Category: Public Education
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How to measure schools effectively
Students say that during test preparation time, they don’t get access to their usual lessons; they understand that come February, it is testing, testing, and testing. As more studies analyze the effects of high-stakes testing, it is clear that students are negatively affected, especially as it consumes their day-to-day school life. But why does it…
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The effects of staar
Texas recently released A-F ratings. They largely rely on State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores. They measure student performance in a few subjects and take place a few days each year. The results have huge implications for schools and their districts. Yet several factors show this assessment is not fair or able…
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Another version of history
And the vote from the State Board of Education is…yes. The State Board of Education has been looking to change the social studies curriculum in Texas. This week, they had community input, and people were speaking out from both sides- those in favor and those against. But what was at stake? The biggest theme in…
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The takeovers
With a leadership change in any school district comes uncertainty and anxiety. The uncertainty and anxiety are even greater when the new leadership is state-appointed, as is the case with the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) takeover of school districts. The state implements takeovers when a school within the district receives multiple consecutive years of low…