Posts by Paula Amann — Contributor
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One struggling reader plus another may equal a boost in reading skills for both
A DC nonprofit called Reach Incorporated hires struggling high school readers to tutor struggling elementary school readers. It may sound counterintuitive, but both groups seem to benefit. Fewer than 20% of DC 8th-graders read at a proficient level, according to national test results last year. The proportion of proficient 4th-grade readers is only slightly better. Where… Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Summer programs combine fun and work to prevent academic backsliding
How their garden grows: Low-income children in one Northeast DC neighborhood are having fun growing and cooking vegetables. But they’re also getting tutoring in reading and math to keep them from falling behind academically over the summer. (Post) Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Charters take DCPS to court
DC charters allege unfair funding: A charter association and two charter schools have filed a lawsuit contending DC has shortchanged them $2,150 per student for the past six years. Public education advocates counter that regular schools bear added costs of serving all students and the larger community. (Post) Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Teaching myths debunked
Fourth-grade shift a myth?: New neuroscience casts doubt on the idea that children shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” in 4th grade. A study found that even 5th-graders don’t process words as automatically as adults. (NPR) Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Troubling, heartening trends for DC children
Gains, losses for capital’s kids: A new foundation report shows mixed trends for DC youth: a twofold increase in 4th-grade reading proficiency and a surge in preschool attendance in recent years, but a rising percentage of children living in high-poverty neighborhoods. And 77% of 4th-graders still aren’t proficient in reading. (Annie E. Casey Foundation, Post)… Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” plan could benefit boys in DC
Support for black and Latino males: Before an audience at Walker-Jones Education Campus that included 200 DC-area students, President Obama announced a new initiative to raise performance among male students of color. The program includes commitments by 60 of the nation’s largest school districts and a host of foundations and other organizations. (MSNBC.com)… Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Improving outcomes for African-American boys
A new DCPS position: A professor of urban education is joining the school system to spearhead innovation and research, with a focus on raising the performance of African-American male students. (Post) Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Another DCPS high school will get a dazzling new building
A new Ballou: DC officials celebrated the topping-out of the high school’s new building in Southeast DC, which will cost $142 million and feature a dazzling array of amenities. Ballou, which currently enrolls only half the number of students the new building is designed for, is the latest in a string of DCPS high school modernizations. (Post)… Keep reading…