The Efficacy of Choice Threats Within School Accountability Systems: Results From Legislatively Induced Experiments
Martin R. West and Paul R. Peterson, Program on Education Policy and GovernanceHarvard UniversityApril 2005
One-Third of a Nation: Rising Dropout Rates and Declining Opportunities
Paul E. Barton, Educational Testing Service February 2005Characteristics of Minority Students Who Excel on the SAT and in the ClassroomBrent Bridgeman and Cathy Wendler, Educational Testing ServiceJanuary 2005
Evaluating the Performance of Charter Schools in Connecticut
Chester E. Finn, Jr.Gary Miron, The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan UniversityApril 2005
Retirement rip-off
Teachers, check up on your retirement plan immediately. The latest Forbes reveals that big insurance companies are peddling bad retirement plans to teachers - often with their unions' support.
Class size troubles
The Florida class size amendment is causing problems again. Luckily, state schools chief John Winn is showing some useful flexibility in applying its regulations. Approximately 154,000 children are expected to enroll in Florida's new pre-kindergarten program, but the requirements of the class size amendment are causing a shortage in classroom space.
Just the facts, ma'am
Columbia Journalism Review has a long essay in its March/April issue calling upon journalists to "get beyond" test scores in education reporting and not just accept the district or state's numbers, but also look at how numbers and policies are actually affecting the classroom.
Keep the choice provision strong
Public school choice was the great promise of NCLB. It gave students in failing schools an escape hatch and reinforced NCLB's commitment to every child by providing low-income families with options long enjoyed by more affluent families.
Vouchers ahead? Stay tuned
Last week, the Ohio House of Representatives passed its state budget, which included a plan to provide 18,000 vouchers for more than 30 school districts in 2006 and double that number in 2007, which would make it the largest voucher program in the country.