- Education governance may not be a sexy topic; but without major changes to our current model, all the incremental reforms thus far undertaken may be for naught. Where do we go from here and how do we get there? Checker Finn begins to articulate what governance should look like tomorrow in this Defining Ideas piece.
- This week, Florida reminds us all that patience is a virtue. After an interminable search process, the Sunshine State’s board of education voted unanimously to hire Gerard Robinson as the state’s education commissioner. A fantastic choice—and worth the wait.
- David McCullough moves from author to subject in last weekend’s Wall Street Journal interview. It’s laced with his incisive thoughts on American K-12 education, and includes some great zingers like, “textbooks have become ‘so politically correct as to be comic.’”
- KIPP recently learned that about one-third of its first middle-school cohort went on to graduate from college (within six years of enrolling). Curious as to what KIPP is doing with that information? Check out this interview between Rick Hess and KIPP CEO Richard Barth for the answer. (Hint: As part of their efforts, KIPP has teamed up with the UNCF and the Corporation for Enterprise Development to launch the Partnership for College Completion.)
- For those gunning to teach in D.C., be on notice that resumes, interview suits, and reference forms are no longer enough. The District now requires an “audition component”—a videotaped lesson plan executed by the applicant—to be eligible to apply.
- Duncan Hunter’s and John Kline’s recently penned education bill, which would grease (and in some cases unlock) doors for quality charter programs looking to expand, has passed through committee with bipartisan backing.
- With his gruff, “I do what I want” demeanor, Chris Christie definitely failed “Constituent Relations 101.” But that’s what makes him so engaging if not always endearing. Watch this video, “Where I send my kid to school is none of your business,” as a great case-in-point.
