A provocative claim: The Common Core’s real problem is that people fear loneliness. (New York Times)
A high school teacher describes how he motivated students to tackle a seemingly insurmountable obstacle: an essay test. (Yo Mista!)
A special ed teacher says he’d be a better judge of his students’ progress than a test they can’t pass. (Mr. Foteah)
Diane Ravitch: Mayor de Blasio’s missteps have guaranteed a new chapter in the city’s tale of two school systems. (New York Review of Books)
The principal of a civics-oriented school in Jackson Heights is facing a new challenge: managing two buildings. (DNAInfo)
A mom shares her struggle with making peace when her toddler doesn’t get into preschool. (Motherlode)
Two authors of the Common Core say the standards aren’t the issue with a tricky math question that has gone viral. (Hechinger Report)
An N.C. father, describing his son’s struggles with Common Core-aligned math homework, says the new standards could exacerbate the “mile wide, inch deep” problem. (Jeff Severt Facebook)
Paging Carmen Fariña: A Wisconsin teacher outlines how she brought joy to her classroom. (Pernille Ripp)
Finland has a single standardized test, for college entrance. Here’s what it looks like. (Answer Sheet)
The publishing website Medium is running a contest to reward the best college application essay. (Medium)
The Chicago principal who is featured in a national miniseries said participating was an easy choice. (Huffington Post)
In 14 states that allow vouchers, taxpayer money is supporting private schools that teach creationism. (Politico)
And here are questions that the Politico story on creationism-teaching schools didn’t answer. (Eduwonk)
The essay portion of Florida’s new state tests will be scored by computer. (StateImpact Florida)