These recently released reports cover a wide spectrum of education issues.
The Newly Arrived Foreign-Born Population of the United States: 2010. U.S. Census Bureau. (November 2011). A recent study by the U.S. Census Bureau found that there were some new trends in where immigrants are settling in the United States, which can affect school districts in those areas in numerous ways. Of the 40 million foreign-born residents, nearly 17 percent came to the United States between 2005 and 2010. Over 65 percent are located in "gateway" states such as California and New York, but there were some shifts and the larger increase in residents means more English language learners in schools.
"I Need Help!" Social Class and Children's Help-Seeking in Elementary School. American Sociological Review. (November 2011). A study found that middle-class students tend to request more help from their teachers than lower-income students. Many of these students do not wait for assistance, but go directly to the educator or even interrupt instruction, so they end up getting more help in regard to their education. This can lead to inequality in schools and gives middle-class students an advantage over their peers.
The Education Choice and Competition Index. Brookings Institute. (November 2011). This report ranks school districts that offer school choice, with New York City; Chicago; Duval, Fla.; and San Diego, Calif., ranked highest. A number of factors are taken into consideration, including charter schools, private schools, and how often parents move to districts for the quality of their schools. Currently, more than 50 percent of parents have engaged in school choice, primarily by sending students to private schools or by deciding what districts they want to make home.
