Posts by Natalie Wexler — Contributor
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DC is about to blow its chance to make schools more than tests
What gets tested, it’s said, gets taught—and by the same token, what doesn’t get tested gets ignored. Just look at how the school curriculum has shriveled since the advent of high-stakes testing in reading and math fifteen years ago. Now DC has a chance to reverse some of that unintended damage. And it’s about to blow that chance. Keep reading…
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DC adult learners may qualify for regular diplomas—whatever those mean
DC education officials are planning to grant high school diplomas to adults who complete high school equivalency programs. But some members of the State Board of Education have challenged one program’s rigor, raising the question: What does a DC high school diploma actually signify? Adults in DC who pass the GED exam currently receive a certificate, not a high school… Keep reading…
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DC schools are missing an opportunity to equip students for coding jobs
In recent years schools in the District have expanded opportunities for students to learn computer coding, an occupation where demand is outpacing supply. But they could do much more to engage low-income students in a potentially lucrative career path that doesn’t necessarily require a college degree. There’s been a lot of talk lately about the importance of… Keep reading…
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Lower test scores aren’t necessarily a sign we’re heading in the wrong direction
This week Mayor Muriel Bowser and other DC officials released long-awaited results for grades 3 through 8 from the Common Core-aligned tests given last spring. As expected, scores were far lower than on the old tests, especially for low-income and minority students. But that doesn’t necessarily mean DC schools are on the wrong track. Proficiency rates on DC’s… Keep reading…
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DCPS schools put unmotivated students in AP classes. That doesn’t work.
An influential education columnist is applauding the DC Public School system’s decision to expand Advanced Placement offerings, arguing that any motivated student should be allowed to take the college-level courses. But many high-poverty schools in DC simply assign students to AP classes even if they’re not willing to do the work. In September I wrote a… Keep reading…
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Test scores may rise or fall, but the achievement gap persists
On Tuesday, officials released dismal scores from the new Common Core-aligned tests students in the District took last spring. The next day, another set of scores showed DC students improving faster than those in the rest of the country. One thing that was consistent in the results was a large gap between rich and poor. The first set of scores, on standardized tests known as PARCC,… Keep reading…
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DCPS is expanding AP classes, but at some schools everyone fails the test
As part of her Year of the High School initiative, DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson is expanding Advanced Placement offerings at all DCPS high schools. But at most high-poverty DC high schools, few if any students earn passing grades on AP exams. Starting this year, DCPS is raising the minimum number of AP courses each high school must offer from four to six. Next year,… Keep reading…
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How school choice can make it harder to solve the problems of poverty
For those who believe a system of school choice is the answer to our education woes, DC is a model for the rest of the nation. But the decline of the neighborhood school can make it harder to address the needs of poor children in a comprehensive way. DC is a bastion of school choice, with only about a quarter of students attending their assigned neighborhood school. Overall, 44% of DC… Keep reading…
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Some are questioning whether all students should be on a college prep track
A former professor who spent two years teaching in a high-poverty DC Public Schools high school advocates separating students into a college prep track and other tracks that would lead directly to jobs. But to really know who belongs in which track we need to revamp an elementary school system that has left almost all poor students woefully unprepared for a college prep curriculum. The… Keep reading…
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Charters that don’t fill student vacancies may find it easier to boost test scores
Most DC charter schools have a policy of accepting new students at any grade level. But others refuse to take applications past a certain grade. Because students who arrive in later grades can bring down a school’s overall test scores, we need to be careful when comparing schools that have different admissions practices. All schools have some attrition from one school… Keep reading…