Vicki E. Murray

Commentary

School Choice Would Satisfy Hunger for Change

Since 2000 education funding has increase 49 percent, and student performance has yet to see improvements. However, Secretary Duncan stated, “America urgently needs to elevate the quality of K-12 schooling and boost college graduation rates, not simply to propel the economic recovery but also because students need stronger skills to ...
Commentary

School funding database shows us who does it right

California’s fiscal outlook continues to worsen. Concern has been steadily mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association (CTA), along with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. In reality, most experts agree California is ...
Commentary

School-funding formula illogical and inequitable

Concern has been mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association, along with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. Most experts agree California is around the middle of the pack, including the CTA’s own ...
Commentary

D.C. City Council Members Stand Up for Students, Tell Duncan to Hand Back Vouchers

Bi-partisan (see here at 96.45 minutes, here, and here), bi-cameral efforts are underway in Congress to save the program. Now a majority of the D.C. City Council has joined the fray by urging Secretary Duncan to give students their scholarships back-students like Latasha Bennett’s four-year-old daughter Nia, who was set ...
Commentary

What really works for schools

Philadelphia Daily News (PA), July 6, 2009 WHEN IT comes to time in school, more is not necessarily better, but more of the same is no solution, either (editorial, “24 Minutes to Better Education,” June 26). The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that increasing school options, not seat time, improves student performance. ...
Commentary

Are You Smarter than a Fourteen-Year-Old?

Among the 32 countries participating in the latest Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. led in teaching hours per public school year – 1,080 – compared with an international average of 803. American schools also spend significantly more than their international counterparts (p. 265). What international achievement leaders ...
Commentary

Bringing clarity to school financing in Santa Clara County

Evergreen Times (San Jose, CA), June 27-July 10, 2009 p.5 California’s fiscal outlook continues to worsen. Concern is now mounting over the impact the state’s budget deficit will have on education funding. The California teachers Association (TTA), along with tate Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding ...
Commentary

Arne Gets One Right

You know the situation’s grim when the Los Angeles Times editorializes, “We are so far from that in California. Here, it is considered revolutionary for a school board to beg for relief from a tortuous, money-wasting teacher termination process that is nearly doomed to failure anyway.” Even if California’s 1,000 ...
Commentary

Diplomas Count…If You Can Get Them

Women’s Independent Forum, June 16, 2009 This post was co-authored by Evelyn B. Stacey, Education Studies Policy Fellow at the Pacific Research Institute in Sacramento, California. Education Week just released its annual “Diplomas Count ” report. It found that nearly 31 percent of students ended up without a high school ...
Commentary

Want Better Teachers? Improve Working Conditions

New research finds that compared to their public school counterparts, private school teachers are much more satisfied with their jobs. Why? Private schools hire based on talent and empower their teachers with decision-making about classroom discipline, curricula, and standards. In contrast, public schools often squander teacher talent, with only 68 ...
Commentary

School Choice Would Satisfy Hunger for Change

Since 2000 education funding has increase 49 percent, and student performance has yet to see improvements. However, Secretary Duncan stated, “America urgently needs to elevate the quality of K-12 schooling and boost college graduation rates, not simply to propel the economic recovery but also because students need stronger skills to ...
Commentary

School funding database shows us who does it right

California’s fiscal outlook continues to worsen. Concern has been steadily mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association (CTA), along with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. In reality, most experts agree California is ...
Commentary

School-funding formula illogical and inequitable

Concern has been mounting over how the state’s budget deficit will impact education funding. The California Teachers Association, along with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding now ranks 47th nationally. Most experts agree California is around the middle of the pack, including the CTA’s own ...
Commentary

D.C. City Council Members Stand Up for Students, Tell Duncan to Hand Back Vouchers

Bi-partisan (see here at 96.45 minutes, here, and here), bi-cameral efforts are underway in Congress to save the program. Now a majority of the D.C. City Council has joined the fray by urging Secretary Duncan to give students their scholarships back-students like Latasha Bennett’s four-year-old daughter Nia, who was set ...
Commentary

What really works for schools

Philadelphia Daily News (PA), July 6, 2009 WHEN IT comes to time in school, more is not necessarily better, but more of the same is no solution, either (editorial, “24 Minutes to Better Education,” June 26). The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that increasing school options, not seat time, improves student performance. ...
Commentary

Are You Smarter than a Fourteen-Year-Old?

Among the 32 countries participating in the latest Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. led in teaching hours per public school year – 1,080 – compared with an international average of 803. American schools also spend significantly more than their international counterparts (p. 265). What international achievement leaders ...
Commentary

Bringing clarity to school financing in Santa Clara County

Evergreen Times (San Jose, CA), June 27-July 10, 2009 p.5 California’s fiscal outlook continues to worsen. Concern is now mounting over the impact the state’s budget deficit will have on education funding. The California teachers Association (TTA), along with tate Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, claims California’s per-pupil funding ...
Commentary

Arne Gets One Right

You know the situation’s grim when the Los Angeles Times editorializes, “We are so far from that in California. Here, it is considered revolutionary for a school board to beg for relief from a tortuous, money-wasting teacher termination process that is nearly doomed to failure anyway.” Even if California’s 1,000 ...
Commentary

Diplomas Count…If You Can Get Them

Women’s Independent Forum, June 16, 2009 This post was co-authored by Evelyn B. Stacey, Education Studies Policy Fellow at the Pacific Research Institute in Sacramento, California. Education Week just released its annual “Diplomas Count ” report. It found that nearly 31 percent of students ended up without a high school ...
Commentary

Want Better Teachers? Improve Working Conditions

New research finds that compared to their public school counterparts, private school teachers are much more satisfied with their jobs. Why? Private schools hire based on talent and empower their teachers with decision-making about classroom discipline, curricula, and standards. In contrast, public schools often squander teacher talent, with only 68 ...
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