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Solving homelessness crisis more about priority than money

If it seems like the homeless population has grown, that’s because it has — everywhere. According to the annual point-in-time survey, there are almost 71,000 more people experiencing homelessness this year compared to last — an increase of 12% — totaling around 653,000 people. This is the highest level of homelessness recorded since the survey first started in 2007. Surprisingly, homelessness levels remained steady through 2021 and 2022 before the jump in 2023. But those were the years that pandemic assistance was in full effect: child tax credits, repayment pauses, ...

The hazards of standardized tests

Last week, we talked about the results of several national and international standardized tests. While standardized tests are good for comparing large groups to each other, they are terrible mechanisms for measuring an individual student’s understanding. One problem is standardized tests penalize kids who aren’t good test takers. Some people scoff at the idea of being a “bad tester,” but some kids are just really bad at taking tests. Maybe they get so stressed out that they shut down, or they have trouble focusing, or they have learning disabilities, or they work slower ...

The season of gifts

It’s Christmas Eve, and we find ourselves thinking about gifts. After all, tonight Santa Claus will shimmy down chimneys across the globe, leaving presents wrapped in paper and bows for the good girls and boys. And tonight and tomorrow, families will gather and exchange gifts. Hanukkah ended almost two weeks ago, and in addition to the candle-lighting and traditional foods, it’s common for celebrants to give presents on each of the eight nights, especially to children. Kwanzaa begins on Tuesday, and on the final night, after the karamu — the feast — it’s common to ...

FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US

The Airing of Grievances Happy Festivus! If you’re scratching your head and checking your calendar to see how you missed a holiday, don’t worry — you aren’t the only one. The concept of Festivus was first introduced in the “Seinfield” episode “Strike” from Season 9, which aired Dec. 18, 1997. According to festivusweb.com, “Festivus is a secular holiday, normally celebrated on Dec. 23. It is mainly meant as an alternative to the pressures and commercialization of the Christmas season. ... The usual holiday tradition of a tree is manifested in an unadorned ...

Proof teachers make a difference

Early this month, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development released the results of its triennial, global standardized test for 15-year-olds. More than half of the 81 participating countries saw declines in reading and math. In OECD member countries, reading performance fell by 10 points on average and by 15 points in math compared to 2018. (Testing was delayed because of COVID.) The U.S. actually performed better than equally developed countries like Germany and Iceland: Our math scores only dropped by 13 points, and our reading scores were roughly the same. This is ...

Bringing trains into the 21st century

When given the choice among trains, planes or automobiles, most Americans will choose to fly or drive. Flying is fastest, and driving offers the most flexibility and control. Virtually no one sees traveling by train as a viable option. But hopefully that will change in the coming years. President Joe Biden’s administration has announced billions of dollars in upgrades to America’s passenger railroad infrastructure, including improvements to existing rail lines and creation of new high-speed trains.  U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, with the help of state- ...