Students arrive for the first day of school at a Minnesota elementary school. Four-day school weeks are gaining in popularity, especially in rural districts. But researchers say the evidence on four-day weeks is unclear. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
A new report released by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) suggests changes in federal student reporting may affect the reported number of Hispanic students in Alabama schools, a change which also led to an increase in students who identify as “two or more races.”
“Because of the classification change, it is unclear from the publicly reported data whether Hispanic enrollment rose or fell,” wrote Thomas Spencer, a senior research associate for PARCA and the author of the report. “Alabama State Department of Education [ALSDE] officials said that the number of students who checked the Hispanic box increased by about 1,000 statewide. In past years, Hispanic enrollment had grown more rapidly.”…