Education Next

Q&A: Seth Andrew

Democracy Prep founder on building active citizens

EVENT: Have We Closed Socioeconomic Achievement Gaps?

A new analysis using 50 years of student achievement data

The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2018

The most popular articles based on readership

Q&A: Eleanor Goetzinger

A veteran teacher reflects on the Oklahoma strike

Q&A: Rebecca Friedrichs

Reflections on the Janus v. AFSCME ruling, from the plaintiff in a similar case

College Accreditation, Explained

An EdNext guide to how it works, who’s responsible for it, and more

EVENT: Are State Proficiency Standards Falling?

A new analysis using the latest NAEP data

Three Hoover Fellows on NAEP, A Nation at Risk, and the Future of Education Reform

On April 10, the U.S. Department of Education will release the latest results of the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), which will tell us how fourth- and eighth-grade students are faring nationally, in every state, and in most big cities in math and reading. That week also marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of A Nation at Risk.

The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2017

Every December, Education Next releases a list of the most popular articles we published over the course of the year based on readership.

Q&A: Hanna Skandera

New Mexico’s former state chief talks ed reform

Event: The 2017 EdNext Poll on School Reform

What does the public think about school choice, Common Core, and other key issues?

A $20 Billion Federal School Choice Tax Credit Program: Yes, no, maybe, how so

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Education Next, and the Hoover Institution have teamed up to bring forth two pointed discussions, each centered around a critical question.

The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2016

Here are the most popular articles we published over the course of the last year.

The Top 10 Education Next Blog Entries of 2016

This year’s runaway hit was How We Make Teaching Too Hard for Mere Mortals by Robert Pondiscio.

How Do Parental Perceptions of Schools Vary Across Sectors?

Evidence from two national surveys comparing charter, district, and private schools

Education Reform’s Race Debate

An Education Next Forum

American Public Opinion on K-12 Education Policy: Lessons from a decade of polling

Sponsors Sept. 16, 2016, 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM Hoover Institution in Washington, D.C., The Johnson Center 1399 New York Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005 This year Education Next celebrates the tenth anniversary of its annual survey of public opinion on K-12 education policy. This year’s results from the 2016 survey are discussed […]

Graphic: Results from the 2016 Education Next Poll

An interactive graphic displaying results from this year’s survey.

Graphic: Trends in the EdNext Poll Over Time

An interactive look at the EdNext poll through the past decade

The EdNext Podcast

The EdNext Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Soundcloud, Stitcher and here every Wednesday.

Equality of Educational Opportunity Today: Reconsidering the Coleman Report on its 50th Anniversary

An Education Next Event

Revisiting the Coleman Report

“Equality of Educational Opportunity” on its 50th Anniversary

The Top 10 Education Next Blog Entries of 2015

Each year we publish a list of the most popular entries on the Education Next blog. There’s usually a surprise or two and the 2015 list is no exception.

The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2015

Which topics were most popular with Education Next readers in 2015?

Single-Parent Families: Revisiting the Moynihan Report 50 Years Later

An event will take place on March 5 in Washington, D.C.

Revisiting the Moynihan Report on its 50th Anniversary

Education Next is running a series of articles on the state of the American family.

The Top Education Next Articles of 2014

Just the facts, please!

Jeb Bush Speaks Out

Talking education policy with Florida’s former governor

Top 20 Blog Entries of 2011!

A rundown of the top posts on the Education Next blog in 2011

Top Education Next Articles of 2011!

A rundown of the most read Education Next articles of the past year

Behind the Headline: States Fail to Raise Bar in Reading, Math Tests

On Top of the News States Fail to Raise Bar in Reading, Math Tests Wall Street Journal | 8/11/11 Behind the Headline Few States Set World-Class Standards Education Next | Summer 2008 A new NCES report finds that, while some states have raised their standards for proficiency in math and reading, most states still fall […]

Behind the Headline: Charter School Forges Ahead with Expansion

On Top of the News Charter School Forges Ahead with Expansion Wall Street Journal | 7/14/11 Behind the Headline Future Schools Education Next | Summer 2011 Rocketship Education hopes to open 20 additional hybrid schools in California by 2017, a plan opposed by the local union and school district. The charter organization, which already runs […]

Behind the Headline: Don’t Ditch Testing After Atlanta Cheating, Boost Test Security

