student achievement

Members of the L.A. teachers union begin casting ballots Tuesday in a symbolic confidence-vote referendum on L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy.

The fact that girls are underrepresented in New York’s top high schools, which tend to be focused on math and science, and which have more than a dozen Nobel laureates among their alumni, worries some academics who see the schools as prime breeding grounds for future scientists and engineers.

The city must find ways to prepare for the future and compete against charter schools, the chairman of the Portland Board of Public Education says.

The number of Colorado students taking Advanced Placement exams is increasing, and so are their scores, thanks in part to three Pikes Peak region high schools with a new emphasis on the tests, according to a recent report.

From a national standpoint, the 20-year-old charter school movement has been a disappointment—but New York City's experience continues to be an exception.

Some Downers Grove elementary school students could see a significant dip in their performance on standardized tests this year, a byproduct of a more difficult state exam and higher passing requirements for 2013.

Charter schools authorized by Grand Valley State University have the best academic track record; while schools authorized by Detroit Public Schools have the worst, according to a report being discussed by the State Board of Education.

Officials argue that one school for 1,000 children is cheaper to build and operate than two schools for 500, but some education researchers say that savings comes at a high price because the more students in a building, the worse they perform.