Test lets Wisconsin schools see how they stack up internationally

It’s been known for a while that U.S. students trail their counterparts in some other countries on academic performance measures. But some Wisconsin high schools are actually performing above the level of the highest-performing “economy” in the world — Shanghai, China — according to results from an international exam. Last spring, almost 300 high schools, […]

When I was a senior in high school growing up in Medford, Massachusetts, I probably would have applied only to local colleges — not Harvard, that was for rich kids who were straight-A students, and I was neither. But I was lucky: I had an after-school job at an electronics company, and one of the […]

The United States fails to do right by most low-income students who excel in school. They overcome long odds and do well enough in high school to show they can thrive in college. Nevertheless, many never receive a bachelor’s degree. Now, though, the country may be approaching something of a turning point. As data has […]

By David Leonhardt The United States fails to do right by most low-income students who excel in school. They overcome long odds and do well enough in high school to show they can thrive in college. Nevertheless, many never receive a bachelor’s degree. Now, though, the country may be approaching something of a turning point. […]

  $1.7 million grant funds program to ensure that teachers and principals help lead the conversation around the Common Core This fall, the America Achieves Fellowship for Teachers and Principals (AAFTP) will launch state-based educator voice fellowships across Colorado, Michigan, and New York, which will give outstanding teachers and principals the opportunity to share with […]

A new report finds that U.S. students’ financial literacy is only average compared to students worldwide. So what can be done to improve the performance of our schools? Education correspondent John Merrow reports on one test that may help American students compete more successfully in an increasingly global economy.

Andreas Schleicher may be the most important name in education that you don’t know. The German statistician has been the lead figure in creation, interpretation, and now worldwide use of several tests that are the basis for comparing how students in different countries are doing. Every time you hear someone say the United States is […]

Why? From all sides, this appears to be the main question surrounding the Common Core State Standards – the set of K-12 math and English standards created by education professionals from all 50 states, which promote higher-order thinking skills aimed at preparing students for college, career and life. My students ask why they are reading […]

If you scrambled to file your tax return by yesterday’s deadline, you might take comfort in knowing that most Americans — 55 percent in a 2013 Gallup poll — say the amount they pay in income tax is fair (although that figure has been higher in recent years). The number conceals big differences of opinion, of […]

We heard a lot last month about global competitiveness, and learned that the United States is not faring as well as one would hope on the Program for International Student Assessment. Though it may be tempting to just focus on the PISA rankings, it is important to look beyond rankings and learn from our global […]