STUDENT  FIRST! News School Choice
Weekly Update on Education (Issue No 280) 22 Apr 2014
- Sana Kazi
Good government data: Is it a myth or does it really exist?

Validity, Clarity and Reliability[1]- These were the three ‘ity’s’ of good quality data that Akanksha’s (our research coordinator) presentation to the 2012 batch of CCS’ summer interns focused on. This got me thinking about the public finance data I work with everyday. To give you a little background, I’ve spent the last 10 months working on a project that requires me to explore, understand and analyze the Detailed Demand for Grants -a document that compiles all requests for funding by a government department in a given fiscal year; to specifically calculate how much the government spends on education. Sounds like a simple enough task right?

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Research

The Value of Parental Choice in Education: A Look at the Research
Author: Lindsey M. Burke
The Heritage Foundation Issue Brief No. 4173
March 18, 2014

Abstract: Over the past decade, a growing body of empirical research examining the impact of school choice has emerged. Education researcher Greg Forster, PhD, conducted an analysis of all existing empirical evaluations of school choice programs to date. According to Forster, 11 out of 12 random assignment studies found that choice improved the academic outcomes of participants; not a single evaluation found that school choice had a negative impact on academic outcomes.

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Education News
 

Cheating pervades India's education system
- LA Times, 16 Apr 2014
The voice that answers the number posted on the online ad is polished, confident: No one will suspect anything, he says. The gadget has never failed.

New India School denies admission to 20 kids, Director of education hints de-recognition
- DNA, 22 Apr 2014
Pune: In first-of-its-kind case of Right to Education (RTE) Act violation this year, New India School in Kothrud denied admission to some students who applied through the online process. The director of education (primary) has hinted de-recognition of the school.

Potential GOP presidential contender Paul pushing school choice in Chicago visit
- Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr 2014
“Right now, we have a large degree of federal involvement and if we’re going to have federal involvement I see no reason why the concept of choice and competition can’t be attached to federal funds,” Paul said.

An agenda for school education
- Live Mint & The Wall Street Journal, 20 Apr 2014
While school education is largely a state government subject, the centre can do a lot to create an enabling environment for government and private entities, ensure accountability and shape flagship programmes.

A defense of public education against ‘the wolves of Wall Street’
- Washington Post, 20 Apr 2014
I am disturbed when high-flying charter schools, such as Harlem Success Academy, brag about their student standardized test scores, not because I begrudge them but because they seem blithely unaware of selection bias.

Govt school seeds its best in 'cloud'
- The Times of India, 16 April 2014
NEW DELHI: In a tiny room in a south Delhi government school, runs another school "in the cloud".There are computers here in place of textbooks; a flat-screen television in place of a blackboard and a "granny" from Canada instead of a teacher who, in a bizarre reversal of roles, sits at the back taking notes while the 'students' Skype.

Poll
Should private schools have a 'salary according to fee' model for teachers?

To vote click here.

Factoid
The number of Indian applicants to U.S. graduate schools increased by 32 percent in 2013.  Indians account for 18 percent of all international graduate students in the U.S.  Chinese applicants decreased by one percent.  Source: The Times of India

Publications

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