Posts tagged Osse
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DC is about to blow its chance to make schools more than tests
What gets tested, it’s said, gets taught—and by the same token, what doesn’t get tested gets ignored. Just look at how the school curriculum has shriveled since the advent of high-stakes testing in reading and math fifteen years ago. Now DC has a chance to reverse some of that unintended damage. And it’s about to blow that chance. Keep reading…
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DC adult learners may qualify for regular diplomas—whatever those mean
DC education officials are planning to grant high school diplomas to adults who complete high school equivalency programs. But some members of the State Board of Education have challenged one program’s rigor, raising the question: What does a DC high school diploma actually signify? Adults in DC who pass the GED exam currently receive a certificate, not a high school… Keep reading…
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Here’s how standardized tests are impeding learning in DC
Standardized tests, which have proliferated in classrooms in DC and elsewhere in recent years, have led teachers to concentrate on reading and math at the expense of subjects like social studies and science. And while the tests have value, they generally don’t improve instruction or boost learning. Testing not only takes significant amounts of time away from instruction,… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Goal for DC
United stays in DC; Fix it; Vote, Virginia!; DC Water on the river; See you in court; Red line not maglev; Not so fast; MoCo likes bikes; Come for the jobs; And…. Keep reading…
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High-poverty schools need better teachers, but getting them there won’t be easy
DC needs to increase the number of highly qualified teachers who work in high-poverty schools. But doing that could require a fundamental change in the way DC Public Schools evaluates and supports teachers. DCPS teachers who get high ratings are more likely to work in schools serving relatively affluent students. That’s typical of school districts across the… Keep reading…
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DC isn’t a state, so why does it have a State Board of Education?
District voters in some wards will be voting tomorrow for members of the DC State Board of Education (SBOE). But this isn’t a school board that oversees the DC Public Schools. So what is this board, and is there a point to it? As it happens, many people inside the education world ask and debate those same questions. At recent forums, candidates for the SBOE have talked about… Keep reading…
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Wondering why a preschooler would ever need to be suspended? Here’s an explanation.
When people hear that schools in DC and elsewhere are suspending preschoolers, they can’t fathom why these suspensions occur. Some policy-makers grab at quick fixes like banning the practice. But one underlying cause of preschool suspension is the slow process for identifying and addressing the needs of children with disabilities. My experience teaching… Keep reading…
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Private school says it could have taken over troubled special needs charter if it had been asked earlier
A troubled DC charter school for kids with special needs will stay open for one more year under the management of a court-appointed receiver. But a private DC-area school with experience in special education could have taken over the school if it had been contacted earlier, according to an official at the school. The Public Charter School Board (PCSB) voted yesterday to allow… Keep reading…
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Why are so many DCPS schools listed as 99% low-income? It’s not necessarily because they are.
Publicly available education data shows that many DCPS schools have a 99% poverty rate. But that figure is based on an average and doesn’t reflect the actual number of poor kids at any particular DCPS school. In the past, each DCPS school counted how many of its students were eligible for free and reduced-price meals (FARMs). Last year, DCPS began participating in a federal… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Why were charter schools an issue in New York’s mayoral race but not DC’s?
Charters here are a fact of life: None of the mayoral candidates in DC has campaigned against charter schools the way Bill deBlasio did in New York, and one reason is that New York has limited the number of charters. (Sara Mead’s Policy Notebook, Ed Week) DC faulted on low-performing schools: DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education hasn’t pressed… Keep reading…