Education Reform Central

I simply had to share this with you. I have been chuckling to myself ever since I read it. It is a perfect example of how quickly children can learn. Enjoy! TALKIN’ SHOP A young family moved into a house next door to a vacant lot. One day a construction crew turned up to start building a house on the empty lot. ... Read More

We parents, grandparents and educators are terribly concerned about the youngsters in our nation who can't read. We also have another group to be concerned about, as reported by Adrian McCoy, in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. This very timely article explains that millions of teenagers fall into one of two groups: students who can't read at grade levelstudents who don't want ... Read More

I love books! I love to read anything I can get my hands on, fiction, non-fiction, instruction manuals, cereal boxes and even old envelopes. Yes, I'm a read-a-holic and a lifelong learner. When I discovered the picture that I started this post with, I smiled and knew I had to share it. How many cold and rainy afternoons ... Read More

Here in the South, we're having the annual "yuckiest weather of the year". With the temperatures hovering around the 100 degree mark and humidity rates above 90%, who needs to go to a sauna? Just step outdoors. Interestingly, though the air seems so moist it feels like you could swim in it, we're actually in the middle of a drought. ... Read More

With no fanfare or hoopla, the USA has withdrawn from the annual international math & science competition. In the August 9th issue of Newsweek, the story is reported and, of course, multiple theories abound as to what, where and why the action occurred. Statistics show that the last time US students were in the competition, they scored very poorly. In fact, ... Read More

Dear Reader, You may remember that over a month ago, I posted about the burgeoning business of online driver education courses and why I thought they were so unwise. If you missed the post, please see: "Look Out Drivers - Here They Come! (post of 07/07/07). Today I would like to share some GOOD news, about some REAL driver training courses, the ... Read More

As the 2007-2008 school year starts, teenage drug use is in the news again. According to a study released yesterday, and a large study from last year, teen drug use is more widespread than ever - or it is less than ever - depending on who you believe. Last year, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration), conducted a large ... Read More

New York City Schools are in the news again. Big Apple education has earned a mention in the New York Times because Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg just announced that he's going to divert $5 million dollars towards low-performing middle schools. The article, submitted yesterday by Jennifer Medina, staff writer for the Times, explains the scenario surrounding the mayor's plans. The ... Read More

The results of a VERY LARGE study are discussed in the Washington Post this morning and will probably SHOCK most people. The article, by Jay Matthews, explains how HUD vouchers were used to move students from poverty-stricken neighborhoods across the country to more middle-class environments. Over 4,200 entire families in the study were moved, or not moved (control group), into better ... Read More

Can reading well make you live longer? Seems there's a very good possibility. Scientists have known for years that education levels play a role in how long we live. For instance, one study found that people who did not graduate from high school lived an average of nine years less than those who did graduate. We all can automatically leap to the ... Read More