Posts by Natalie Wexler — Contributor
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Morning bell: One DC charter school educates two generations simultaneously
Mother and child education: One DC charter school educates both young children and their parents, many of whom are learning English. It’s a promising model that has also been tried elsewhere around the country. (Post) Keep reading…
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Six reasons not to put too much weight on DC’s standardized test results
Every year DC announces, with much fanfare, the annual results of the standardized test that all DC public school students take, the DC CAS. Last year the scores were declared historic because they rose by 4 points. This year’s scores barely budged, but there was still a big press event and much discussion of whether they show education reform has been working in DC. But how reliable… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Raising student achievement without going overboard
Defending the Common Core: The co-chair of the Common Core State Standards Initiative says American students need to be held to higher standards if they’re going to compete with students from, among other places, South Korea. (NPR) Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Standardized test scores inch up
Slow going: DC’s annual standardized test results show a slight upward tick overall, with 54% of students scoring proficient in math and just under 50% in reading. The charter sector continued to outperform DCPS, and the achievement gap between low-income and minority students and others persisted. (Post) Keep reading…
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Do Henderson’s remarks at Stanton Elementary signal a more harmonious phase in DCPS-charter relations?
This morning’s announcement of a slight rise in standardized test scores wasn’t exactly earthshaking. More intriguing was the backdrop: Stanton Elementary in Ward 8, a DCPS-charter collaboration that DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson said today she’d like to replicate. It’s about time. Henderson’s statement comes in the wake of signs that… Keep reading…
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DCPS and charters are sparring over joint planning, but the real question is how to preserve neighborhood schools
DCPS wants the charter sector to engage in joint planning that would limit the number and location of charter schools. Charter advocates oppose the idea. Ultimately, the disagreement is not about planning, but about what kind of school system the District should have. Seven years ago, the charter sector served only about 20% of DC’s students. That figure is now up to… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: DC students focus on the future but encounter challenges
Thinking ahead: A DCPS summer program introduces middle schoolers to potential careers by taking them on field trips. (Post) Keep reading…
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DCPS and its teachers’ union are at an impasse over extending the school day. Could this be a way out?
After experimenting with an extended day for students, one New Haven school realized it made more sense to extend the day for teachers, so they would have time to collaborate. Could that work in DC? Citing gains in test scores at charter schools and a few DCPS schools that have tried adding more hours to the school day, DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced her intention to… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Answers and questions about DC’s schools
Not taking no for an answer: The plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging school closures say they’ll appeal a ruling that DCPS closed the schools for reasons having nothing to do with discrimination. (Post) Keep reading…
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Tensions over DCPS-charter planning reflect different perspectives
Recent calls for coordinated planning between the DCPS and charter sectors have led to the fraying of a once-cordial relationship between the two. But the underlying tensions aren’t new. Recently, the DCPS Chancellor and the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) have called for “joint planning” between the traditional public school and charter sectors that… Keep reading…