EdPolicy
Carrots, Sticks & the Bully Pulpit
Carrots, Sticks & The Bully Pulpit reviews the federal role is largely discouraging for those of us interested in advancing educational equity and achievement. The was some consensus among the bipartisan authors that “federal policy makers have trouble holding a steady course amid all the interests and politics,” and that the “federal government lacks the authority and tools to effectively play an active role in school improvement.” On a more positive note, there was also some consensus that the feds had an important and doable role in promoting transparency and that the president and secretary had a valuable bully pulpit role.
Nation Earns a C in Education Week’s Annual Quality Counts
Education Week released today its annual Quality Counts 2012: The Global Challenge - Education in a Competitive World, which takes a critical look at states' performance in policy, standards, assessments, school accountability, and more in the United States education system among a competitive world. Quality Counts awarded the entire nation a C while Maryland leads with a B-plus, the highest score among all 50 states. This year, nearly half the states scored a C or lower.
Fund the Child, Not the District
Mike Pettrelli and the Fordham Institute should be commended for starting the conversation on “school governance.” Mike’s two important posts on the topic can be found here and here. This triggered comments from the grande dames of the status quo, Randi Wiengarten and Diane Ravitch,. The discussion brings an important question into focus. Why do we even need “school districts?”
Our 10 Favorite Websites & Blogs
This week, we’d like to showcase some of our favorite websites and blogs for information around innovations and learning. Taking Note Taking Note, written by former PBS and NPR reporter John Merrow, is an extension of Learning Matters, which is an independent media production company…
10 Things States Should Do Now
The 2012 election season is in full swing. I listened to a great gubernatorial campaign speech this week suggesting that jobs and education were the priorities—and I couldn’t agree more. I spent a day with Policy Innovators in Education (PIE-Net), a great network of state policy groups. The…
Neural Gawkiness
Adults' enduring perplexity about teenagers are captured in quotes by Aristotle and Shakespeare in The New Science of the Teenage Brain, the cover story of the October National Geographic. The article by David Dobbs explains how young people's lives are shaped by the mind-blowing reorganization occurring in the brains of adolescents between the ages of 12-25. The article is fascinating and worth reading the entire piece. It's also a fabulous tool for us to use to get policymakers attention to why so many policies and programs like Scared Straight, lock them up, and zero tolerance don't work. So after reading the article, spend a few minutes sending an email or two or a letter to the editor in your local paper.
All4Ed Advances Digital Learning With New Center
The Alliance for Excellent Education has announced the launch of the Center for Secondary School Digital Learning & Policy. The center will expand the Alliance's focus on digital learning and focus on improving outcomes for low-income students and low-performing schools. Both the Alliance and Gov. Wise have played an active role in the Digital Learning Now! campaign over the past year by helping to form the Digital Learning Council, acting as Co-Chair and actively working with states to shape and change policies in order to implement the 10 Elements of Digital Learning.
iNACOL President & CEO Discusses Vision for Proficiency-Based Learning
David Nagel with THE Journal recently interviewed iNACOL, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, President and CEO Susan Patrick about her vision to shift from a system based on seat time to proficiency- and competency-based learning models in her recent report, "Cracking the Code: Synchronizing Policy and Practice for Performance-based Learning."
BCG Reports Technology as a Catalyst for Change in Primary and Secondary Education
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released “Unleashing the Potential of Technology in Education,” a report articulating how technology can serve as a catalyst for change in primary and secondary education, today.
BCG Reports Technology as a Catalyst for Change in Primary and Secondary Education
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released "Unleashing the Potential of Technology in Education," a report articulating how technology can serve as a catalyst for change in primary and secondary education, today.