Students in Mississippi, the nation’s poorest state, read almost a full year ahead of elementary students in New York City. This commentary suggests three lessons the city’s next mayor might apply from the Magnolia State.
Emerging from the pandemic, too many state and district leaders are setting goals that are either too challenging or too easy. This commentary summarizes lessons from goal setting research and suggests that future student achievement goals meet three criteria: they need to be meaningful for teachers and students, difficult, and achievable.
California’s pandemic test scores reveal a hidden crisis: while reading mostly held steady, middle-school math collapsed, leaving eighth graders performing at a fifth-grade level. This commentary maps urgent, practical fixes—from double-dose courses to out-of-grade assessments—that could reverse the damage.