Photo by Florida Community Loan Fund on Flickr.

Data backs up KIPP performance

Mathematica has released a 5-year study of 43 KIPP schools, and has concluded that “the average impact of KIPP on student achievement is positive, statistically significant, and educationally substantial.” (Class Struggle)  

KIPP DC expels many students

What do the differing results mean, when DC KIPP expelled 6% of its high school students last year? (Class Struggle)  

Closing schools hurt neighborhoods

A UPenn professor examining Philadelphia’s school closings argues that they don’t benefit students and remove the final neighborhood institutions depressed areas possess. (Post)  

Highest-paid first-year teachers?

First year teachers with a bachelor’s degree in the District of Columbia are the highest paid among 114 comparable districts, making $51,539 versus an average of $39,000. (NCTQ)  

Enrollment is now up

DC public school enrollment has risen since 2008, from both charter growth and DCPS stopping its decline. Most of the new students come from preschool and pre-K and other young grades. (Atlantic Cities)  

LA races judge school reform

After outside groups (including by Rhee’s organization, StudentsFirst) spend $5 million to influence the Los Angeles Board of Education races, voters provide a split decision. (Post)  

Are schools suppressing diversity?

When schools teach kids how to behave in a work environment, are they also inadvertently pushing black kids to abandon or stigmatize elements of black culture? (Post)  

Common Core backlash…already?

A formerly-supportive principal feels that the Common Core now will cause more harm than good as its presence encourages standardized testing. (Post)  

Surprise, internships matter!

Employers look for experience beyond a higher education degree. A new survey finds that “internships are the most important credential for recent college graduates. If only more were paid… (Chronicle of Higher Education)