School Choice

Commentary

Big mistakes by ‘big ideas’ critic

Apostasy is always news if the apostates are well-known persons on the right, and the case of noted New York University education historian Diane Ravitch is no exception. Mrs. Ravitch, who used to support bold reforms such as school choice, is making headlines condemning those “big ideas” as bad policy. ...
Commentary

Where’s superman for the middle class?

The documentary “Waiting for Superman” by Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim, who previously directed Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” was a big hit at the recent Sundance Film Festival. Voted best U.S. documentary by Sundance moviegoers, Guggenheim’s film exposes the immense flaws in America’s public school system and follows the lives ...
Business & Economics

Jerry Brown: older, not wiser

Now that California Attorney General Jerry Brown is an official candidate for governor, we’re getting to relive some California political history as pundits and reporters think back to Brown’s first stint as governor (1975-83) along with some of the entertaining facets of his long and bizarre political career. The basic ...
Commentary

Washington-centric Education “Reforms” Destined for Failure

Last week the Obama administration released changes to No Child Left Behind, now known as Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The New York Times observed that, “This ambitious agenda presents striking challenges of its own, both political and in terms of implementation.” Indeed, the proposed alterations have elicited divided ...
Commentary

Learning from Canada’s schools

Washington Times, February 23, 2010 In a speech on Canadian television touting the health care system of our northern neighbor, liberal filmmaker Michael Moore said, “It’s not that you need to become more like Americans, we need to become more Canadian-like.” If America mimicked Canadian education policy, however, Mr. Moore ...
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 ...
Commentary

Milwaukee School Choice Program Sets Example for California, Nation

Low-income Milwaukee students using vouchers to attend independent schools have a graduation rate 18 percent higher than students in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), according to Graduation Rates for Choice and Public School Students in Milwaukee, 2003-2008, a new report by John Robert Warren of the University of Minnesota. California would ...
Commentary

Tax-credit scholarships could ease school funding burden

Gov. Chris Christie has proposed freezing $475 million in education spending to help shrink New Jersey’s $2.2 billion budget deficit, focusing on school districts with budget surpluses. (“Deep budget cuts carry economic risk for N.J.,” Feb. 14.) This plan raises concerns about punishing fiscally responsible school districts. It also raises ...
California

California Passes Reforms to Compete in Race to the Top

California started the year by passing two new bills and submitting an application to the federal government to win a piece of the funding pie known as Race to the Top. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed both bills into law on January 7. Both had passed the legislature with the ...
California

California Focus: ‘Race to the Top’ won’t get there

Orange County Register, January 26, 2010 As California and other states scramble for shares of Barack Obama’s $4 billion pot of “Race to the Top” education funds, it’s easy to overlook the recent dagger to the heart dealt by the president and the Democratic-controlled Congress to the successful and popular ...
Commentary

Big mistakes by ‘big ideas’ critic

Apostasy is always news if the apostates are well-known persons on the right, and the case of noted New York University education historian Diane Ravitch is no exception. Mrs. Ravitch, who used to support bold reforms such as school choice, is making headlines condemning those “big ideas” as bad policy. ...
Commentary

Where’s superman for the middle class?

The documentary “Waiting for Superman” by Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim, who previously directed Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” was a big hit at the recent Sundance Film Festival. Voted best U.S. documentary by Sundance moviegoers, Guggenheim’s film exposes the immense flaws in America’s public school system and follows the lives ...
Business & Economics

Jerry Brown: older, not wiser

Now that California Attorney General Jerry Brown is an official candidate for governor, we’re getting to relive some California political history as pundits and reporters think back to Brown’s first stint as governor (1975-83) along with some of the entertaining facets of his long and bizarre political career. The basic ...
Commentary

Washington-centric Education “Reforms” Destined for Failure

Last week the Obama administration released changes to No Child Left Behind, now known as Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The New York Times observed that, “This ambitious agenda presents striking challenges of its own, both political and in terms of implementation.” Indeed, the proposed alterations have elicited divided ...
Commentary

Learning from Canada’s schools

Washington Times, February 23, 2010 In a speech on Canadian television touting the health care system of our northern neighbor, liberal filmmaker Michael Moore said, “It’s not that you need to become more like Americans, we need to become more Canadian-like.” If America mimicked Canadian education policy, however, Mr. Moore ...
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 ...
Commentary

Milwaukee School Choice Program Sets Example for California, Nation

Low-income Milwaukee students using vouchers to attend independent schools have a graduation rate 18 percent higher than students in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), according to Graduation Rates for Choice and Public School Students in Milwaukee, 2003-2008, a new report by John Robert Warren of the University of Minnesota. California would ...
Commentary

Tax-credit scholarships could ease school funding burden

Gov. Chris Christie has proposed freezing $475 million in education spending to help shrink New Jersey’s $2.2 billion budget deficit, focusing on school districts with budget surpluses. (“Deep budget cuts carry economic risk for N.J.,” Feb. 14.) This plan raises concerns about punishing fiscally responsible school districts. It also raises ...
California

California Passes Reforms to Compete in Race to the Top

California started the year by passing two new bills and submitting an application to the federal government to win a piece of the funding pie known as Race to the Top. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed both bills into law on January 7. Both had passed the legislature with the ...
California

California Focus: ‘Race to the Top’ won’t get there

Orange County Register, January 26, 2010 As California and other states scramble for shares of Barack Obama’s $4 billion pot of “Race to the Top” education funds, it’s easy to overlook the recent dagger to the heart dealt by the president and the Democratic-controlled Congress to the successful and popular ...
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