Reverend Al's odd alliances

Thinking differently

I still don't like the snarky title of Mark Bauerlein's new bo

Re: Progress toward what?

I don't know, Liam, what will be the "quality" of the coming decades' progress. Nor, do I think, does Bauerlein.

Little bang for lots of buck

I was expecting a bit more from Eduwonk's $5 billion challenge. The winner, just announced, would use the money to

Research question

Kevin Carey expounds upon the reasons that research doesn't always or even often make it to policymakers and into their policies. His suggested remedies are fine, especially the appeal for better writing.

The Great Society, Redux

Mike is too gentle with this broader, bolder initiative. First, a chicken and egg problem arises.

Just regular, neighborhood guys

The Weekly Standard looks at the Obama-Ayers connection.

Holding report cards hostage

I'm not one to beat up on teachers unions just for the sake of it, but this little news story out of Australia illustrates precisely how the interests of unions and students do not always intersect.

Success for few in after-school

Oddly enough, on the same day that the Economic Policy Institute and friends release this manifesto recommending that we "pay more attention to the time students spend out of school" (see

TMA in the WSJ

Washington, D.C.'s Thurgood Marshall Academy charter school is featured in today's Wall Street Journal.

A Broader, Bolder Approach to Education: Our panaceas are better than your panaceas

Apparently tired of being called defeatist defenders of the status quo, the Economic Policy Institute (home of Lawrence Mishel and Richard Rothstein) just released a policy statement calling for a "broader, BOLDER approach" to education.

Ray Cortines, ready to collaborate

The California Charter Schools Association published

More on McCain's NCLB problem

Here's another analysis explaining why it's "good politics" for the candidates to bash NCLB--something Senato

The price of culture

I'm all for building schools dedicated to the arts, especially for students hailing from low-income neighborhoods. I'm just not sure it's worth $230 million while kids in other districts learn in classroom trailers.

It's not just OSP

Sounds like D.C.'s charter schools are taking fire, too. If you can't beat ???em, sabotage ???em.

Would you like some hope with your hope?

Oh, brother. "Students [would] have a chance to recover," Martin said. "Getting a bad grade or having a bad day does not mean you are a failure. This is about hope."

You down with OSP?

As you can see, we're not exactly doing cartwheels over here upon hearing what Eleanor Holmes Norton had to say about the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.

Face-off

Washington Post education reporter Jay Mathews and Checker Finn debate: "Is AP Good for Everyone?"

The age factor

It's no secret that Senator John McCain'

New Jersey's alternate route to teaching: Thoroughly unremarkable

The New York Times had a nice piece Saturday on the Garden State's alternative certification program, the first and largest

New Jersey's alternate route to teaching: Thoroughly unremarkable

The New York Times had a nice piece Saturday on the Garden State's alternative certification program, the first and largest

Eleanor Holmes Norton eager to sacrifice D.C.'s poor kids

It's unclear exactly what Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents Washington, D.C., in Congress, so dislikes about the Opportunity Scholarship Program that provides some 2,000 low-income students in the District an opportunity to receive their educations from private providers.

Lessons for the next education secretary

It must be kiss-and-tell season, what with Scott McClellan's recent riposte to the Bush White House , and now with former education department official's Susan Neuman's revisionist history as reported by Time :

Prolific Mathews

Washington Post reporter Jay Mathews was busy this weekend.

Randi's partially right again

Several New York City high school principals are receiving performance bonuses under the terms of an old program even though their schools fared poorly under the district's new grading system.

Unwelcome news

Sadly, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program seems to be on its last legs. Non-voting D.C. delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has lobbied hard to kill the program, said, "We have to protect the children, who are the truly innocent victims here."

Priorities

As the D.C. voucher program comes under attack, where is Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, whose initial support for the program was instrumental in its birth?

Unscientifically-based reading research for animal lovers

With all the talk about Reading First and scientifically-based reading research of late, this unusual reading strategy caught my eye. It claims reading to fido has its advantages:

Why did I do it?

Mike thinks he has all of the Friday fun today.

George Bush food fight

Am I referring to a policy scuffle over No Child Left Behind? Alas, no, that would be so boring and predictable.