A Revolution Implemented: Tazewell County, VA

posted in: General Information |

Turning Kids Into Readers How The Elgin Foundation is Transforming Education in Tazewell County, VA The signs scattered throughout Tazewell County, Virginia, read like 21st Century holy writ. Encouraging parents to read to their children at least 20 minutes or more every day, they are everywhere—schools, parking lots, retail stores, restaurants, and in libraries. Brenda Lawson, Superintendent of Tazewell County schools, says that her staff “has a mission to see that 100% of students read at grade level … Read More

Catch-Up Growth in Schools and Districts

posted in: Research, Analysis, & Opinion for Reform-minded Consumers |

 Accelerated early reading instruction has opened the door to educational success in real school districts.For decades, educators have believed that low 3rd grade reading skills were an inevitable consequence of poverty and an insurmountable barrier to educational excellence for most children.  Today, school districts like Tazewell, VA and others in Southeastern KY and Southwestern VA have found a way to increase the number of proficient readers from well under 50% to over 70% with the intensive, systematic reading … Read More

Zuckerberg’s Folly? Not Really

posted in: Briefings & Reports, Research, Analysis, & Opinion for Reform-minded Consumers |

The popular view is that the Newark reforms failed.  The New Jersey Department of Education data says otherwise.  Charter schools excelled and the projected reduction in dropouts and unprepared graduates district-wide will benefit taxpayers for years to come. June 17, 2014 – Print School districts and their boards often face seemingly insurmountable opposition to changes that would beneficial to students. Changes that would be upsetting to the established bureaucratic and institutional order are especially challenging, yet there are examples … Read More

Who’s Gaining in the Race to the Top?

posted in: Briefings & Reports, Value Added Achievement Awards |

Ten Most Improved States on the Nation’s Report Card, 2011-2013 The fifty states (avg. enrollment ≈ 1M) were ranked like sports teams on the reading and math gains reported by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Other NAEP participants (enrollment <90K) were excluded. Ranks were scored: 1st place = 10pts, 2nd place = 9pts, . . . , 10th place = 1pt. Tie scores received the same rank and points. First place on all 4 tests = 40pts. … Read More

Aligning Teacher Training with Public Policy

posted in: Briefings & Reports |

by J. E. Stone Stone, J. E. (2000). Aligning teacher training with public policy. The State Education Standard, 1(1), 35-38.   The American Council on Education (ACE) recently issued a report calling for colleges and universities to either embrace independent assessment of the quality of their teacher education programs or to close them.[1] The Council, which represents American colleges and universities, fears that the weak academic standards maintained by teacher education programs will damage the reputations of their … Read More

Aligning Teacher Training with Public Policy

posted in: Briefings & Reports |

(click here for full article) (click here to download a PDF of this article) By J. E. Stone The State Education Standard, Winter 2000, pp. 34-38.   Briefing John Q. Public is alarmed by continuing reports of failing schools. Lester R. Legislator is concerned, too, with ever-increasing school funding and little progress. Everyone feels cheated. Why is that? Surprisingly, it’s not the teachers’ fault. It goes deeper. To paraphrase Shakespeare, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the … Read More

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