3.2.1
3-2-1: How to find your way in life, the power of quiet weeks, and the problem with smart people
3 Ideas From Me
I.
“Communication is about what is received, not what is intended. If there is a gap between what you are saying and what they are hearing, you have to find a new way to say it.
“Here are 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question to consider this week…
Advanced Placement Exams show Improvement
Here’s Why More Students Have Passed AP Exams in Recent Years
Some Advanced Placement teachers might have noticed that a higher percentage of their students received passing scores on the program’s year-end exams in the last few years.
This year, 72 percent of students who took the AP U.S. History exam earned scores of 3, 4, or 5—scores that often allow exam takers to claim college credit—up from 48.3 percent in 2022. On the AP Macroeconomics exam, 62 percent of students this year earned passing grades, up from 51.8 percent two years earlier, according to College Board data.
School Closures need to happen
Prompted by declining enrollment and the impending loss of federal pandemic relief funding, school districts nationwide are wrestling with whether to close schools — and, if so, how many. Seattle is weighing a plan to close a quarter of its elementary schools. Rochester, New York, voted last fall to shut 11 of its 45 schools. San Antonio recently closed 13, with two more slated to shut their doors soon.
School closures are hardly new, but two factors make the current wave different. First, shifts to homeschooling and private schools during the pandemic exacerbated the trend of declining urban enrollment. Second, the loss of pandemic relief funds (the so-called fiscal cliff) finally forced districts to find ways to save money.
Lessons for Women Leaders
Gymnast Simone Biles is a force of historic impact.
She is also powerful proof to women and women education leaders of what is possible when strong women prioritize their well-being and emerge from incredible challenges.
Now the most decorated gymnast in American history, Biles is a champion of champions, an icon in her sport, a cultural touchstone, and a shining example of what’s possible when unmatched talent and dedication meet.
FAFSA Updates
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2025-26 academic year will be fully available by Dec. 1 — two months later than the form’s usual debut, according to an announcement Wednesday from the U.S. Department of Education.
Starting Oct. 1, the Education Department will test the new form with a limited number of students and institutions. This phased approach is aimed at ensuring complete functionality when the form fully launches, officials said in a news release.
Pandemic Babies academic progress
Principals report developmental challenges for younger students post-pandemic. Upcoming NAEP results will yield results on academic performance.
“I don’t know what the results look like, but we shall see if they align” with other indicators for this group, such as their reported decline in socioemotional and behavioral development, said Carr during the National Assessment Governing Board’s quarterly meeting on Thursday. NAGB sets policy for the Nation’s Report Card, while NCES administers the assessment and analyzes the results.
In 2021, only 40% of 3- to 4-year-olds and 79% of 5-year-olds were enrolled in school, compared to 49% and 86%, respectively, in 2019. For 2022, data shows those percentages at 47% and 84% respectively, according to NCES.
