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National literacy data show nearly half of all 3rd graders began school year off-track
National data released last fall shows students who learned to read during the pandemic are still performing below those who were in early grades before schools closed — in some cases, well below. Fifty-three percent of second graders were on track in reading last fall, compared to 57% in 2019, according to Amplify, a curriculum...
By Linda Jacobson | January 17, 2023
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New data: Female college enrollment drops at twice the rate of male students
New data shows gender disparities in fall 2022 college freshmen enrollment, with female students opting out at more than twice the rate of males, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Across all four-year universities and community colleges, male freshmen enrollment declined by 1.3% compared to female freshmen enrollment which...
By Joshua Bay | January 12, 2023
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Analysis: 3 ways for schools to make sure they get what they pay for in learning recovery
American households invest time and money in things they assume are worth it, whether it is because they are believed to improve quality of life or are cost-effective. New parents may be loyal to a particular diaper brand that they believe prevents leaks. Families purchase or prepare school lunches to give their children a balanced...
By Amanda Neitzel & Jen Krajewski | January 11, 2023
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Services denied: LAUSD parents and advocates slam weak rollout of plan for students with disabilities
Correction appended Jan. 10 Every week or so, Los Angeles parent Glenisha Cargin makes a round of phone calls to LAUSD school officials trying to get help for her young son. Cargin, the mother of a first-grader on the autism spectrum who attends a district school in Westmont, calls the principal. Next she moves on...
By Will Callan | January 10, 2023
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A DARPA for K–12? Omnibus bill includes substantial new funds for education R&D
Funding increases written into the recently passed $1.7 trillion federal omnibus package will provide a substantial jumpstart to education research and statistics this year — and could even evolve into an entity mirroring DARPA, the Pentagon’s storied research and development branch. The law, passed by bipartisan majorities and signed by President Biden in the closing days of...
By Kevin Mahnken | January 9, 2023
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The future of the high school essay: We talk to 4 teachers, 2 experts and 1 AI chatbot
ChatGPT, an AI-powered “large language” model, is poised to change the way high school English teachers do their jobs. With the ability to understand and respond to natural language, ChatGPT is a valuable tool for educators looking to provide personalized instruction and feedback to their students. O.K., you’ve probably figured out by now that ChatGPT...
By Greg Toppo | January 5, 2023
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‘Late-in-the-game’ COVID relief fund guidance leaves some scratching their heads
Earlier this month, more than two years into schools’ attempts to spend an unprecedented $189 billion in COVID relief funds, federal officials released a 97-page document that “strongly encourages” districts not to spend the windfall on construction. There’s one hitch: According to one analysis, districts are already spending, or planning to spend, almost a quarter of funds from...
By Linda Jacobson | January 4, 2023
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Best education articles of 2022: Our 8 most shared stories about LA schools
2022 continued to be a chaotic time for the nation’s second largest school district, with chronic absenteeism and other COVID-related issues disrupting LA Unified schools. Starting off the year, LAUSD welcomed a new superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, the former Miami schools chief. It was also a big year for LA School Report as we covered these...
By LA School Report | January 3, 2023
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Report: Half of largest school districts changed leaders since pandemic
Half of the nation’s 500 largest school districts have changed superintendents or are in the midst of a transition, according to a report tracking leadership churn since the pandemic began. Forty-seven of those districts have seen two or more leadership changes. The turnover has been particularly hard on women: Of the 94 female superintendents who...
By Linda Jacobson | January 2, 2023
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Commentary: Three ways schools can fend off ransomware attacks
After years of targeting and extorting high-value corporate targets, ransomware attackers have turned to more vulnerable prey — school districts. With less funding, less-than-mature cybersecurity defenses and limited (or even nonexistent) controls over an abundance of sensitive data, educational institutions are prime targets for cybercriminals. As a number of recent notable attacks against school systems...
By Barb Dawson and Rocco Grillo | December 28, 2022