On Top of the News Don’t Ditch Testing After Atlanta Cheating, Boost Test Security CNN.com | 07/13/11 Behind the Headline Cheating to the Test Education Next | Spring 2001 Cheating should not lead us to abandon assessments, writes Chester Finn on CNN.com. Instead, listen to testing expert Greg Cizek, who participated in the investigation of […]

Behind the Headline: D.C. School Ratings Up Among System Parents, But Doubts Remain

On Top of the News D. C. School Ratings Up Among System Parents, but Doubts Remain Washington Post | 06/22/11 Behind the Headline Mismatch Education Next | Fall 2011 According to a new survey by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee is viewed more favorably now than […]

EdNext Book Club

In-depth interviews by Mike Petrilli with authors of new and classic books about education.

Taking Stock of a Decade of Reform

School reformers have made forward strides in the last ten years, and public debate has acquired a bipartisan cast. But just how successful have reform efforts been?

Poll: Predictions for 2011

What will 2011 bring to the world of education reform? Vote now for the two developments you think are most and least likely

Poll: Best and Worst Developments for K-12 Education

New Ed Next Readers Poll: Vote now on the best and worst events in 2010 for education.

Ed Next Poll: Top Books of the Decade

Please vote for the top three books of the decade.

Audio Book Excerpts

Authors reading short excerpts from their recent books

The Education Exchange: Social Trust Lower in Neighborhoods Without Amenities

Americans may like to buy things online, but people who live in neighborhoods with stores, libraries, restaurants, schools, and parks nearby have higher levels of community satisfaction and lower levels of social isolation. That’s the finding of a new survey on community and society conducted by the American Enterprise Institute. Daniel Cox of AEI joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the survey.

What We’re Watching: What Teachers Think — Results from a New International Survey

On Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 10 am, FutureEd will host the U.S. release of a survey of teachers and school leaders and a discussion of the future of the U.S. teaching profession.

What We’re Watching: Why 36 Million American Adults Can’t Read Enough to Work — and How to Help Them

PBS NewsHour looks at adult basic education programs aimed at boosting the employment prospects of millions of adults who lack the reading or math skills to succeed in the workplace or who do not speak English. In the Spring 2019 issue of Education Next, Beth Hawkins looks at the challenge of providing high-quality adult basic education and at one city offering a model program.

What We’re Watching: Education 20/20 – William J. Bennett

William J. Bennett spoke at the final event in the Fordham-Hoover Education 20/20 speaker series on June 13, 2019. Bennett argued that conservatives must rally behind a unified vision of comprehensive content and curriculum reform, and that states must take the lead in making such a vision real.

The Education Exchange: Students in Large Urban Districts Making Gains

Students attending school in big cities made significant gains on NAEP in the years between 2003 and 2013 but those trend lines have flattened in recent years. Paul Peterson talks with Kristin Blagg, a research associate in the Center on Education Data and Policy at the Urban Institute, about what the data show, and about which districts made the greatest gains.

In the News: How New York’s Elite Public Schools Lost Their Black and Hispanic Students

Black and Hispanic students currently represent 70 percent of New York City’s school system, but make up just 10 percent of the enrollment in the specialized high schools.

The Summer 2019 Issue of Education Next is here!

The cover stories address the increasingly popular topic of delaying school start times.

EdNext Podcast: The Truth About Summer Learning Loss

The claim that all students, and especially disadvantaged students, lose substantial academic ground over summer vacation has long been both an article of faith and a source of anxiety. But a new look at the data finds no evidence that the average child loses months of learning each summer or that summer learning loss contributes much to the achievement gap. Paul T. von Hippel talks with Marty West about his new analysis of summer learning loss.

The Education Exchange: What Explains Gains in Miami-Dade County Schools?

In the most recent ratings put out by the state of Florida, Miami-Dade County Public Schools earned an “A” designation and had no “F” rated schools, unusual achievements for a large urban district. Ron Matus of Step Up For Students sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss some factors behind the school district’s success.

In the News: Can You Skip 47 Days of English Class and Still Graduate From High School?

School system officials say that unexcused absences do not directly factor into course grades because of the system’s “standards-based” approach.

In the News: Drowning in Debt From Employee Benefits and Unwilling to Reform, Los Angeles Unified School District Looks for Lifeline in Measure EE

In Los Angeles, voters will weigh in on Measure EE, a ballot measure to raise funds for public schools, on June 4.

