Links to a Sampling of

Cedar Rapids [Iowa] Gazette Articles About Education


Becky Stover, Superintendent shortage looms (posted December 17, 1998)

Test results are better than nothing (editorial; posted November 24, 1998)

Becky Stover, Principals to weigh past of volunteers: Criminal convictions won't necessarily disqualify helpers (posted November 24, 1998)

Rod Boshart and Becky Stover, School pay disparity 'shocking,' says state superintendent; Stilwill: Smallest districts are struggling to keep up (posted November 21, 1998)

John Kenyon, Schools lack minority teachers (posted November 8, 1998)

John Kenyon, Help wanted: Male teachers (posted November 8, 1998)

John Kenyon, Artist's imprint: Coralville students learn art of overcoming handicaps (posted October 13, 1998)

Becky Stover, Statewide decline in school enrollment: Several schools in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City area buck trend (posted October 11, 1998)

"School Report Card"

The Cedar Rapids Gazette published an informative, lengthy, special section on schools May 24, 1998 entitled "School Report Card." It represents almost exclusively the research and writing of John Kenyon and Becky Stover. What follows is copied from that site. From the site itself you can link to any of the following stories and reports:

                        HOW DOES YOUR DISTRICT STACK UP?
                        In this special report, The Gazette presents a range
                        of statistics about public schools in Eastern Iowa.
                        You'll find information on everything from test scores
                        to minority enrollment to computer access to
                        student-to-teacher ratios. The report is the result of
                        six months of information gathering and analysis by
                        staff writers Becky Stover and John Kenyon. Data
                        was obtained from state government and from the
                        districts themselves.

                        NEW! FIND REPORTS FOR AREA PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC DISTRICTS:

                         Public districts: 4th grade test scores
                         Public districts: 8th grade test scores
                         Public districts: 11th grade test scores
                         Public districts: Overall enrollment data
                         Catholic districts: 4th grade test scores
                         Catholic districts: 8th grade test scores
                         Catholic districts: High school ACT scores
                         Catholic districts: Grade and middle school enrollment data
                         Catholic districts: High school enrollment data

                        FIND THE REPORT FOR YOUR DISTRICT FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES:

                        NEW SCHOOL PERFORMANCE STORIES:

                             Put to the test
                             Educators worry new mandates will alter approach to teaching
                             Wide variations in schools' reporting
                             A snapshot of academic performance
                             Education issues in the Iowa Legislature
                             House File 2272 -- The school accountability bill

                        Stories from the original School Report Card series:

                             Measuring tools for our schools
                             School Report Card offers a statistical snapshot of E. Iowa
                             What makes a good school? Communication tops your list
                             Numbers alone can't measure quality
                             What you need to know to read and interpret the numbers in this report
                             Starting young, students learn computer skills for life
                             Arts and reading program deliver an academic boost
                             Schools preparing kids for work world
                             Math 'fun' puts students in top 10 percent nationwide
                             Focus on individual students overcomes big-school hurdles
                             Add academics to the list of things Marion High is known for