Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on education.

Posted at 12:14 PM ET, 02/28/2012

Admissions 101, GOP Primary edition: Are we pushing kids too hard to go to college?

By Jay Mathews

Sen. Rick Santorum may have gone too far in suggesting that it’s snobbish of President Obama to put such emphasis on college, but many readers have made the point to me in other ways.

By Jay Mathews | 12:14 PM ET, 02/28/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Admissions 101 | Tags: admissions 101

Posted at 01:58 PM ET, 02/25/2012

Why textbooks don’t work and hurt schools

By Jay Mathews

A veteran textbook editor exposes a system in which teachers pick books that don’t require them to change their methods, and why that is so bad.

By Jay Mathews | 01:58 PM ET, 02/25/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:48 AM ET, 02/23/2012

Why Common Core standards will fail

By Jay Mathews

Only five states, including Virginia, refused to participate in the new Common Core learning standards. Now new research reveals the change, costing billions of dollars, will likely have little positive impact on student achievement.

By Jay Mathews | 12:48 AM ET, 02/23/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 02/22/2012

Bonus Admissions 101: Is it time to end racial preferences in college admissions?

By Jay Mathews

The Supreme Court should strike down the college admissions system being challenged in Texas.

By Jay Mathews | 12:30 PM ET, 02/22/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:25 PM ET, 02/21/2012

Admissions 101: Getting college credit for International Baccalaureate courses

By Jay Mathews

I have been ranting about the failure of most U.S. colleges to give proper credit for IB courses successfully completed with good IB exam scores.

By Jay Mathews | 12:25 PM ET, 02/21/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Admissions 101 | Tags: admissions 101

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 02/19/2012

International Baccaureate drop hurts Mount Vernon High

By Jay Mathews

Mount Vernon High School is one of the leading examples nationally of how challenging learning can be encouraged even with many low-income students. But adults who make bad decisions can mess that up. Take, for instance, last year.

By Jay Mathews | 05:00 AM ET, 02/19/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:00 AM ET, 02/16/2012

9 ways to pick a great school for your child

By Jay Mathews

It takes some effort, but if you want to be sure your child’s new school is good, there are clever ways to make it happen.

By Jay Mathews | 11:00 AM ET, 02/16/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Education

Posted at 11:39 AM ET, 02/15/2012

How not to respond to a testing scandal

By Jay Mathews

Hosanna Mahaley, state superintendent for education in the District of Columbia, said last week city officials are “committed to restoring and improving confidence” in standardized test security. Yet what they are doing will achieve the opposite.

By Jay Mathews | 11:39 AM ET, 02/15/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:13 PM ET, 02/14/2012

Admissions 101: How badly do school test-tampering scandals hurt college applicants?

By Jay Mathews

Selective colleges are more likely to believe the information they receive from school officials with a history of candor and clarity in their transcripts and other data.

By Jay Mathews | 12:13 PM ET, 02/14/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Admissions 101 | Tags: testing

Posted at 12:57 PM ET, 02/12/2012

Fighting over school fad with meager results

By Jay Mathews

Block scheduling has become a big thing in American high schools, but the research supporting it is nonexistent and parents are rebelling.

By Jay Mathews | 12:57 PM ET, 02/12/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:02 PM ET, 02/08/2012

Md. first, Va. 3rd in AP report

By Jay Mathews

Maryland ranked first in the nation and Virginia third in the percentage of graduating seniors in 2011 who scored a passing grade on an AP test during high school.

By Jay Mathews | 02:02 PM ET, 02/08/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:45 AM ET, 02/07/2012

Admissions 101: Smart and lazy ways to pick a college major

By Jay Mathews

Why did you pick a major? And would your method work for today's students?

By Jay Mathews | 11:45 AM ET, 02/07/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Admissions 101 | Tags: higher education, college majors

Posted at 04:58 PM ET, 02/02/2012

School food may not be so cool

By Jay Mathews

High school students gravitate toward fast food because the consequences of too much sugar, salt and fat don’t interest them.

By Jay Mathews | 04:58 PM ET, 02/02/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:43 PM ET, 02/02/2012

Outsider’s wild teacher-evaluation idea

By Jay Mathews

Luke Chung is a businessman with much experience on school district committees. But his district was not ready for what he had to say when he was put on the teacher evaluation task force.

By Jay Mathews | 04:43 PM ET, 02/02/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:32 PM ET, 02/01/2012

Depending too much on charters is perilous

By Jay Mathews

A new report commissioned by DC Mayor Vincent Gray suggests closing regular schools in favor of charters. I am a charter advocate, but I think this risks killing the soul of the school system, the neighborhood school. We can save regular schools using charter methods.

By Jay Mathews | 07:32 PM ET, 02/01/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:20 PM ET, 01/31/2012

Admissions 101: Checking admissions essays for plagiarism

By Jay Mathews

Universities are expanding the use of plagiarism checks in vetting admissions essays. Is it a waste of time and money?

By Jay Mathews | 12:20 PM ET, 01/31/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Admissions 101 | Tags: admissions, higher education, plagarism

Class Struggle: February, 2012