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Putting Education Reform To The Test

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Stories about students and the initiatives designed to improve performance. Are the many education reforms Florida has adopted having an impact?

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August 9, 2012

Florida Students Party Hard And Get Easy A’s According To Latest College Rankings

For those who love higher education rankings, the last week has been a bonanza. The lists suggest Florida has room for improvement in certain areas — unless you’re looking for a party school that doles out an easy curriculum. First, we look at Forbes’ annual list of America’s 650 Top Colleges. These rankings focus on […]

August 8, 2012

Students Benefit From More Class Time, If Used Wisely

Students who spend more time in class will perform better in class and on standardized tests. But schools must focus on individual student needs, assessment and staff training. That’s the conclusion of a National Center on Time and Learning report looking at programs in 30 schools which add time to the school day or extend […]

August 7, 2012

How Common Core Will Change Classroom Approaches

Raise your hand if you could use a little extra help explaining the new Common Core State Standards Florida schools will implement in 2014? We’ve got our hand up too. Robert Rothman bullet points the ways Common Core will affect classrooms in this month’s Harvard Education Letter. Here’s a few key changes:

Florida Students Head Back To Class

The summer has come to an end for Charlotte County school students. Today is the first day of class for the 2012-2013 school year. Six other districts start this week. Brevard, Citrus, Lee, Nassau and Walton County schools head back to class on Wednesday. Sumter County schools start classes on Thursday. The majority of Florida […]

August 6, 2012

Students Learning English Get Extra Reading Help At Summer Camp

Juan Galvez is going into 4th grade. His parents are from Bolivia and Guatemala, and they only speak Spanish. When it comes to homework, Juan is usually on his own. “My mom helps me a little because she knows the math,” said Juan. “But with reading, I’m good. I do it by myself.” Students learning […]

August 3, 2012

A Backpack Keeps Kids — And Their Family — Fed On Weekends

We know that a lot of children depend on schools for their meals through free and reduced-price food programs. So when school is not in session, these kids may go hungry for much of the day. It’s a problem big enough that the Florida Department of Agriculture provides a summer food program.  Funds go to […]

August 2, 2012

How Schools Are Coping With A Communications Obsession

Many schools prohibit students from using cell phones during school hours. But students can’t always resist the urge. Middle school student Teresa Fernandez says she leaves class and goes to the bathroom when she wants to text. “I think everyone does that because every time I go in there people are playing [games] and texting,” […]

July 31, 2012
July 30, 2012

Georgia Wants To Track Student Data Through Graduate School

Georgia is taking tracking student progress to the next level. The state is working on a system that will keep track of student data from pre-K through graduate school. Georgia is using a federal Race To The Top grant to create a statewide database. Researchers will look for trends – good or bad – as […]

Should Algebra Remain Part Of The Graduation Equation?

Is there a growing push to trim advanced math requirements for students who won’t use the lessons in “the real world?” City University of New York political science professor Andrew Hacker authored a Sunday op-ed in the New York Times which questions whether U.S. schools should require students to pass algebra in order to graduate. […]

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