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Testing Bill Taking Shape, Would Suspend API For Two Years
A bill moving through the California State Assembly would suspend nearly all of the old standardized tests to free up money and student energy to “field test” the new computer-based Common Core assessments. But testing data from those field tests won’t be used for accountability purposes – they’ll simply be used as practice for students...
By Hillel Aron | September 4, 2013
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Slim Gains, Slight Drop in English for LA Unified in CA Test Scores
Scores from statewide California tests taken by LA Unified students in the 2012-2013 academic year were only slightly higher than results from the year before. While the gains were more modest than in previous years, they still reflected overall improvement while the state average fell by a fraction of a percentage point. “We’ve outpaced the...
By Hillel Aron | August 8, 2013
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Morning Read: Budget Forecasts – and Pink Slips
Despite Increase in Funding, School Districts Still Sending Layoff Notices to Teachers Year after year, March 15th has been a date of dread for California public school teachers. The date, wAhich falls on a Friday this year, is the preliminary deadline for school districts to send out “Reduction In Force” notices for cuts to next...
By Samantha Oltman | March 12, 2013
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Why HS Math Scores Are Low(er)
When the California standardized test scores were released last week, the Daily News lauded LAUSD for “its best showing ever.” Superintendent John Deasy gave the district (and himself) a pat on the back, saying, “We’ve put a great deal of emphasis in this district on English-language arts, we’ve put a great deal of emphasis on...
By Hillel Aron | September 13, 2012
Investigation: Nearly 1,000 Native Children Died in Federal Boarding Schools
Podcast: What a Mentorship Mindset Can Do for Student Motivation
Black and Hispanic Voters Say Democrats Aren’t Focused Enough on K-12 Education
Teen Activist Rhea Maniar on the Power of Abortion to Turn Out Young Voters
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LAUSD Shows Improvement In State Tests
The Daily News reports (see: LAUSD makes its best showing ever on STAR tests) that LAUSD students made significant improvement over last year in their performance on the state-required standardized test results, also known as the STAR tests: “48 percent of LAUSD students scored proficient or advanced in English, up from 44 percent last year. Math proficiency...
By Hillel Aron | August 31, 2012
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Morning Reading: Testing, Testing…
• Judge James C. Chalfant has set a deadline for LAUSD to comply with the Stull Act, which, according to the judge’s decision last month, mandates that objective measurement of pupil progress be included in teacher evaluations. Or rather, the judge sent the attorneys into the hallway of the courthouse to hammer out an agreement. They came...
By Hillel Aron | July 25, 2012