Tennessee hits highest graduation rate for second year in a row

Jason Gonzales Oct. 1, 2018 Tennessee’s graduation rate held steady year over year, maintaining the record rate of 89.1 percent that was recorded last school year. In Middle Tennessee, Nashville public schools posted a similar graduation rate from the previous year while Williamson County Schools posted one of its highest graduation rates in several years. Overall, more…

Virginia Beach looking again at changing school start times

VIRGINIA BEACH The School Board is taking another look at changing school start times. Board members discussed potential changes during a workshop Tuesday, when they received a packet filled with more than 100 pages of information on the topic. They’ll likely debate again at a meeting in mid-November, before taking a formal vote toward the…

Jonesboro Public School’s mindset is growing

By Destiny Quinn | October 24, 2018  JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – A Region 8 school district is working to tap in to every student’s potential, no matter what their background might be. The Jonesboro Public School District has made an effort to improve their student’s way of thinking with a new idea called the “Growth Mindset.” Instead…

How are America’s public schools really doing?

It’s hard to find a public official today who, when talking about public schools, doesn’t talk about what a mess they are. Failing. Some of them are, in fact, failing kids. This piece, written by Jack Schneider, an assistant professor of education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the author of “Beyond Test Scores: A…

Why Texas public schools are suffering. [Opinion]

David S. Knight  Oct. 11, 2018 Texas is a prosperous state, but lawmakers are failing to adequately finance public education, and communities and students are suffering the academic, physical and economic consequences. The upcoming legislative session provides a unique opportunity for our state’s elected leaders to right past wrongs, but a preliminary budget request from the…

Class sizes raise concerns for Mich. parents, districts, teachers

September 26, 2018 Jennifer Chambers, Korie Wilkins was happy with the small class sizes at her son’s elementary school for the last three years. Then the Rochester Community Schools parent heard a number this month that stopped her in her tracks: 30. “There are 30 kids in his class,” Wilkins said. “He has never had…

Austin ISD considers increasing class sizes to save money

October 8, 2018 Tom Miller AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin ISD is considering increasing the student to teacher ratio next year at campuses throughout the district in an effort to reduce its multi-million dollar budget deficit. Under the proposal, kindergarten through fourth-grade classes could grow by as many as two students, increasing to 24 per teacher. Middle…