Rachel Chaney
Commentary
Federal Money Should Empower Parents, Not Failing Public Schools
Last week, in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama laid out plans for improving Americas dropout rate. Some of the ideas are worthy of praise, but a pattern is becoming increasingly predictable. The president promised federal money in exchange for reform. Specifically, Obama promised $900 million ...
Charter Schools
Performance Not Population: Why Charter Schools are an Educational and Civil Rights Solution
Last week researchers at UCLAs Civil Rights Project released Choice Without Equity: Charter School Segregation and the Need for Civil Rights Standards. The authors contend that charter schools are more racially segregated than traditional public schools and that charter schools therefore represent a civil rights problem and should be shut ...
Commentary
On the merits of teacher merit pay
Last week Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed two education bills that will make California more competitive for federal Race to the Top grants. The bills endured months of wrangling in the Legislature, and reformers remain concerned that the measures will not translate into the sweeping changes needed to improve Californias broken ...
Commentary
On the Merits of Merit Pay
Last week California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed two education bills that will make California more competitive for federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grants. The bills endured months of wrangling in the legislature and reformers remain concerned that the measures will not translate into the sweeping changes needed to improve ...
Commentary
The Union that Stole Christmas
The holiday season is upon us, but Californias schoolchildren wont be receiving many gifts this yearat least not from their lawmakers or teachers unions. California is poised to become the nations largest school system that will not qualify to compete for $4.3 billion of federal Race to the Top funds. ...
Commentary
Give “American Education Week” Some Real Meaning
This week the National Education Association is sponsoring American Education Week. According to the NEA’s website, the purpose of the week is to emphasize, “the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or ...
Commentary
Education Reform is Everyone’s Problem
The National Education Association wants to reform hiring practices to help move highly qualified teachers into the classrooms of troubled schools. This is a laudable effort, but the problems in America’s public schools extend far beyond poor areas. Indeed, many middle-class schools are failing to educate their students. The NEA ...
Education
Choice Could Help Children “Write Their Own Destiny”
On September 8, the nation tuned in as President Barack Obama delivered an address on education to a group of students in Arlington, Virginia. The speech proved instructive, in a number of ways. Critics and pundits worried that President Obama would use his speech to promote a political agenda and ...
Education
Will “Race to the Top” Money Talk Loud Enough to Drown Out Union Complaints?
On July 24, President Obama laid out a plan for incentive-based education reform in a speech at the United States Department of Education. The incentives come in the form of $4 billion in federal “Race to the Top” money up for grabs by schools as part of his Economic Recovery ...
Commentary
One Last Hope for D.C. Voucher Program
In early May, President Obama presented a revised 2010 budget that included $12.2 million for the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The proposal represented a “compromise” solution to DC’s embattled voucher program, but is hardly a gain for low-income students and their parents. The DC voucher plan currently awards up to ...
Federal Money Should Empower Parents, Not Failing Public Schools
Last week, in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama laid out plans for improving Americas dropout rate. Some of the ideas are worthy of praise, but a pattern is becoming increasingly predictable. The president promised federal money in exchange for reform. Specifically, Obama promised $900 million ...
Performance Not Population: Why Charter Schools are an Educational and Civil Rights Solution
Last week researchers at UCLAs Civil Rights Project released Choice Without Equity: Charter School Segregation and the Need for Civil Rights Standards. The authors contend that charter schools are more racially segregated than traditional public schools and that charter schools therefore represent a civil rights problem and should be shut ...
On the merits of teacher merit pay
Last week Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed two education bills that will make California more competitive for federal Race to the Top grants. The bills endured months of wrangling in the Legislature, and reformers remain concerned that the measures will not translate into the sweeping changes needed to improve Californias broken ...
On the Merits of Merit Pay
Last week California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed two education bills that will make California more competitive for federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grants. The bills endured months of wrangling in the legislature and reformers remain concerned that the measures will not translate into the sweeping changes needed to improve ...
The Union that Stole Christmas
The holiday season is upon us, but Californias schoolchildren wont be receiving many gifts this yearat least not from their lawmakers or teachers unions. California is poised to become the nations largest school system that will not qualify to compete for $4.3 billion of federal Race to the Top funds. ...
Give “American Education Week” Some Real Meaning
This week the National Education Association is sponsoring American Education Week. According to the NEA’s website, the purpose of the week is to emphasize, “the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or ...
Education Reform is Everyone’s Problem
The National Education Association wants to reform hiring practices to help move highly qualified teachers into the classrooms of troubled schools. This is a laudable effort, but the problems in America’s public schools extend far beyond poor areas. Indeed, many middle-class schools are failing to educate their students. The NEA ...
Choice Could Help Children “Write Their Own Destiny”
On September 8, the nation tuned in as President Barack Obama delivered an address on education to a group of students in Arlington, Virginia. The speech proved instructive, in a number of ways. Critics and pundits worried that President Obama would use his speech to promote a political agenda and ...
Will “Race to the Top” Money Talk Loud Enough to Drown Out Union Complaints?
On July 24, President Obama laid out a plan for incentive-based education reform in a speech at the United States Department of Education. The incentives come in the form of $4 billion in federal “Race to the Top” money up for grabs by schools as part of his Economic Recovery ...
One Last Hope for D.C. Voucher Program
In early May, President Obama presented a revised 2010 budget that included $12.2 million for the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The proposal represented a “compromise” solution to DC’s embattled voucher program, but is hardly a gain for low-income students and their parents. The DC voucher plan currently awards up to ...
