Education
Commentary
Lessons from California’s Race to the Top Loss
SACRAMENTO California has failed to land a federal Race to the Top grant but the grant process proved enlightening on several key fronts. It is possible, after all, to pass legislation the California Teachers Association (CTA), the states biggest political spender, doesnt like. To compete for the Race to ...
Commentary
Race to the Top Finalists Announced, Some Reforms Ignored
School Reform News, March 15, 2010 The nation’s largest state was not among the 15 states and the District of Columbia chosen to advance in the competition for a share of Race to the Top funds, the Obama administration’s $4.35 billion pot of education-stimulus gold. School reformers in California said ...
Commentary
Federal Money Should Empower Parents, Not Failing Public Schools
Last week, in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama laid out plans for improving Americas dropout rate. Some of the ideas are worthy of praise, but a pattern is becoming increasingly predictable. The president promised federal money in exchange for reform. Specifically, Obama promised $900 million ...
Commentary
Obama wants to lower the bar at schools
Orange County Register, March 9, 2010 Despite the recent news that California wasn’t chosen by the Obama administration as a finalist state for the $4 billion Race to the Top education-funding program, with its required adherence to new national standards in English and math, the state will still be forced ...
Agriculture
Unraveling the Achievement Gap on Campus
For the first time ever, women outnumber men at all levels of higher education. More women than men apply, enroll, and graduate with bachelors and advanced degrees. The response from feminist groups has been drearily predictable. Female enrollment at some schools approaches 60 percent, a gap of 10 percent in ...
Education
School Choice Facts at Your Fingertips
This valuable resource includes data, trends, and research about the country’s 18 school voucher and tax-credit scholarship programs, including: In spite of the worst economic climate in decades, funding for school voucher and scholarship tax credit programs increased by $29 million this year, and student enrollment is up by ...
Education
“Spirit of Central Falls” Trumps Special Interests
Last week Central Falls, Rhode Island, School Superintendent Frances Gallo fired her entire high-school teaching staff when they refused to implement essential reforms to turn around the failing school. Little did Dr. Gallo know that hers would be the pink slips shot round the world-beginning with a billboard in the ...
Education
Early Graduation is a Student-Centered Option
Already, 21 states allow early graduation, according to the Education Commission of the States. And among the other 29, it’s not entirely clear whether state law actually prohibits it. Thirty-five states allow students to finish high school based on mastering proficiency standards in state tests rather than satisfying course credit ...
Education
Will Education Standards Really Help Failing Schools?
During a speech to the National Governors Association, President Obama stated: I want to commend all of you for acting collectively through the National Governors Association to develop common standards that will better position our students for success.and today, Im announcing steps to encourage and support all states to transition ...
Common Core
States Should Look, Not Leap When it Comes to National Standards
In order to qualify for federal Title I funds, states may now have to sign on to the Common Core State Standard Initiative (CCSSI). Yet the Pioneer Institute and Pacific Research Institute study, Why Race to the Middle, found that: the process for developing national standards was flawed; ...
Lessons from California’s Race to the Top Loss
SACRAMENTO California has failed to land a federal Race to the Top grant but the grant process proved enlightening on several key fronts. It is possible, after all, to pass legislation the California Teachers Association (CTA), the states biggest political spender, doesnt like. To compete for the Race to ...
Race to the Top Finalists Announced, Some Reforms Ignored
School Reform News, March 15, 2010 The nation’s largest state was not among the 15 states and the District of Columbia chosen to advance in the competition for a share of Race to the Top funds, the Obama administration’s $4.35 billion pot of education-stimulus gold. School reformers in California said ...
Federal Money Should Empower Parents, Not Failing Public Schools
Last week, in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama laid out plans for improving Americas dropout rate. Some of the ideas are worthy of praise, but a pattern is becoming increasingly predictable. The president promised federal money in exchange for reform. Specifically, Obama promised $900 million ...
Obama wants to lower the bar at schools
Orange County Register, March 9, 2010 Despite the recent news that California wasn’t chosen by the Obama administration as a finalist state for the $4 billion Race to the Top education-funding program, with its required adherence to new national standards in English and math, the state will still be forced ...
Unraveling the Achievement Gap on Campus
For the first time ever, women outnumber men at all levels of higher education. More women than men apply, enroll, and graduate with bachelors and advanced degrees. The response from feminist groups has been drearily predictable. Female enrollment at some schools approaches 60 percent, a gap of 10 percent in ...
School Choice Facts at Your Fingertips
This valuable resource includes data, trends, and research about the country’s 18 school voucher and tax-credit scholarship programs, including: In spite of the worst economic climate in decades, funding for school voucher and scholarship tax credit programs increased by $29 million this year, and student enrollment is up by ...
“Spirit of Central Falls” Trumps Special Interests
Last week Central Falls, Rhode Island, School Superintendent Frances Gallo fired her entire high-school teaching staff when they refused to implement essential reforms to turn around the failing school. Little did Dr. Gallo know that hers would be the pink slips shot round the world-beginning with a billboard in the ...
Early Graduation is a Student-Centered Option
Already, 21 states allow early graduation, according to the Education Commission of the States. And among the other 29, it’s not entirely clear whether state law actually prohibits it. Thirty-five states allow students to finish high school based on mastering proficiency standards in state tests rather than satisfying course credit ...
Will Education Standards Really Help Failing Schools?
During a speech to the National Governors Association, President Obama stated: I want to commend all of you for acting collectively through the National Governors Association to develop common standards that will better position our students for success.and today, Im announcing steps to encourage and support all states to transition ...
States Should Look, Not Leap When it Comes to National Standards
In order to qualify for federal Title I funds, states may now have to sign on to the Common Core State Standard Initiative (CCSSI). Yet the Pioneer Institute and Pacific Research Institute study, Why Race to the Middle, found that: the process for developing national standards was flawed; ...
