Publications A new study using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress finds that the reason why boys seem to be falling behind girls in school is not because boys are doing worse, but because girls are doing better. The study attributes the public sentiment that boys are doing worse to inadequate research, sloppy analysis, and discomfort with the fact that although the average boy is doing better, the average girl has gotten ahead of him.
To read the full report, click here.
To download this report in PDF format (21 pages), click here.
Supreme Court Rules Expert Fees Not Recoverable by Parents
The Supreme Court has ruled by a 6-3 decision that under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, parents of students with disabilities are not entitled to reimbursement for experts or consultants.
To download a PDF of the decision (43 pages), click here.
Americans Speak on Education and Competitiveness
According to the sixth annual Education Testing Service nationwide public opinion poll, seventy-one percent of Americans think that in order for the American economy to stay globally competitive, schools need to do more to prevent dropout and to challenge students in the areas of math and science, which prepare students for the increasingly technical jobs of the modern economy.
For more information, click here.
Support for Standards and Testing May Be Fading
Reality Check 2006, a new report from Public Agenda, indicates that many parents, students, and teachers think that high standards and testing are necessary components of school progress, but school environment and adequate funding are becoming bigger priorities.
For more information, click here.
To download a PDF of Reality Check 2006, click here.
Higher Quality Teachers Equal Higher Quality Education
A new study by The Education Trust finds that elementary and high school students are negatively affected by poorly qualified teachers, regardless of their family income. For example, in Illinois’ poorest elementary schools with low-teacher quality, the average pass rate on state tests was 31%, but in similar low-income schools with higher ranked teachers, the rate jumped to 43%.
To read more about this study, click here.
Department of Education Releases Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities
This new US Department of Education tool kit includes tips for parents on developing children’s reading skills, a school-wide model for positive behavior, and a manual on accommodations for students with disabilities.
For a full article on the tool kit, click here.
All Will Benefit from Better Preschools
The Committee for Economic Development recently released a study that finds higher quality early childhood education programs will not only benefit American children but also the United States' economy and society as a whole. In particular, the report stressed the importance of early education teachers in the development of academic, social, emotional, and physical skills of children.
To download a PDF of The Economic Promise of Investing in High-Quality Preschool: Using Early Education to Improve Economic Growth and the Fiscal Sustainability of States and the Nation (74 pages), click here.
For more information on CED's Early Education Project, click here.
Teachers Not Learning Essential Reading Instruction Skills
In her new paper, Sandra Stotsky finds that most teachers fail to cover basic reading instruction such as phonics and vocabulary building. Using her analysis of eleven tests used to certify elementary school teachers, Stotsky argues that many reading teachers and specialists are not giving children the opportunities they need to successfully learn how to read.
To download a PDF version of Why American Students Do Not Learn to Read Very Well: The Unintended Consequences of Title II and Teacher Testing (37 pages), click here.
To read a review on the paper, click here.
A New Approach to School Funding
A recent report by The Fordham Institute advocates a new system of school funding that would guarantee funds for each student based on their individual needs. This system, called Weighted Student Funding, proposes a huge change in educational funding, focusing on the student rather than the institution.
To read "Fund the Child: Tackling Inequity & Antiquity in School Finance," click here.
More Children Living in Poverty
According to the new Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2006 KIDS COUNT Data Book, the amount of children living in poverty is increasing, from twelve million in 2000 to over thirteen million in 2004. The study also found that more babies are born with low birth weight and from parents who are not employed full-time.
For more information on the Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT Data Book, click here.
Rural Children at Disadvantage to Non-Rural Children
A new report that compares young childhood care and development within rural and non-rural areas found that rural young children are at a disadvantage to non-rural children when entering kindergarten. Reasons for the disadvantage include rural parents being significantly less likely than non-rural parents to have at least a bachelor's degree and half as likely as non-rural parents to have a yearly income of $75,000 or more.
To download a copy of this report in PDF format, (28 pages), click here.
Education News Parents Can Use Wraps Up Spring Season
The U.S. Department of Education's monthly television program focused its final edition of the season on nutrition guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food pyramid.
For links to download the new food pyramid for young children, click here.
To view past broadcasts of Education News Parents Can Use, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/av/video/edtv/index.html or call toll-free 1-800-USA-LEARN.
