Place matters in analyzing students’ performance, Washington University research finds

Where a child lives makes a difference in how demographics and other factors influence algebra performance, and policies should take into account local variation, research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests. Here, a map illustrates the relationship between the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches and Algebra I scores in Missouri school districts.

Better teachers?

The Missouri Senate approved a bill Feb. 26 that would make it easier for people to switch jobs to become teachers. But if enacted, would the bill increase teacher quality in the state? Probably not, says an expert in science and mathematics education at Washington University in St. Louis.