Weekend Reads: A tale of two college admissions experiences

  • Two new studies suggest that segregating students by ability is good for black and Latino students in elite classes. (The Atlantic)
  • Dire warnings about increasing autism rates might be off-base: The CDC says the diagnosis rate might be plateauing. (Stat)
  • Two Texas high schools, separated by just 10 miles, epitomize the inequities that underlie the college admissions process. (Texas Tribune)
  • A suburban high school student says he’s really stressed out by the pressure to succeed. (Vox)
  • Rapper Diddy isn’t the only celebrity involved with charter schools. Will Smith, Andre Agassi, and others are, too. (Marketplace)
  • StudentsFirst, the once hard-charging advocacy group founded by Michelle Rhee, is downsizing and merging with another group. (L.A. Times)
  • A Philadelphia charter school offers another view into the evolution of the “no excuses” approach. (Hechinger Report)
  • No fooling: Chicago teachers were on strike Friday to protest changes to how they are paid. (Catalyst)
  • A consulting firm promises to deliver diverse teaching candidates — for a steep price. (NPRed)
  • Shirley Hufstedler, who became the first U.S. Secretary of Education in 1979, died this week at 90. (New York Times)