Leaders for quality public education from cradle to career
A recent study of Florida students found that students taking higher level courses are more likely to graduate and more likely to succeed in college. The researchers note that these rigorous courses make the biggest difference for students from disadvantaged or high-poverty schools. They also found slightly higher graduation rates from Hispanic, African American and [...]
With teacher performance on our–and the President’s–minds, the 2011 State Teacher Policy Yearbook couldn’t be more timely. The Yearbook, released by the National Council on Teacher Quality, grades states on the effectiveness of their teacher policies. The report focuses on five main areas: Delivering well-prepared teachers Expanding the pool of teachers Identifying effective teachers Retaining [...]
It may be that your school is great. Maybe your district is doing quite well, especially compared to other districts near yours. Maybe your school is one of the best in the country. However, a new tool shows that even the highest achieving schools in the United States are mediocre when compared to schools around [...]
As President Obama pushes for a new era of innovation – “our generation’s Sputnik moment” – we are left with the challenge of making sure that all of children are ready for the opportunities that lie ahead. Washington is one of only nine states where the achievement gap is growing. In order to fulfill the [...]
Recent news from Seattle Public Schools about its high school graduates created a stir about the use of certain statistics related to college entry. Data published by the District in 2008, claimed that only 17% of SPS graduates had taken the coursework necessary to get into college. Turns out that the statistic was wrong. It [...]
Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn penned this op-ed piece in the Seattle Times about our state’s commitment to education. Superintendent Dorn is spot on about the need to redouble efforts to better educate our children and to protect education funding, as much as possible. Making “ample provision for the education of all children” is [...]
If you wonder why so much emphasis is being placed on shoring up our state’s high school graduation requirements, consider the following numbers, compiled by the State Board of Education: 45 states do a better job preparing students for college and careers. 42 states have better college participation rates from low-income families. 67 percent of [...]
Washington’s on-time graduation rate is 73 percent for the class of 2008-09. But for at-risk students, the data shows a much more challenging picture. Only 63 percent of low-income students and 51 percent of English Language Learners graduate on-time. The group with the lowest rate (43 percent) also seems to get the least amount of [...]
