By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A Too many teachers make it into American classrooms without knowing the material they’re teaching, according to a new report issued by the U.S. Department of Education. “Smart teachers with solid content knowledge have the greatest effect on student achievement,” said Rod Paige, the secretary of education and former […]
Category: DMN | Education
Social studies may hurt school ratings; TAAS scores in subject count for first time, so some expect to slip
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A Jerry Cook has a PR job to do in the coming months. The Duncanville school superintendent must explain to the public why his district will drop from “recognized” to “acceptable” in the state’s eyes, even though nearly all of its standardized test scores improved this year. “It’s frustrating, […]
Schools may get ratings reprieve; Dumping TAAS, adopting TAKS will complicate scoring
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A After years of preaching the benefits of the state’s school district rating system, officials are considering putting it on hiatus next year. The uncertainties surrounding a new state test debuting next year – the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or TAKS – may make judging school districts […]
Home-schoolers join crowd; Graduation ceremonies for home-schoolers are catching on
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A Home-schooled students miss out on many of the traditions of high school life: the football games, the homecoming dance, the high-stakes testing. But they don’t have to miss out on graduation. An increasing number of home-schoolers are opting for caps, gowns, and all the pomp and circumstance of […]
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Texas has grown by degrees; 1990s population boom boosted state education levels, census data show
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A They came from all over the world – and they brought their diplomas with them. The Texas population boom in the 1990s helped make the state more educated than ever, according to census data released Friday. The Dallas suburbs led the way. “There were significant improvements all across […]
In quest to update, state puts social studies texts to the test; Educators brace for controversy as proposed material is reviewed
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A “History repeats itself,” Karl Marx famously wrote. “First as tragedy, second as farce.” He might as well have added: Third as a high school textbook. Once a decade, Texas adopts new social studies texts for its schools. The politically charged process is upon us again, and the books […]
Recent history often mystery to students; New state exam may push teachers to make time for modern events
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A “Whip Inflation Now.” “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Reaganomics. Spiro Agnew. Nicaragua, Libya and Grenada. If you’re above a certain age, memories from the ’70s and ’80s just came rushing back. If you’re a recent high school graduate, you might be drawing a blank, and it’s no […]
Texas tuition costs among fastest-rising in nation; State public colleges still more affordable than most, study finds
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A Twenty years ago, four years of college in Texas cost less than a new Betamax. Now, the price tag is more like that of a new car. The cost of attending a public four-year university in Texas has shot up 63 percent in the last decade, even after […]
In Wilmer-Hutchins ISD, optimism makes the grade; Latest test scores offer glimmer of hope to struggling district
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A Decades ago, when David Foerch was a young teacher in Dallas, principals had a ready threat for staff members who didn’t pull their weight. “They’d say, ‘If you folks don’t shape up, we’ll send you to Wilmer-Hutchins!’” For years, the Wilmer-Hutchins schools have been a symbol of bad […]
New state exam to get a test run; Now that TAAS is done, students will take early version of the TAKS
By Joshua Benton Staff Writer Page 1A Don’t put down those No. 2 pencils just yet. Many Texas students probably thought that last week’s Texas Assessment of Academic Skills was their last state test for a while. But sometime over the next three weeks, they’ll fill in one more bubble sheet. And this time, it’s […]