EdNext Podcast: Giving Ed Tech a Chance to Shine

Many tech-based interventions have had disappointing results, but maybe these efforts haven’t capitalized on what computers do best. A new study looks at the impact of a blended learning program on students in India who were not making progress in their local public schools because they were starting out so far behind the other students.

The Education Exchange: School Choice is Plentiful in Milwaukee but Students Still Struggle

Families in Milwaukee gained access to the nation’s first private school vouchers nearly three decades ago. Today the educational landscape in Milwaukee also includes charter schools and many other forms of public school choice. But standardized test scores are still low and the achievement gap between black and white students remains large. Alan Borsuk of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Marquette University talks with Paul E. Peterson about some of the challenges Milwaukee has faced despite the long history of school choice in the city.

In the News: Sanders Chooses Teachers Unions Over Black Voters

By taking on charter schools Bernie Sanders may be alienating black voters.

In the News: Many More Students, Especially the Affluent, Get Extra Time to Take the SAT

The rise reflects parents trying to give their children an edge.

In the News: Morehouse Commencement Speaker to Pay Off Class of 2019’s Student Loans

In the days since the announcement, lots of questions have been raised about how the gift will work and who most deserves assistance.

EdNext Podcast: Strong Evidence that School Start Times Matter

A new study finds that later school start times increase achievement on standardized tests. Marty West talks with Jennifer Heissel about the study, which she co-authored with Samuel Norris.

The Education Exchange: Working Together for Charter Schools in Indianapolis

Robin J. Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss what Indianapolis has done to make charter schools work.

In the News: New Democratic Divide on Charter Schools Emerges, as Support Plummets Among White Democrats

The divide may factor into the fight for the Democratic presidential nomination and into debates about education reform.

The Education Exchange: The U.S. Department of Education Touts Tax Credits, Title IX Reform

Jim Blew, assistant secretary for planning, evaluation and policy development at the U.S. Department of Education, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss some of the work of the department, including a new federal tax credit initiative and proposed changes to Title IX.

What We’re Watching: Is Career and Technical Education Having an Identity Crisis?

On May 14, 2019, Fordham hosted a discussion on the purpose of career and technical education. Career and technical education is enjoying its moment in the sun, but does it actually deserve the acclaim?

In the News: DeSantis Signs Bill Creating Florida’s Fifth School Voucher Program

An earlier voucher program in Florida kicked off a massive legal battle.

In the News: Ron DeSantis Touts Florida Vouchers Ahead of Planned Bill Signing

A titanic legal battle raged for nearly seven years over an earlier school voucher program in Florida

EdNext Podcast: Wraparound Services and Student Achievement

Many school districts try to address external obstacles to student learning by offering “wraparound services” in schools. These schools try to connect their students with outside groups that can help them deal with challenges from food insecurity to mental health issues.

In a new article, Michael McShane notes that “While integrated supports may help meet students’ physical and emotional needs, their ability to improve student learning remains unproven.”

McShane sits down with Marty West to discuss his article, “Supporting Students Outside the Classroom.”

In the News: TalkingPoints Awarded Google Grant to Improve Parent-Teacher Communication

TalkingPoints will use the funds expand its use of AI-enabled translation to help parents who do not speak English communicate with teachers.

What We’re Watching: Sixty-Five Years after Brown v. Board, Where Does School Integration Stand?

On Thursday, May 2, the Urban Institute hosted a discussion on segregation in U.S. schools since Brown v. Board of Education. Rucker Johnson made a presentation based on his new book, Children of the Dream: Why School Integration Works.

The Education Exchange: A Different Desegregation Story in Boston

For over 50 years, a limited number of students of color living in Boston have been able to enroll in schools in the suburbs as part of the METCO program, run by the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity. Charles Glenn sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss who benefits from the program and whether it distracts from larger issues related to urban schools.

In the News: Parents Voice Concern Over Sale of Basis Independent Schools

A private school chain connected to the high-flying charter network is sold to Chinese investors.

EdNext Podcast: Should You Hold Your Child Back from Kindergarten?

Each year, millions of parents nationwide must make a seemingly life-altering decision for their soon-to-be kindergartener: to redshirt or not to redshirt. But is redshirting preschoolers really advantageous, or could it do more harm than good?

