Essential education reporting across America

Student & School Performance

A girl sits at a table in a school over a case of essential oils. A pair of scissors, paper, and other materials are on the table.
From Chalkbeat New York School segregation / integration
NYC school admission offers are out. Here’s what the numbers show.
This year’s offer data shows very little change in racial and economic diversity, particularly for high school, despite seeing the biggest admissions changes.
By Amy Zimmer and Julian Shen-Berro
 
A graduate decorates his/her cap
From Chalkbeat Detroit Student & School Performance
Detroit’s Marygrove high school celebrates its first graduating class
The experimental school opened to great fanfare in 2019, but the pandemic and leadership turmoil have clouded its brief history.
By Ethan Bakuli
 
A boy with a blue backpack runs across the street in front of a school building in Newark.
From Chalkbeat Newark Student & School Performance
Roughly 10,000 Newark students need summer school this year
The number of students in need of summer school increased this year partly because of state standardized test scores that showed Newark students scoring low in math and reading, the district said.
By Jessie Gomez
 
a woman in a blue top and glasses works with three young female students.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Assessment and testing
Over 25,000 Tennessee 3rd graders retook reading test this week to try to meet new promotion policy
Families will get new scores within 48 hours, say state officials
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
Students sit in a classroom wearing masks while a teacher leads a lesson in front of a screen.
From Chalkbeat New York Community & Wraparound Programs
NYC’s Summer Rising program rejected 45,000 applicants, launching scramble for child care
With just a month until the school year ends, families are scrambling to find alternate summer programs for their children.
By Reema Amin
 
Two elementary students, shown from behind, sit in a classroom with a white teacher.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Assessment and testing
Thousands of MSCS 3rd graders face more tests, summer school to avoid being held back
Early state results show some progress for the class, but about three-quarters of students fell short of expectations on the state reading assessment.
By Laura Testino
 
A boy wearing a hooded sweatshirt with his face obscured hugs his mom.
From Chalkbeat New York Student & School Performance
Success Academy calls 911 on students in mental health crisis, writing its own rules
Families say publicly funded, privately run charter schools in New York are allowed to punish and discriminate against students by calling in emergency services.
By Abigail Kramer, THE CITY
 
Chancellor David Banks welcomes students back on the first day of classes in NYC.
From Chalkbeat New York School Enrollment
NYC plans to keep school budgets steady to start the year, but could make cuts later
The decision to start the new school year with steady budgets, however, doesn’t mean schools are completely immune from cuts.
By Reema Amin and Alex Zimmerman
 
A student fills out her reading log.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Assessment and testing
More Tennessee 3rd graders tested proficient in reading this year
But up to 60% of third graders could be at risk of being held back as a stricter reading law kicks in.
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
Teens sit at tables scattered around a classroom working on different projects.
From Chalkbeat New York Teaching & Classroom
It’s status quo for class sizes next year under new law, according to NYC’s draft plan
For future school years, education department officials are bracing for some big expenses to comply with the law.
By Amy Zimmer and Reema Amin
 
young girl using a digital tablet at her desk in a classroom
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Student & School Performance
Tennessee’s 3rd-grade retention law requires ‘adequate growth’ to advance. Here’s what that means.
The definition was the most pressing question lingering as thousands of students head to summer school
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
A teacher leads young students in a reading exercise.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Assessment and testing
Reading test scores go out today in Tennessee. The stakes are higher than ever for third graders.
Testing do-overs, appeals, summer learning camps come next for struggling readers who want to avoid retention
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
A teacher works with a student at a table in a classroom. Both are wearing masks.
From Chalkbeat Newark Student & School Performance
Low reading levels among New Jersey students spark new campaign aimed at improving literacy
Paula White, executive director of JerseyCAN, a statewide education advocacy organization, explains the “reading crisis” among children in New Jersey and the need for a state plan.
By Jessie Gomez
 
A teacher wearing gold hoop earrings sits on the floor of a classroom, over a rug with the alphabet, and points at pictures on cards while talking to two young girls.
Student & School Performance Student & School Performance
An economist spent decades saying money wouldn’t help schools. Now his research suggests otherwise.
Eric Hanushek, a Stanford University economist, has spent four decades arguing that more money won’t help schools.
By Matt Barnum
 
File photographs made of Noel Community Arts School and DCIS Montbello in 2019.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Politics & Policy
$9 billion Colorado education budget signed for 2023-24
Colorado’s budget paves the way for ending budget diversions and instead fully funding K-12 education in the 2024-25 school year.
By Jason Gonzales
 
