No time to attend an in-person seminar? Get your training on-demand with EWA's free online series. All of our past events are archived here, with new live events scheduled throughout the year.
No time to attend an
in-person seminar? Get your training on-demand
with EWA’s free online series. All of our past events are
archived here, with new live events scheduled throughout the
year.
With states revamping their school accountability systems under
the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, recent actions by
Congress and the Trump administration raise important questions
about what’s ahead. First, the Senate last week narrowly approved
a bill to repeal ESSA accountability rules issued by the Obama
administration. (President Donald Trump is expected to sign the
measure.) Also, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos just
issued new ESSA guidelines for states.
How will the U.S. fare against other countries when the results
from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) are
released Dec. 6? At our reporters-only webinar, get advance,
embargoed access to the full report, as well as an opportunity to
ask questions about the findings from a leader at the Paris-based
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Should schools measure skills like cooperation, communication,
self-confidence and the ability to organize? Efforts to gauge
these so-called “soft skills” are gaining traction in the
classroom, especially with the passage of the Every Student
Succeeds Act. The new federal law calls on states and school
districts to incorporate at least one measure beyond test scores
and graduation rates in their accountability systems.
Get ready. A fresh wave of global test results for dozens of
nations is about to hit U.S. shores. Outcomes from two major
exams will be issued just days apart: TIMSS on Nov. 29. PISA on
Dec. 6.
Once again, we’ll get a snapshot of how U.S. students stack up
against their peers overseas in key subjects, including math,
reading, and science. And we’ll hear lots of rhetoric about what
it all means.
How many first-generation students does a college have? How much
does the school charge students from families earning $30,000
versus more than $75,000? And how many students are repaying
their student loan debt three years after college?
Standardized testing has loomed larger on the education beat this
school year than ever before, as most states rolled out new
assessments pegged to the Common Core. How did the assessments
really go? What’s the state of the testing backlash?
The nation’s private and public universities own endowments that
together total more
than half a trillion dollars – tax-free investments that
schools use to sustain their long-term financial health.
Over the past decade, many states and school districts have
overhauled the way they evaluate teachers. Some rely primarily on
test scores; others add classroom observations. Some even bring
student surveys into the mix. Meanwhile, new federal leeway may
spark a fresh round of changes around the country.
What are some practical ways for journalists to write about the
evaluation systems in the school districts they cover? What
questions should they ask about design, implementation, training,
and teacher attitudes toward the evaluations?
For education reporters, coming up with fresh ideas for
back-to-school stories is an annual ritual. And if you’re
balancing the K-12 and higher education beats, it can be an even
bigger challenge.
Most education reporters at one time or another cover test results on NAEP, known as “the nation’s report card.” But if that’s all you do, you’re missing out on a powerful tool that can complement your daily reporting.
While students are celebrating the start of the long summer
break, there’s a significant tradeoff for the three months of
leisure – on average, students will return to school in the fall
a month behind where they performed in the spring. And the
learning loss is even greater for low-income students, who are
often already behind their better-off peers.
As part of its effort to help close the achievement gap for
disadvantaged students, the U.S. government spends more than $14
billion annually through the Title I program. But a sizable share
of those billions go to affluent school systems. Why do some
high-poverty districts receive less federal Title I aid than
those that serve a far smaller proportion of low-income students?
This week, U.S. News & World Report released an exclusive
investigation on the federal funding stream.
EWA journalist members received an early opportunity to review
Education Week’s newest Quality Counts report, which includes a
special focus on school accountability.
As part of its annual Quality Counts report, Education Week
grades states on a wide range of indicators, including the
Chance-for-Success Index, K-12 Achievement Index, and school
finance.
Despite continued debate over the Common Core, the standards are
now a classroom reality for thousands of schools across more than
40 states. But what exactly does that mean? What does it look
like in action? How is implementation going? Two journalists who
have dug into Common Core implementation offer fresh angles on
coverage, as well as suggestions on how to interview parents,
teachers and students about their experiences with the standards.
Following congressional passage of a bipartisan bill to overhaul
federal K-12 policy, the action will quickly shift to states and
local school districts. Although the new federal law maintains
required testing each year in grades 3-8 and once in high school,
it significantly scales back accountability demands, handing
states far more leeway on issues such as teacher evaluations and
low-performing schools. How will states and districts respond?
Across the nation, racial tensions are spilling onto quads
and front pages as student protesters demand that their colleges
do more to ensure students of all races and ethnicities feel
welcome on campus. But in some cases, it’s not just university
administrators who face scrutiny: Journalists also have drawn the
ire of protesters demanding improved campus climates.
How does the United States compare to other countries when it
comes to spending on early childhood, K-12, and higher education?
Where are the greatest inequalities, and what are the potential
consequences for individuals’ earning potential, as well as
communities and national economies? What cuts have been made to
school workforces and resources in the lingering wake of the
recession?
The answers to these questions and more are in the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development’s forthcoming “Education
at a Glance 2015” report.
While many first-generation students are excited and ambitious when they step on campus — eager to beat the odds and become the first in their families to earn a college degree — others struggle with guilt, fear and loneliness, sometimes even struggling to remember why they decided to attend college in the first place. And they grapple with these feelings while they also have to figure out how to apply for financial aid, register for classes, and manage the other necessities of undergraduate life knowing they can’t turn to their families for guidance based on experience.
Covering ESSA Accountability in the Trump Era
With states revamping their school accountability systems under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, recent actions by Congress and the Trump administration raise important questions about what’s ahead. First, the Senate last week narrowly approved a bill to repeal ESSA accountability rules issued by the Obama administration. (President Donald Trump is expected to sign the measure.) Also, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos just issued new ESSA guidelines for states.
