Madison Yandell, Policy Advisor

Madison Yandell, Policy Advisor

Madison Yandell, Policy Advisor

Posts

Texas’ Blue Ribbon Schools Show the Path Forward

February 22, 2022
The Spring 2022 administration of the STAAR test is fast approaching and will provide a critical look at how Texas students are faring following two years of learning interrupted by the COVID pandemic. While it is true that last year’s results confirmed troubling slides in achievement and increased gaps across student groups, this data also...
High school students working together at a table

Well Intentioned, but Flawed

August 30, 2021
The following testimony was delivered to the Public Education Committee of the Texas House of Representatives on August 30, 2021 The accelerated learning committees established in House Bill 4545 (87-R) created a strategy to accelerate student exposure to grade-appropriate work, not delay it. In 2017, 22 percent of third-graders did not meet grade level in...
online learning

Texas Should Support Online Learning Options

August 24, 2021
The following testimony was delivered to the Senate Committee on Education on August 10, 2021, and the House Committee on Education on August 24, 2021. The results of the 2021 STAAR test provided a shocking look into the impact of the pandemic on student learning. The number of students not meeting grade level increased across...
Students with backpacks walking into school

Three Questions We’re Asking About Education Federal Funds

August 19, 2021
As this year’s STAAR results confirmed, the COVID pandemic took a substantial toll on student learning. Many students are now returning to the classroom for the first time since March 2020, and some will still be learning virtually as the Delta variant brings another wave of cases. Help is on the way, and administrators and school...
High school students working together at a table

How Newly Released ARPA Funds Will Help Texas Students

July 7, 2021
Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced the approval of Texas’ plan for the remaining $4.1 billion in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (also known as ESSER III) for safely reopening schools and addressing lost classroom time. This follows the release $8.3 billion on March 24...
Assessment

Three Takeaways from the 2021 STAAR Results

June 30, 2021
Monday’s headlines in Texas were dominated by the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) release of the 2021 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results. As expected, the results showed the pandemic had a substantial impact on student learning. The number of students not meeting grade level increased across almost all subject areas and grade...
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