This week in the roundup of latest news and headlines impacting education:
This week we take a walk through the concealed corridors of privilege and power within the U.S. college admissions system. A wide-ranging scandal known as Operation Varsity Blues (unveiled in March 2019) reflects the complex, often unseen mechanisms that shape educational access and equity at some of the U.S.’s most elite colleges and universities.
Operation Varsity Blues exposed a network of wealthy parents and college coaches, who with an orchestrator named Rick Singer manipulated admissions systems to favor their children, often without the students' knowledge. Singer's scheme involved a so-called "side door" into prestigious colleges, and his activities facilitated more than $25 million in bribes. Through fabricated athletic profiles and manipulated standardized test scores, the scandal implicated celebrities, executives, and coaches. The scandal prompted a reevaluation of admissions policies and the role of standardized testing in evaluating scholastic merit.
We’ll discuss whether meritocracy has become a myth, what part test-optional policies play in admissions reform, the impact on student mental health brought by the college application rat race, and how college rankings apply pressure to the admissions process.
Thanks for listening!
Sources & Resources:
Watch Out: Tornado Alley Is Migrating Eastward | Scientific American
Ohio’s Board of Education expresses budget crisis following education department overhaul | 10tv.com
Ohio school board may raise teacher license fees as budget shortfall looms
Oregon schools' pandemic recovery lags behind much of the nation : NPR
Oregon Literacy Crisis: State distributes millions in grants aimed at reading education
A Crisis of School Absences - The New York Times
What's It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today? | Pew Research Center
TV celebrities and coaches charged in college bribery scheme | AP News
Do donations influence college admissions? | Higher Ed Dive
College Admissions Scandal: Full List of People Sentenced
What Happened to the Students Caught Up in the College Admissions Scandal? - The New York Times
SAT Quiz: Can You Answer Questions From the Original Test? | TIME
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