New PISA Results: Putting U.S. Achievement in Global Context
How will the U.S. fare against other countries when the results from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) are released Dec. 6? At our reporters-only webinar, get advance, embargoed access to the full report, as well as an opportunity to ask questions about the findings from a leader at the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Measuring the Soft Skills: What Reporters Need to Know
Should schools measure skills like cooperation, communication, self-confidence and the ability to organize? Efforts to gauge these so-called “soft skills” are gaining traction in the classroom, especially with the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The new federal law calls on states and school districts to incorporate at least one measure beyond test scores and graduation rates in their accountability systems.
An Insider’s Guide to International Test Results
Get ready. A fresh wave of global test results for dozens of nations is about to hit U.S. shores. Outcomes from two major exams will be issued just days apart: TIMSS on Nov. 29. PISA on Dec. 6.
Once again, we’ll get a snapshot of how U.S. students stack up against their peers overseas in key subjects, including math, reading, and science. And we’ll hear lots of rhetoric about what it all means.
Know the Score: Finding Stories in College Scorecard Data
How many first-generation students does a college have? How much does the school charge students from families earning $30,000 versus more than $75,000? And how many students are repaying their student loan debt three years after college?
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Common Core Testing: What Reporters Need to Know
Standardized testing has loomed larger on the education beat this school year than ever before, as most states rolled out new assessments pegged to the Common Core. How did the assessments really go? What’s the state of the testing backlash?
The Debate Over College Endowments & How to Cover Them
The nation’s private and public universities own endowments that together total more than half a trillion dollars – tax-free investments that schools use to sustain their long-term financial health.
Pre-emptive Strike: Stopping Teacher Misconduct Before It Starts
Recent news stories once again have shined a spotlight on the troubling issue of teacher misconduct. Consider these headlines:
More Than Scores: How to Cover Teacher Evaluation
Over the past decade, many states and school districts have overhauled the way they evaluate teachers. Some rely primarily on test scores; others add classroom observations. Some even bring student surveys into the mix. Meanwhile, new federal leeway may spark a fresh round of changes around the country.
What are some practical ways for journalists to write about the evaluation systems in the school districts they cover? What questions should they ask about design, implementation, training, and teacher attitudes toward the evaluations?
Back-to-School: You Need Stories, We’ve Got Ideas
For education reporters, coming up with fresh ideas for back-to-school stories is an annual ritual. And if you’re balancing the K-12 and higher education beats, it can be an even bigger challenge.
NAEP Data: Beat Reporters’ Secret Weapon
Most education reporters at one time or another cover test results on NAEP, known as “the nation’s report card.” But if that’s all you do, you’re missing out on a powerful tool that can complement your daily reporting.
School’s (Still) In: Smart Story Ideas on Summer Learning
While students are celebrating the start of the long summer break, there’s a significant tradeoff for the three months of leisure – on average, students will return to school in the fall a month behind where they performed in the spring. And the learning loss is even greater for low-income students, who are often already behind their better-off peers.
On Target? Following Federal K-12 Aid for Poor Students
As part of its effort to help close the achievement gap for disadvantaged students, the U.S. government spends more than $14 billion annually through the Title I program. But a sizable share of those billions go to affluent school systems. Why do some high-poverty districts receive less federal Title I aid than those that serve a far smaller proportion of low-income students? This week, U.S. News & World Report released an exclusive investigation on the federal funding stream.
Exclusive Access: Education Week’s ‘Quality Counts’ 2016
EWA journalist members received an early opportunity to review Education Week’s newest Quality Counts report, which includes a special focus on school accountability.
As part of its annual Quality Counts report, Education Week grades states on a wide range of indicators, including the Chance-for-Success Index, K-12 Achievement Index, and school finance.
Covering Common Core in the Classroom
Despite continued debate over the Common Core, the standards are now a classroom reality for thousands of schools across more than 40 states. But what exactly does that mean? What does it look like in action? How is implementation going? Two journalists who have dug into Common Core implementation offer fresh angles on coverage, as well as suggestions on how to interview parents, teachers and students about their experiences with the standards.
Goodbye, No Child Left Behind: What Happens Now?
Following congressional passage of a bipartisan bill to overhaul federal K-12 policy, the action will quickly shift to states and local school districts. Although the new federal law maintains required testing each year in grades 3-8 and once in high school, it significantly scales back accountability demands, handing states far more leeway on issues such as teacher evaluations and low-performing schools. How will states and districts respond?
Showdown on Campus: When Press Freedom and Protests Collide
Across the nation, racial tensions are spilling onto quads and front pages as student protesters demand that their colleges do more to ensure students of all races and ethnicities feel welcome on campus. But in some cases, it’s not just university administrators who face scrutiny: Journalists also have drawn the ire of protesters demanding improved campus climates.
Education At a Glance 2015
Embargoed Access to OECD’s New Report
How does the United States compare to other countries when it comes to spending on early childhood, K-12, and higher education? Where are the greatest inequalities, and what are the potential consequences for individuals’ earning potential, as well as communities and national economies? What cuts have been made to school workforces and resources in the lingering wake of the recession?
The answers to these questions and more are in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s forthcoming “Education at a Glance 2015” report.
Seven Challenges First-Generation College Students Face & How to Write About Them
While many first-generation students are excited and ambitious when they step on campus — eager to beat the odds and become the first in their families to earn a college degree — others struggle with guilt, fear and loneliness, sometimes even struggling to remember why they decided to attend college in the first place. And they grapple with these feelings while they also have to figure out how to apply for financial aid, register for classes, and manage the other necessities of undergraduate life knowing they can’t turn to their families for guidance based on experience.