You can’t have one without the other. This is true of love and marriage, a horse and carriage, and steering and rowing mechanisms in educational innovation plans. Most education reform plans “steer” (withdraw funding from failing schools) or “row” (develop plans to turnaround failing schools). Few do both.

As educational reformers pioneer strategies for successfContinue Reading »

More data, but is it good data? A new analysis finds that 47 states currently use high school feedback reports, which provide information on how graduates fare after high school (such as college enrollment, remediation, degree and certification completion, and employment outcomes). But how many of these include the four Ts of ed data (transparent, timely, tailored, and thorough) outlined by EduContinue Reading »

That other election. Four states (Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota) will select new education chiefs next month. (Education Week)

If you want another opinion. Here’s a collection of edu-experts’ thoughts on the presidential candidates’ education plans. (Los Angeles Times)

Looking ahead to ‘13. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad will push for higher teacher salaries and a yearlContinue Reading »

Reaping the benefits of its graduates. A small California county starts training teachers-to-be during their senior year of high school, and so far, three have returned to teach at their alma mater. (Education Week)

Opportunities for students of low-education parents. This information, when compared to other countries, makes the United States look “plain lousy on the everyone-has-an-equaContinue Reading »

Open process. In Illinois, the story of a superintendent search and selection that took place behind closed doors, and why some say that is the wrong approach—including Education Sector’s Kris Amundson, who has urged leaders in Fairfax, Va., to open their own search process. (The Daily Herald)

Shared vision. Richard Whitmire says President Obama and Republican presidential candidate MittContinue Reading »

UPDATED JULY 6

Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced five more waiver winning states – Arkansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia - bringing the total number of states operating their own school accountability systems in lieu of NCLB to twenty four.

With nearly half of states on the waiver train, it’s a good time to pause and take stock ofContinue Reading »

What’s Obama’s grade? A look at President Obama’s record on education policy since he took office. (Politico)

“More muscle and tissue than the past.” College Board’s new president, David Coleman, speaks candidly to Rick Hess about his new position and the future of College Board and Common Core. (Straight Up/Education Week)

A “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for schoContinue Reading »

As Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney’s record on education mirrored that of President Bush, including rigorous standards, assessments, and charter schooling. He even supported No Child Left Behind. But as Andy Rotherham noted in TIME nearly a month ago, “As the presumptive nominee of a party that is increasingly allergic to a robust federal role in most areas of domestic policy, Romney talContinue Reading »

While the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind is rather unlikely at this point, reforms around academic standards and testing are still alive—and arguably more so than a decade ago. My colleagues, Susan Headden and Bill Tucker, contribute to a special report from Washington Monthly, out today, that explores new Common Core State Standards, the assessments associated with them, and how testiContinue Reading »

“Meaningful education reform.” Connecticut lawmakers approved an education overhaul in the wee hours Tuesday morning that will devote $100 million more toward K-12 education and “intensive supports and interventions” for the state’s 25 low-performing schools. (The Hartford Courant)

Spreading the Buckeye spirit. Ohio State University President Gordon Gee’s travel budget exceeds that of thContinue Reading »