The Responses to Educational Disruption Survey (REDS), conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), studied how teaching and learning were affected by the disruptions caused by COVID-19 and aimed to paint a picture of national responses to the global pandemic. REDS was based on the premise that…

Thirteen years ago, Minnesota was a state with no academic standards in mathematics and science and what some observers said was a mixed record in grounding students in crucial academic content, such as number skills and algebra. Since then, the state has set clear guidelines for schools in both subjects, and it also appears to have tuned up what…

Almost every time the results of an international test of student achievement are released to the world, the reaction among the American public and policymakers is like that of a parent whose child just brought home a disappointing report card. Elected officials and academic experts question where U.S. students fell short: Was it their curriculum,…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) More Good, Less Bad, and Still Need for Improvement: Latest International Test Reveals U.S. Progress in Math and…