College, on sale. Liberal arts schools are offering deals, like “Apply today, get $2,500 cash back” or “Buy semesters, get one free,” in an attempt to lure more students. (Wall Street Journal)

In case you missed it. The Education Writers Association doled outs its annual awards for top education reporting today. (The Quick & The Ed got a nod for best blog.) (EdMedia Commons) 

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Dig deeper.  Four things to keep in mind while reading today’s release of the Met Life Survey of the American Teacher. (Eduwonk)

“The cost of college is a bargain,” according to this chart. (The Atlantic)

 “It’s like David vs. Goliath, but David’s got midterms.” A George Mason University student (and Navy vet) sued the school for in-state tuition status—and won. (Washington Post)<Continue Reading »

Questioning the validity of value-added. A new study, to be presented next month, argues that “a teacher could, in effect, boost his or her value-added score simply by teaching all higher-level courses.” (Education Week)

The value of strong school leaders. A highly effective principal can raise student achievement by 2-7 months of learning in one school year, according to this study. (EdContinue Reading »

The first district in New Jersey. This report on Newark’s “groundbreaking” decision to move ahead with merit pay includes a colorful anecdote from the union leader. Also, Education Week reports that Mark Zuckerberg’s $80 million donation will, in part, fund the performance pay increases. (The Star Ledger)

Improving loan literacy. More universities are trying to educate students on the coContinue Reading »

Differential pricing on the way? It has become the norm for airlines (say, how much did the guy in the next seat pay for his airfare?) and now some universities are starting to charge different prices for different majors. It all begins to shed light on a college pricing process that is opaque, to say the least. (Hechinger Report)

Miss school? Miss out. Kids who miss just 10 days of schoContinue Reading »

Depressing statistic of the day. The cost of college has increased 1,120 percent in the past three decades, outpacing the price of inflation, medical expenses, and food. (Bloomberg)

A more useful way to rank colleges. Enough with college rankings based on aesthetics, says this columnist. What about college rankings based on value and job placement? (Huffington Post)

76 days until Continue Reading »

The cost of college for students goes up every time they’re placed in a remedial course or they lose credits because of a transfer, says Teresa Lubbers, Indiana’s Commissioner for Higher Education. “It is abundantly clear that whatever we’re doing in remediation isn’t working,” she said, while testifying at the U.S. House Education and Workforce Development subcommittee hearing. She encouraged Continue Reading »

Losing ground. Twenty-two percent of respondents in a public opinion poll feel that teachers unions have a positive effect on schools and education—that’s 7 percent less than last year; 41 percent are neutral on the issue. (Wall Street Journal)

The last elected schools chief in Oregon. The state schools superintendent, Susan Castillo, has stepped down, leaving the governor and his newly Continue Reading »

“Under the hood.” A new report out today examines 10 of the “most advanced and talked-about” teacher evaluation models. The report does not recommend one model over the other, but instead aims to serve as a resource for states and districts that continue to perfect their own models. (h/t Hechinger Report)

“Oh, you’re back?” A Connecticut administrator is forced to change his ways when heContinue Reading »

‘The dilemma of academic diversity.’ On today’s anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Mike Petrilli asks how we can better integrate our schools. (Flypaper)

Vital information. The proposed “college scorecard” that aims to give prospective students an idea of college costs lacks one very important piece of information: the average debt per student at graduation. (Inside Higher Ed)Continue Reading »