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OTL HIGHLIGHTS |
- Boston students work to lower transportation costs
Faced with rising public transportation fares that threatened their ability to get to school, students in Boston took action to fight for their opportunity to learn. Their report, Opportuni(T), shares three years of original youth-led research on youth riders and their ideas for making transportation more affordable for youth ages 12 to 21. Read more>
- NYC hammers out deal to avoid 4,100 teacher layoffs
After weeks of community leaders, teachers, parents and students protesting proposed education budget cuts, 4,100 New York City public school teachers' jobs will be saved in a deal struck by the Bloomberg administration, the City Council and the teachers' union. Shortly after the deal was announced late last week, The New York Times reported City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn: "New Yorkers can rest easy tonight knowing that our children will still have great teachers." Read more>
- OTL Campaign Blog: Wisconsin is running away from quality education
Hundreds of millions of dollars in opportunities for Wisconsin children have been taken away over the past decade. Now, the new state budget will cut children's chances to learn by another $1.6 billion. Thomas Beebe, executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools, guest blogs about the urgent need to reverse this downward spiral and give all Wisconsin children the opportunities they need to succeed, boost the economy and contribute to society. Read more>
- Public education is Pennsylvania's best investment
Investing in public education pays big dividends for Pennsylvania's economy, increases civic and political participation, reduces crime and improves the health of its citizens according to a new report from the Education Law Center and Penn State University. Pennsylvania's Best Investment: The Social and Economic Benefits of Public Education urges investment in quality pre-kindergarten, lowering class sizes in elementary schools and providing a rigorous curriculum that prepares all students for college. Read the report>
- Arkansas charters fail to give all students the opportunity to learn
Arkansas has relatively few charter schools and a strict screening process for the creation of new ones. While a recent analysis of test scores in Arkansas shows that students in open-enrollment charter schools scored better than their peers in non-charter public schools, the analysis also shows that charters educate students that have higher incomes and are less racially diverse. When these factors are considered, charter school students do not outperform their public school peers. Arguably, charter schools also enhance the opportunity-to-learn gap for low-income, minority students. Read more>
RESOURCES |
- Greater opportunity could help close gaps on NAEP
A new analysis by the National Center for Education Statistics of scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reviews the achievement gaps between Hispanic and White public school students at the state and national levels. While reading and mathematics scores for both Hispanics and Whites increased between 1990 and 2009, the achievement gaps remained stable at 21 points for fourth-grade mathematics and 26 points for fourth-grade reading. A previous report analyzes the NAEP achievement gap between Black and White students. Read more>
- RAND Education: How summer programs can boost learning
Summer learning programs can help children improve their academics, especially students from low-income families who may not have access to educational resources in the summer, and low-achieving students who need additional time to master academic materials. This report, conducted by RAND Education and sponsored by The Wallace Foundation, finds evidence of the effectiveness of summer learning programs and offers specific recommendations on how school districts can overcome barriers to establishing them so that all children have access to enrichment opportunities. Read more>
IN THE NEWS |
- We can't afford to wait on early childhood education: Investing in quality early childhood education is important in building a strong foundation for students' academic success. This article cites three compelling reasons for putting an emphasis on early education as a top priority for all states. Read more>
- Data show that spending and progress go together in PA schools: Contrary to Gov. Corbett's arguments, increased funding for Pennsylvania schools has led to significant improvements over the past eight years. Pennsylvania must continue building on this strategy rather than tearing it down. Read more>
- Georgians want 'education, not incarceration': Concerned Georgians speak out about the ineffectiveness of zero-tolerance policies in their schools, arguing that the policies promote disciplinary action first and — maybe — investigation later. This process increases the number of students being suspended or expelled nationwide, contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. Read more>
- Bipartisan Illinois bill celebrates teachers: Last week, Illinois' key teachers' unions helped draft and pass a remarkable bipartisan bill that celebrates the effectiveness of teachers. The bill addresses how teachers earn tenure, how layoff decisions are made, when teachers can be dismissed for poor performance, and what is necessary for them to strike. Read more>
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National Opportunity to Learn Campaign
675 Massachusetts Avenue, 8th Floor | Cambridge, MA 02139
www.otlcampaign.org | [email protected] | 617-876-7700 |