Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on education.

Posted at 02:58 AM ET, 05/31/2012

Try parent visits, not parent takeovers of schools

By Jay Mathews

The parent trigger, a way for parents to takeover schools, is spreading fast despite little evidence it works. Visiting parents does help, but we ignore that.

By Jay Mathews | 02:58 AM ET, 05/31/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Why the parent trigger doesn't work, parent trigger laws cause legal and political fights but don't help students, teachers visiting parents at home does work but is ignored, HOME WORKS!, Parent Revolution

Posted at 01:59 PM ET, 05/27/2012

Why Romney, Obama are education twins

By Jay Mathews

They say they have different approaches to fixing our schools, but the two presidential candidates don’t really mean it. On charters, unions and other issues, they are pretty close.

By Jay Mathews | 01:59 PM ET, 05/27/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: why Romney and Obama are education twins, both candidates agree on charters, both resist union pressure, a generation of bipartisan approach to schools

Posted at 08:02 PM ET, 05/24/2012

Are charter schools bad at special ed?

By Jay Mathews

It depends on the charter school.

By Jay Mathews | 08:02 PM ET, 05/24/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: charter schools and special education, DC Prep success with learning disabilities, Emily Lawson

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 05/24/2012

Schools with many APs but few passing

By Jay Mathews

I created a special category of schools with many AP tests but low passing rates. Are they getting better?

By Jay Mathews | 05:00 AM ET, 05/24/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: high schools with many Advanced Placement tests but low passing rates, Jay Mathews' Catching Up Schools list, after four years a few have raised their rates, several are backsliding, Crossland High School, SEED school, good example of Thurgood Marshall Public Charter School

Posted at 02:10 AM ET, 05/22/2012

My unbiased guide to 3 high school lists

By Jay Mathews

CLASS STRUGGLE | My list is out, along with lists by U.S. News and Newsweek. Here’s how they differ.

By Jay Mathews | 02:10 AM ET, 05/22/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:41 PM ET, 05/20/2012

New Challenge Index: Why do private schools hide data?

By Jay Mathews

Private schools have not been on my annual high school list, but this year I included some, and there were surprises.

By Jay Mathews | 05:41 PM ET, 05/20/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 05/20/2012

2012 Challenge Index rankings--why small schools rule

By Jay Mathews

Small schools rule in the 14th year of the high school list. Private school numbers are revealed for the first time.

By Jay Mathews | 05:00 AM ET, 05/20/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Education, High School

Posted at 01:39 PM ET, 05/13/2012

Why rating teachers by test scores won’t work

By Jay Mathews

Blogger Grant Wiggins offers one of the most cogent attacks on valued added I have seen,

By Jay Mathews | 01:39 PM ET, 05/13/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:11 AM ET, 05/10/2012

Best teaching strategies? You decide

By Jay Mathews

Read our finalists and decide.

By Jay Mathews | 01:11 AM ET, 05/10/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:14 PM ET, 05/09/2012

Welcome back, U.S. News high school list

By Jay Mathews

After a two-year absence, U.S. News & World Report is back to ranking high schools. See how its list compares with Jay Mathews’s Challenge Index.

By Jay Mathews | 01:14 PM ET, 05/09/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 08:32 PM ET, 05/05/2012

Math stumble at renowned Jefferson High

By Jay Mathews

The linear algebra students noticed their teacher was struggling, then he quit and four more instructors followed as the school tried to adjust.

By Jay Mathews | 08:32 PM ET, 05/05/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: thomas jefferson high school, education

Posted at 11:48 PM ET, 05/01/2012

Admissions 101: Should lawyers sanitize high school transcripts?

By Jay Mathews

In Redwood City, Calif., parents are suing a high school for removing a student from an honors class for cheating. Their first concern is this will hurt the students when he applies to college. Lawyers often get involved in this way. Is that fair?

By Jay Mathews | 11:48 PM ET, 05/01/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Class Struggle: May, 2012