimum time required by the district. Mats was disappointed she was not among the highest-rated teachers and she questioned [...]
Earlier this week we told you about an effort among university presidents asking the federal government to make it easier for foreign high-tech graduates to get a U.S. work visa. The effort has big-name backing from New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch. The goal is to reduce an expected [...]
This week’s story about a pair of brothers who felt bullied in their schools sounded familiar to a few StateImpact Florida readers. Parents said they had pulled their children from school because of a threat or fear of bullying. Adults said the story took them right back to school hallways where they were treated similarly [...]
This week we told you about former Gov. Jeb Bush’s national education role, and how many of the policies he’s taking to other states got their start in Florida thanks to a well-maintained political network. We also told you that Bush’s ideas are seeing some resistance from Floridians. Readers took to the debate. Standardized tests [...]
As parents of 3rd graders grapple with the release of FCAT reading results — an additional 4,000 students are at risk of being held back — parents of students in other grades know how will it affect their kids. Many, such as Maldebot, wrote to say their children were discouraged. What can I do ? [...]
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