A woman in a black shirt and long black skirt says goodbye to a young child in a red jacket boarding a yellow school bus.
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
Adams praises yeshivas as City Hall fights to conceal school assessments
The mayor said that the public system that’s failing to educate Black and brown kids should be “duplicating” what the Jewish religious schools are achieving. But his administration is battling to keep evaluations of 26 such schools under wraps.
By Yoav Gonen, THE CITY
 
woman in orange pantsuit reads to students
From Chalkbeat New York Early Childhood Education
Boosting salaries and extending hours: NYC Council makes list of demands to improve public preschool programs
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams blasted the mayor’s approach to early childhood education, describing the system as “broken” and “in full crisis mode.
By Reema Amin
 
A woman with her hair pulled up in a bun comforts two children who nestle against her. She’s sitting in a crowded room surrounded by people.
From Chalkbeat Colorado School Enrollment
Jeffco lays out timeline for next phase of closures, including middle schools
Middle school recommendations are expected in August, and will also consider schools at the end of the accountability clock.
By Yesenia Robles
 
Students hand holding pencil writing selected choice on answer sheets and Mathematics question sheets. students testing doing examination. school exam
From Chalkbeat Philadelphia Student & School Performance
Philadelphia student test scores, attendance, school climate ratings decline on district scorecard
The report also includes measures of equity, including a racial breakdown of suspensions and access to Advanced Placement courses.
By Carly Sitrin
 
A teacher sits a small table holding up a whiteboard so two students can see it.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Meeting the Moment
This Colorado elementary school nearly closed. A math makeover helped it stay open.
Minnequa Elementary School’s progress comes as many schools are trying to reverse pandemic-era drops in math achievement.
By Ann Schimke
 
Alex Magaña, then principal at Grant Beacon Middle School, greeted students as they moved between classes in 2015.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Denver Public Schools
Beacon Network seeks injunction to block Denver board’s revocation of innovation zone
“Beacon Zone students and families ... will face a degraded school experience next year without the support of the Beacon Zone.”
By Melanie Asmar
 
Students raise their hands in the classroom, with the text “Plains Indians” projected on the white board at the front of the class.
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
Increased school funding and more charter schools included in New York state budget
In total, New York City schools will receive about 4% more in funding than last year.
By Reema Amin
 
An exterior shot of the New York State Capitol building in Albany, N.Y.
From Chalkbeat New York Charter schools
More than a dozen NYC charters would open after 4-year pause under state budget deal
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push for more charter schools in New York City emerged as one of the last items holding up the overdue state budget — and her keen interest puzzled many following the issue.
By Reema Amin
 
A man stands at a podium flanked by two people on either side.
From Chalkbeat New York Politics & Policy
NYC’s education budget could drop by $960M next year under mayor’s proposal
Two-thirds of that cut, or about $650 million, is the result of Adams’ decision to reduce the city’s contribution to the education department.
By Alex Zimmerman and Reema Amin
 
A young student raises his hands next to his head in the classroom.
From Chalkbeat Chicago Student & School Performance
Chicago embraces a new approach to evaluating school performance
The school board approved a new school quality policy unanimously even as some employee groups argued it needs more work.
By Mila Koumpilova
 
A three-story brick school building labeled Humes Middle.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Charter schools
MSCS board turns away 10 charter school applications
District forced to reckon with failure of charter-focused state turnaround effort.
By Laura Testino
 
A close up of a woman in front of an American flag.
From Chalkbeat New York Charter schools
Charter schools emerge as key issue holding up New York’s state budget, as Hochul narrows her proposal
Lawmakers could solidify a final budget as early as this week, but charter schools have been a sticking point.
By Reema Amin
 
A hand is holding a pen in front of a computer screen.
From Chalkbeat Chicago Student & School Performance
Chicago is about to shift how it measures school quality as ratings go away
The school board is slated to vote on the policy Wednesday, but the teachers union and principals group say it needs more specifics.
By Mila Koumpilova
 
Chicago_20221207_DarwinElem_WBEZ_012.JPG
From Chalkbeat Colorado Colorado General Assembly
CMAS, PSAT, SAT aren’t going anywhere after sponsors withdraw bill to reduce standardized testing
Many school district leaders said they don’t oppose standardized tests, but they think current state tests are more involved than necessary, taking up too much time.
By Erica Meltzer
 
A student wearing a white shirt talks to a teacher wearing a black shirt inside of a classroom.
From Chalkbeat Newark First Person
At our parent-teacher conferences, students lead the way
It takes a lot of maturity, Lauren Whidbee writes, but I see a genuine effort from all of my students.
By Lauren Whidbee
 
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