UPDATES BY SUBSCRIBE to EdNext ADVERTISE in EdNext Log In to your EdNext Account EducationNext HOME THE JOURNAL BLOG TOPICS MULTIMEDIA CONNECT EDFACTS ARCHIVES Custom Search Search The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2016 By Education Next 12/15/2016 PRINT | NO PDF | SHARE ednext-dec16-top20articles-homepage Every December, Education Next announces the most popular articles we published over the course of the past year based on web traffic. This year, the top article was “How Family Background Influences Student Achievement: Can schools narrow the gap?“ by Anna Egalite. The article looks at four different family variables that may influence student achievement and at ways in which schools can offset the effects of these variables. It was part of a special Education Next issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of James S. Coleman’s groundbreaking report, “Equality of Educational Opportunity.” Five other articles from that issue also appear on the Top 20 list. Without further ado, here’s the list: 1. How Family Background Influences Student Achievement Can schools narrow the gap? By Anna J. Egalite 2. After Common Core, States Set Rigorous Standards Forty-five states raise the student proficiency bar By Paul E. Peterson, Samuel Barrows and Thomas Gift 3. High School of the Future Cutting-edge model capitalizes on blended learning to take personalization further By Joanne Jacobs 4. What Matters for Student Achievement Updating Coleman on the influence of families and schools By Eric A. Hanushek 5. In Schools, Teacher Quality Matters Most Today’s research reinforces Coleman’s findings By Dan Goldhaber 6. The Politics of the Common Core Assessments Why states are quitting the PARCC and Smarter Balanced testing consortia By Ashley Jochim and Patrick McGuinn 7. Ten-year Trends in Public Opinion From the EdNext Poll Common Core and vouchers down, but many other reforms still popular By Paul E. Peterson, Michael B. Henderson, Martin R. West and Samuel Barrows 8. It Pays to Improve School Quality States that boost student achievement could reap large economic gains By Eric A. Hanushek, Jens Ruhose and Ludger Woessmann 9. Connecting to Practice How we can put education research to work By Thomas J. Kane 10. An Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan Focus your philanthropy on innovation outside the system By Chester E. Finn, Jr. 11. Denver Expands Choice and Charters Elected school board employs portfolio strategy to lift achievement By David Osborne 12. The Life and Times of James S. Coleman Hero and villain of school policy research By Sally B. Kilgore 13. Teacher Home Visits School-family partnerships foster student success By June Kronholz 14. Desegregation Since the Coleman Report Racial composition of schools and student learning By Steven Rivkin 15. Incomplete Reform in Baltimore A shift in authority to school leaders falls short By Betheny Gross and Ashley Jochim 16. “Children, be quiet and watch your lesson” The case for video time during class By Michael J. Petrilli 17. School Closures In New York City Did students do better after their high schools were closed? By James J. Kemple 18. Innovation in Catholic Education New approaches to instruction and governance may revitalize the sector By Kelly Robson and Andy Smarick 19. Teacher Race and School Discipline Are students suspended less often when they have a teacher of the same race? By Constance A. Lindsay and Cassandra M. D. Hart 20. What Do We Know About School Discipline Reform? Assessing the alternatives to suspensions and expulsions By Matthew P. Steinberg and Johanna Lacoe Congratulations to all of our authors! —Education Next P.S. You can find the Top 20 Education Next articles of 2015 here, 2014 here and 2013 here. P.P.S. You can find the Top 10 Education Next blogs of 2016 here. SPONSORS RELATED EDNEXT ARTICLES Who Opts Out of State Tests? The Top 10 Education Next Blog Entries of 2015 Which Math Test is Better, PARCC or MCAS? Losing the Ability to Compare Academic Performance Across States SEND ME THE EDUCATION NEXT DAILY EMAIL ALERT Enter your email SUBMIT NOTIFY ME WHEN EDUCATION NEXT POSTS A BIG STORY Enter your email SUBMIT MORE EDNEXT INFORMATION About EducationNext Advertise EducationNext Contact EducationNext Site Credits User Agreement | Privacy Policy Reporting Copyright Infringement | Guidelines for Submissions | Permissions | FAQ Web-only content Copyright © 2017 President & Fellows of Harvard College Journal content Copyright © 2017 by the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University BUSINESS OFFICE Program on Education Policy and Governance Harvard Kennedy School 79 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 Phone (617) 496-5488 Fax (617) 496-4428