For weeks now, Palm Beach County schools have struggled to get students to classes on time. Bus routes have been redrawn. And the district sent up flares, looking to hire anyone who wants to drive a bus. It’s the first crisis new superintendent Robert Avossa has had to face since taking over the job in […]
A 10th grader born in Haiti struggles to read in his class at Godby High School in Tallahassee. The student is more comfortable with Haitian Creole than English. Teacher Althea Valle has students of various nationalities trying to master the language. “It’s a challenge,” Valle says. “There’s a lot of gesturing, and you know sometimes I […]
Gov. Rick Scott is ready to take the federal government to court over testing rules for students learning English. The U.S. Department of Education says Florida must count those students’ results after one year in school. Scott and Florida educators want to give students two years to learn English. Scott said Education Commissioner Pam Stewart […]
Florida’s graduation rate increased by five percentage points between the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years, according to new U.S. Department of Education graduation rate data released today. But despite the improving rate, just six states and the District of Columbia have a lower graduation rate than Florida —the same number as last year. The bright […]
Miami Jackson Senior High School has lost its appeal to become an A-rated school after disputing test scores , the Miami Herald reports. The Florida Department of Education said the scores from students learning English would not have changed the school’s grade: The state’s ruling was expected, even though Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said […]
From Common Core, to Florida’s next standardized test and changes to high school graduation requirement, education was a top story time and again this year. Here’s a selection of some of our most important, interesting and favorite education stories of 2013. Click on the headlines to read the full story and listen to the broadcast […]
More than half of Maryland students with disabilities or learning English tested don’t count towards the Old Line State’s results on a key national standardized exam, according to The Washington Post. Maryland excludes the results of 62 percent of learning-disabled and English learners on the fourth grade National Assessment of Educational Progress reading exam. The […]
The federal government is pushing states to consider adopting a common definition for which students qualify as English language learners, Stateline reports. The decision is important because it could affect federal funding for those students. The common definition could also determine which students receive accommodations on standardized tests, such as more time, use of a […]
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 […]
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