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Urban schools test for grit, but will it improve test scores?

Something new is happening at a batch of California urban schools. Students are being asked if they are happy at school. The recent focus on the social and emotional well-being of students as a way to improve test scores is gaining statewide traction. Civil rights advocates are joining parent and student groups in pushing the State Board of Education to consider school climate surveys in a new accountability system California is scheduled to adopt this fall. An analysis of the CORE school reports suggests how well a school’s students perform on standardized tests correlates highly with school climate. By Judy Lin, CALmatters

• Teaching emotional skills, part of the CORE accountability system, pays big dividends for Winnetka elementary school, LA Daily News
• Editorial: ‘Wanding’ for weapons at Los Angeles public schools, Los Angeles Times
• Meet 21 inspiring high school graduates from the class of 2016, The 74
• Why so many black, Hispanic and poor kids miss out on gifted education, Washington Post
• Dual enrollment programs attracting more students in California high schools, EdSource
• Schools are under federal pressure to translate for immigrant parents, The Hechinger Report