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U.S. News & World Report has released its 2024 Best High Schools rankings, which evaluate nearly 18,000 eligible public high schools at the national, state, and local levels. The top 10 schools include Riverside Stem Academy in California, International Academy in Michigan, Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Pennsylvania, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology in Georgia, and BASIS Peoria in Arizona, which took the number one spot. The rankings also cover charter and magnet schools, as well as the top science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) schools. According to LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at U.S. News, the rankings provide valuable data for parents to understand a school's academic performance. The rankings consider factors such as student performance on state assessments, college readiness, and graduation rates. U.S. News worked with RTI International to implement the ranking methodology. Along with the national rankings, U.S. News also publishes state-by-state rankings and a demographic breakdown of all ranked schools.

 

U.S. News

School Leadership’s Guide to Building an Online Learning Program

No two students learn the same way, and alternative options for education have never been more necessary than they are right now. Online learning has become an option that’s gained traction nationwide. According to a recent study, 81% of parents believe online learning helps their children better prepare for the future and 94% believe it positively impacts their children’s ability to understand courses.*

This guide will help school and district leaders like you learn more about the fundamentals of online learning and its benefits.

Topics include:

• Debunking common myths about online education
• An outline of the first steps to create and implement a new program
• Strategies for creating open communication with parents, students, and staff
• How to select the best industry partner to help develop your new program

*FlexPoint 2021 Parent Survey

Download the Guide

 

Legislation aiming to eliminate the California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA) has passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously and is headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senate Bill 1263, sponsored by the California Teachers Association and authored by Senator Josh Newman, seeks to remove the CalTPA, which currently requires teacher candidates to demonstrate their teaching competence through video clips and written reflections. Senator Newman argued that while the CalTPA was well-intentioned, it has detracted from the quality of teacher preparation by shifting candidates' focus away from crucial clinical practices. He highlighted that the assessment overlaps with other credentialing requirements, making it redundant. These requirements include proving subject-matter competency, completing teacher preparation courses, demonstrating reading instruction proficiency, and fulfilling 600 hours of clinical experience. This proposed legislation follows California's broader trend of moving away from standardized tests for teacher certification amid a worsening teacher shortage. Senate Bill 1263 would also maintain the requirement for a reading instruction test despite previous efforts to replace the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) with a new literacy performance assessment.

 

Ed Source

A new study has found that students who had surnames that came later in the alphabet received lower grades than those at the top of roll call. The research from the University of Michigan found also found that these students tend to receive ruder comments on their work and have lower grading quality, measured by post-grade complaints from students. Associate professor and first author Dr Jun Li said: “We spend a lot of time thinking about how to make the grading fair and accurate. But even for me it was really surprising. It didn't occur to us until we looked at the data and realised that sequence makes a difference.” Study co-author Helen Wang said: “Our conclusion is this may be something that happened unconsciously by the graders that's actually creating a real social impact.” The reason for the findings is unclear, but researchers suggest that teachers might get tired and irritable as they pass through the alphabet. 

 

University of Michigan

Education Week looks into the "Sunday Scaries," the feeling of dread countless employees experience as they contemplate the workweek ahead. In a recent Harris Poll survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers, 75% of respondents reported experiencing the phenomenon. Chief reasons include workloads, and finding a balance between work and personal life. Education Week asked teachers to share whether they experience the Sunday scaries and, if so, how they cope. "Proactive coping," or engaging in practices that allow people to avoid future stressors, especially by planning ahead and setting realistic expectations, is a recommended strategy. Kathleen V. Shea, a Chicago-based psychologist whose expertise includes workplace stress and related issues, urges professionals to incorporate detailed preparation into their pre-Monday strategies. “You want to make sure your clothes are ready, your lunch is ready, your car is ready, and you have a backup plan,” she said. “You can have the best lesson plan possible, but you still have to get yourself to work on time.” Being as prepared as possible to face the workweek ahead can stave off some amount of anxiety, but it may not entirely eliminate the Sunday scaries, experts caution. “Teachers are under a great deal of pressure to perform,” said Shea.

 

Education Week News

The investigation into Del Norte High School's softball program and allegations of harassment by the superintendent has been completed. The probe included interviews with 41 witnesses and the review of documents. The allegations stemmed from an end-of-season awards banquet in May 2023. The superintendent, Marian Kim Phelps, was placed on administrative leave in February and has denied the allegations. The board will review the information gathered and take appropriate action. In other news, Bernardo Heights Middle School was named a "Purple Star School" for its support to military families. Poway Unified Communications Specialist Brittanie Arnett received the 2024 Emerging Communicator of the Year award.

 

Sandie Gunion Tribute

River Islands homeowners in southwest Manteca are expressing anger over the high taxes they are paying for the construction of a new school. These homeowners, who live in the 200-year floodplain, are paying the highest tax rate in the city, including property taxes, community facilities district fees, and growth fees. However, the taxes they are paying will not be enough to cover their home's share of the $280m levee work mandated by the state. In addition to these taxes, they are also paying a community facilities district fee imposed by the Manteca USD for school facilities. The homeowners are demanding the construction of a new school, but the school board has explained that there is no funding available for "their" school specifically. The district is working to accommodate growth within its boundaries, but the fees paid by homeowners will only cover a portion of the cost. To fund the construction of "their" school, the homeowners would need to propose a bond measure and convince their neighbors to increase their taxes as well.

 

Manteca Bulletin

Fort Miller Middle School in Fresno is making a difference with their Community School program. The program includes a food pantry and a Chevrolet Suburban to help with transportation issues. The school's efforts have been impactful and are driving positive change in the community.

 

The Fresno Bee

Twenty-five years have now passed since the tragic massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. A steady stream of visitors gathered at a permanent memorial near the school on Saturday to remember the 13 victims of the 1999 shooting. In the years since the massacre unfolded, the number of school shootings in the U.S. has risen dramatically. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there have been at least 2,032 school shootings since Columbine, with 95 incidents already in 2024. When only taking into account incidents where one or more victims were shot, the number goes down to 1,143. While rampage attacks like Columbine are not common, the fear among parents has been increasing. Polls show that parents' fears for their children's safety at school have risen in recent years. But despite these concerns, experts emphasise that school shootings with mass deaths are statistically rare. The government can work to prevent such incidents by investigating "near miss" school shootings and encouraging individuals with information to come forward and report.

 

Napa Valley Register

San Luis Obispo Tribune