Lisa’s Recent Stories
Education Apr 30
What parents of dyslexic children are teaching schools about literacyFewer than 40 percent of fourth and eighth grade students nationwide are proficient readers. Now, led by parents of children with dyslexia, a learning disability that makes reading and spelling difficult, some states are trying to change how reading is…
Education Apr 02
When a laundromat becomes a libraryThe first five years of a child’s life are critical for language exposure, but studies suggest children in lower-income families often don’t experience the rich literary environment wealthier kids do. A New York City initiative trying to close that gap…
Education Feb 12
A year after Parkland shooting, can anonymous tip lines help students keep schools safer?This week marks a year since a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 students and educators. Since then, a renewed push for school safety has led to the development of initiatives like…
Nation Nov 13
Nearly 1 in 5 teens seriously considers suicide. Can schools offer relief?The statistics are sobering: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for ages 10 to 18, and the number of teens reporting feeling sad, hopeless or suicidal has risen. But…
Education Sep 25
School concerns spur passions in Wisconsin governor’s raceIn Wisconsin's race for governor, 40 percent of voters say education is their first or second most important concern. The Republican incumbent, Gov. Scott Walker, is squaring off against the state’s longtime superintendent of schools, Tony Evers. Polls indicate the…
Nation Aug 14
This kindergarten sneak preview helps families hit the ground runningFor three weeks in the summer, children who are entering kindergarten in Portland, Oregon, get ready and get excited to start school. While it’s no substitute for pre-K, getting a preview helps ease the transition for kids, and offers parents…
Education Jul 24
The pros and cons of schools ditching a long summer breakThough it's an American tradition, not every school takes a long summer break. About 4 percent in the U.S. use a "balanced" calendar that operates year-round, sometimes to manage overcrowding but also to boost student achievement with more consistent education.
Education Jul 10
Some schools are rethinking sex ed with lessons on consentThe changing culture around sexual harassment and the #MeToo movement has some states and school districts rethinking their sex ed curriculum to include healthy relationships, preventing violence and ensuring consent. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week visits a Washington,…
Education May 17
Children who marched for equal rights inspire a new generationFifty-five years ago, thousands of African-American children walked out of their schools and began a peaceful march in Birmingham, Alabama, to protest segregation. They were met with attack dogs and water hoses. For a new generation of students, traveling to…
Education Apr 10
Can schools juggle hardened security with welcoming culture?Since the shooting massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, there have been calls for adding guns at U.S. schools. On the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas, one district has their own school police force, with more than 100 officers…