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Class Struggle: In math, the readiness is all
March 15, 2010Sputnik got me into algebra early, almost. The Soviet satellite frightened the U.S. government into approving lots of money to accelerate math instruction just as I was completing eighth grade in San Mateo, Calif., in 1959. Hillsdale High, where I was to attend ninth grade, got some of these funds and decided to finance summer school in Algebra 1 for four incoming freshman math wonks, me and three other socially awkward friends of mine.
Evaluating D.C. teachers a confusing job
March 15, 2010 In the last half of the 19th century, many inventors pursued the dream of building an airplane. Duds and crashes were frequent and skeptics numerous. Only a decade before the Wright brothers' 1903 flight, British physicist and engineer Lord Kelvin had declared that "heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
Washington might look to Baltimore for innovative ideas in special education
March 15, 2010When I first returned to the Washington area in 1997 after two decades working elsewhere for the Post, I assumed that readers of my education stories would be most interested in standard suburban topics, such as college admissions, test scores and gifted education. Those issues had their place, but the subject that inspired the most mail proved to be special education.
Jay Mathews: Major changes at 2 troubled D.C. high schools
March 15, 2010After days of frantic blogging on the latest D.C. schools crisis and trading speculation with interested readers, I find it refreshing to visit three educators who are making major changes in two of the city's lowest-performing high schools. Unlike me and many of the people I exchange comments with, they know what they are talking about.
Gerald Bracey, 69, Dead; Acidic Critic of Education Policy
March 15, 2010Gerald W. Bracey, 69, one of the most erudite, prolific and acidic critics of national education policy, died unexpectedly early Oct. 20 at his home in Port Townsend, Wash.
Jay Mathews: What should Fairfax do about Jefferson grades?
March 15, 2010 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology has the highest SAT scores in the country and probably is the best high school in many other ways. But is it too good for the rules that govern the other high schools in Fairfax County?
Jay Mathews
March 15, 2010Politicians and pundits are using results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests to say our kids are falling behind the rest of the world, so maybe we should get some PISA practice. Brookings Institution scholar Tom Loveless, a member of the U.S. advisory board to PISA, offered this sample question for 15-year-olds from the mathematics literacy section of the exam:
Jay Mathews on Campaign Promises and Virginia Schools
March 15, 2010Political candidates, like the two gentlemen running for governor of Virginia, are always sincere about their education platforms. Their to-do lists are long. Their concern about the state's children is deep. But the proposals they offer, like more efficiency at school headquarters or more pay for teachers, seem to be focused on appealing to voters and not improving schools.
Gifted Student Is Being Held Back By Graduation Rules
March 15, 2010Anyone who wants to appreciate how strong a grip high school has on the American imagination -- and how clueless some school districts are about this -- should consider the story of Drew Gamblin, a 16-year-old student at Howard High School in Ellicott City.
Donald Fisher, 81; Gap Founder Championed Charter Schools
March 15, 2010 Donald G. Fisher, 81, a founder of the Gap clothing store chain and a power behind the growth of U.S. public charter schools, died of cancer Sept. 27 at his home in San Francisco.
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