First Bell: 2-20-13
A first look at today's education news: a federally mandated commission issues a "blueprint" that harkens back to 1972, charter expulsion rates are no higher than those in traditional schools overall, and more
A first look at today's education news: a federally mandated commission issues a "blueprint" that harkens back to 1972, charter expulsion rates are no higher than those in traditional schools overall, and more
A first look at the education headlines from this weekend and today: NYC's school-bus strike is over, a study contends that charters select for students, and more
Good news: full-time workers with children in poverty have already been helped!
A first look at today's education news: More concerns over the president's pre-K plans emerge, MOOC providers struggle to catch cheaters, and more
Many proponents of private school choice take for granted that schools won't participate if government asks too much of them, especially if it demands that they be publicly accountable for student achievement. Were such school refusals to be widespread, the programs themselves could not serve many kids. But is this assumption justified? A new Fordham Institute study provides empirical answers. Do regulations and accountability requirements deter private schools from participating in choice programs? How important are such requirements compared to other factors, such as voucher amounts? Are certain types of regulations stronger deterrents than others? Do certain types schools shy away from regulation more than others? These are just some of the questions that David Stuit, author of the Fordham study, will discuss with a panel featuring John Kirtley of Step Up for Students (Florida), Larry Keough of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, and Paul Miller of the National Association of Independent Schools.
A first look at today's education news: Questions on the cost and viability of the president's pre-K plan abound, a parent trigger goes off without a hitch, and more
In an era of budgetary belt tightening, state and local policy makers are finally awakening to the impact of teacher pension costs on their bottom lines. Recent reports demonstrate that such pension programs across the United States are burdened by almost $390 billion in unfunded liabilities. Yet, most states and municipalities have been taking the road of least resistance, tinkering around the edges rather than tackling systemic (but painful) pension reform. Is the solution to the pension crisis to offer teachers the option of a 401(k)-style plan (also known as a "defined contribution" or DC plan) instead of a traditional pension plan? Would this alternative appeal to teachers? When Teachers Choose Pension Plans: The Florida Story sets out to answer these questions.
A first look at today's education news: President Obama presented an aggressive early-childhood-education proposal in last night's State of the Union address, Michigan considers an expansion of the Education Achievement Authority, and more
A first look at today's education news: More than 6,200 students left D.C. public schools and didn't look back, watch for early-childhood education and college access in tonight's State of the Union address, and more
Take a broad policy directive, start a pilot, develop multiple external assessors, integrate this work with mid-stream RTTT-3 funds and a new tenure law, make course corrections, act with transparency about findings, and push on
Examining whether policies affect test scores
A first look at today's education news: California school construction puts future taxpayers on the hook for huge interest payments, lawmakers clash over how to hold states accountable for students' academic progress, and more
A first look at today's education news: Senate lawmakers held a hearing on NCLB waivers, second-generation immigrants outperformed the general American population in education, and more
The United States faces a shortage of high-quality school leaders at a time when it is more apparent than ever that principals are key to attracting and retaining teacher talent and driving the improvement of student learning. While districts hire principals, states control the entry point to the principalship, overseeing the preparation and licensure of school leaders. Yet, to date, there has been no one central repository of information on state policies impacting principal preparation, licensure, tenure, and data collection to monitor the outcomes of those policies. The Bush Institute's new report, Operating in the Dark: What Outdated State Policies and Data Gaps Mean for Effective School Leadership, is a first-of-its-kind compilation of state-reported data on how the 50 states and the District of Columbia are using their authority to increase the supply of high-quality principals. Please join us for a presentation of the study's findings and a panel discussion, moderated by Fordham's Chester E. Finn, Jr., on how states can strengthen the rigor of the principal preparation program approval process and establish licensure requirements that validate and confirm that principals are indeed ready for the job and effective once employed as school leaders. The panelists will also discuss the role of the states in collecting data on principal effectiveness once school leaders are on the job and using that data to increase the supply of high-quality principals available for hire.
Foiled by needlessly complicated government documents?
A first look at today's education news: MOOCs take a big step forward, food fights abound, and more
Quite the flashlight
A first look at today's education news: It's National Digital Learning Day, Cantor pushes school choice and college affordability, and more
Andy Smarick's pick of recent education news
A first look at today's education news: Texas's school-finance system has been ruled unconstitutional, the ironic failure of an online class on how to create online classes has reporters falling over themselves, and more
The second of two posts on the past, present, and future of urban schooling
Earlier today on WAMU, Washington’s local NPR station, Kojo Nnamdi hosted a fascinating discussion on school boundaries, charter schools, and choice
A first look at today's education news: Alabama withdraws from both Common Core testing consortia, Arne Duncan will focus on school safety and early childhood education in the second term, and more
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute has provided big-picture feedback and detailed, standard-specific commentary for the second draft of the Next Generation Science Standards—standards that done right, set a firm foundation upon which the rest of science education across the states will be constructed. In our comments on the first draft, we concluded that “the NGSS authors have much to do to ensure that the final draft is a true leap forward in science education.” In comments on Draft II, we address to what extent NGSS writers have moved closer to a set of K–12 science standards that even states with strong standards of their own would do well to adopt.
The first of two posts on the past, present, and future of urban schooling
A first look at today's education news: The RTTT progress report reveals troubles in D.C., Georgia, and Maryland; Ohio governor Kasich proposes an expansion of his state's voucher program; and more
A first look at today's education news: Gov. Cuomo threatens to impose a teacher-evaluation system on NYC, Bill Gates makes the case for investing in a strong teacher-evaluation system, and more