Andrew Lowe’s Post

Choosing the right middle school can make all the difference in your child's academic journey. Find the best choice for your child's education. https://lnkd.in/dXKunQqt

While most know Chicago Public Schools are a dysfunctional mess, here are some facts that may provide some perspective as to the scale of that dysfunction: Last year, just 11% of Black students in grades 3-8 tested at grade level in reading and 6% in math; while only 10% of Black students met the national SAT reading proficiency standard, and only 7.9% met proficiency in math. Yet the district graduated 83% of the students. No failing schools have been reconstituted despite a number having no children reading at grade level and 100% of the teachers passing their evaluations. All this while spending $30,000 a year per student. To make matters worse, the Chicago Board of Education has officially taken a stand against charter public schools (as well as magnet and selective enrollment schools), which significantly outperform those run by the district. Students, families and all citizens of Chicago deserve better. Unfortunately that will not happen until we all stand up and demand it.

I spent the last year living in TN where my kids attended public schools. While there I met several parents who worried their kids would be held back a grade due to inability to pass the standardized test (my kid was also not doing great on that standardized test so I worried about her too!). It intrigued me that the state would use grade retention as a primary intervention strategy to help kids who were struggling with reading and math. It wasn't something that parents wanted for their kids and it's an incredibly expensive intervention (a whole extra year of public school estimated at over $10k). So, I did what any parent would do in this situation 😂 , and I utilized a national data set to statistically examine whether being held back is an effective intervention strategy. Turns out it doesn't seem worth it. I learned that holding kids back doesn't harm them academically, but it doesn't really help them either. Basically, it's just a lot of money to spend on a kid for not really any reason at all. Perhaps the $10k we're spending to hold a kid back could be spent on something more effective! Also, for Black kids specifically, retention in elementary school is associated with being expelled in high school - suggesting that retention is one mechanism that the School to Prison Pipeline may be operating. If you want to read the published paper on this, check it out here (hot off the press!): https://lnkd.in/gxmXah_K Special thanks to my co-author Ben Gibbs for all your help with the analysis! #educationalpolicy #education #SchoolToPrisonPipeline #retention

New national test scores show that “Eighth graders are roughly one school year behind pre-pandemic levels in math and reading,” reports Karen D'Souza EdSource https://lnkd.in/gm-wWByg #EducationMatters #LearningLoss #EducationReform #StudentSuccess #MathSkills #ReadingSkills

Students have started to ramp up academic progress in core subjects like reading, science, and social studies—but not math. Public schools report that 44 percent of their students perform below grade level in at least one subject, according to the latest federal School Pulse Survey, which was conducted in October. That’s down 5 percentage points from last fall, but still higher than the 36 percent share of struggling students that was typical before the pandemic. However, 56 percent of students at high-poverty schools and 59 percent of students at schools serving the highest shares of students of color started the school year below grade level in at least one subject. https://bit.ly/3RHil5V

💡This…! A straightforward summary of the challenges rural community college students face in the attainment of their workforce education and college degree. The only addition I’d contribute is balancing “work-life-college,” which also impacts adult learners in rural community colleges.

There’s now a statewide view of dual enrollment for public high school students! The key takeaways from Policy Analysis for California Education: About 10 percent of all 9th through 12th graders enrolled in a community college course in 2021–22. While dual enrollment participation is low overall for 9th grade, participation is more equitable than in later grades. Opportunities for dual enrollment vary widely by county. Explore the full infographic here: https://lnkd.in/gY2wf8Nh

America Needs Real School Choice “With the wind at their backs, school-choice advocates must be bolder and refuse to settle for half a loaf. The underlying problems in U.S. education demand it. Despite being the world’s most prosperous nation, the U.S. ranks 36th in math and 13th in reading on the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment, a poor showing driven in part by racial achievement gaps. Despite decades of initiatives to close those gaps, black and Hispanic students lag behind their white peers in academics, graduation rates and college enrollment.” https://buff.ly/47wMM3X

Early education isn't just about today, it's about tomorrow. Studies show that high-quality early education leads to higher adult incomes and better academic outcomes. Let's pave the way for a brighter future for our children! 🌟 #InvestInEarlyEducation #BrightFutures #EducationForAll

Excited to share my latest article on the impact of high-quality summer learning programs! Recent research indicates a positive effect on student achievement, especially in math. This article looks at what high-quality summer learning programs include, research around summer learning and academic progress, qualities associated with successful summer learning programs, and gives a few 2023 legislative examples. Read more below. #Education #SummerLearning