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A new face on the DC State Board of Education: Only 3% of eligible voters turned out for Tuesday’s special election for the vacant Ward 8 seat. But that was enough for Tierra Jolly, who won with 704 votes. (Post)

Time to do away with summer vacation?: Low-income kids fall farther behind their wealthier peers every summer. Now that schools have air conditioning, can we justify closing them? (Politico)

School choice in Sweden: A voucher program seems to have led to grade inflation and a decline in student achievement. (Slate)

Beefing up preschool: One year of pre-K isn’t enough for at-risk kids, according to a report. And preschools should have well trained teachers, along with funding and hours comparable to elementary school. (Post)

Repeating 3rd grade: Under policies in place in Florida and other states, 3rd graders who flunk reading tests are held back. But it’s not clear they’re learning to read, and some have been in 3rd grade for as many as 3 years. (Politico)

Philanthropists take note: Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million didn’t end up helping Newark schools, and other funders should ensure their contributions go to changing a system’s educational trajectory rather than sustaining administrative bloat. (Ed Week)