The Education Exchange: Private School Participation in School Choice Programs Affected by Regulation

A new study finds that students who receive vouchers to attend private schools in Louisiana are outperformed by students in a control group. Some argue that regulations in Louisiana that discourage many private school leaders from participating in school choice programs are to blame for the poor results. Paul Peterson talks with Patrick Wolf about two recent studies shedding light on these issues.

What We’re Watching: Fostering Student Effort and Virtue

On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, Fordham and Hoover hosted Rod Paige, who argued that school reforms need to focus on boosting student effort, and Pete Wehner, who made a case for reviving old-fashioned character education.

EdNext Podcast: Democracy Prep Schools Boost Civic Participation

Can K-12 schools today make a difference when it comes to their students’ civic attitudes and behavior? A new study finds that attending a public charter school operated by Democracy Prep Public Schools nearly doubles students’ rates of civic participation as young adults. Marty West speaks with Seth Andrew, founder of Democracy Prep Public Schools.

The Education Exchange: Congress: The Weakest Branch?

Jeff Bergner, author of The Vanishing Congress, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how Congress has stopped doing its job and how that could change.

In the News: Proposed Law Would Require Illinois Children to Start School by Age 5, Threatening Kindergarten Redshirting

Illinois legislators are considering a bill that would prevent parents from holding their children back from starting kindergarten, a practice known as academic redshirting. A review of the research on redshirting at the kindergarten level finds that the practice, on average, has few benefits and considerable costs.

EdNext Podcast: What Studies Really Show about Social and Emotional Learning

Is social and emotional learning the missing piece in education reform, or is it just another fad that will distract education reformers from ensuring that students are prepared academically for what lies ahead? Grover “Russ” Whitehurst, argues that those looking for a body of evidence to support the recommendations of social and emotional learning advocates will be sorely disappointed.

The Education Exchange: Finding the Right Role for Social and Emotional Learning

What is social and emotional learning, how does it relate to academic learning, and how much should schools focus on it? Chester E. Finn, Jr. joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his new article, “What Social and Emotional Learning Needs to Succeed and Survive,” a new article co-written with Rick Hess.

What We’re Watching: The Triumphs and Struggles of Rural Education in America

The Aspen Institute hosted a book talk and panel discussion on a new book, No Longer Forgotten: The Triumphs and Struggles of Rural Education in America, co-edited by Andy Smarick and Michael McShane. EdNext has just published an article by Smarick and McShane based on the book.

EdNext Podcast: Supporting Social and Emotional Development to Boost Academic Success

Some believe that growing interest in social and emotional learning is just a distraction from the academic mission of schools, but Robert Balfanz argues that only by educating the whole child can schools prepare students for adult success. Marty West talks with Balfanz about why he thinks social and emotional learning is a natural outgrowth of the standards and accountability movement and about the research behind his views.

What We’re Watching: Have We Closed Socioeconomic Achievement Gaps?

Has the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students widened, narrowed, or persisted? Evidence from a new study using 50 years of student achievement was analyzed at an event on April 9, 2019.

What We’re Watching: Closing the Dignity Gap and Reviving Civics

On Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 4 pm, Hoover and Fordham will host two speakers on education policy and building a better society.

The Education Exchange: Do Students Learn More with Better Math Textbooks?

Some studies have found that schools can get substantial gains in achievement by changing textbooks. But a new analysis by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard finds little evidence of differences in achievement gains for schools using different math textbooks. Paul E. Peterson talks with Thomas Kane, of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, about the new study, “Learning by the Book: Comparing math achievement growth by textbook in six common core states.”

In the News: Can We Fix the Schools? (Maybe Not.)

What to make of a study finding that the achievement gap between students with low and high socioeconomic status has barely budged over the past 50 years?

EdNext Podcast: 2020 Presidential Candidates Press For Higher Teacher Pay

Last week, Kamala Harris made headlines with an ambitious—and expensive—plan to raise teacher pay, and she’s not the only Democratic presidential candidate talking about education. Marty West discusses what the candidates have been saying with Ira Stoll, EdNext’s managing editor, who has been reporting from the campaign trail in New Hampshire and who wrote “Teacher Pay Emerges as Democratic Primary Issue.”

The Education Exchange: Fixing the Culture of Contempt

In a new book, “Love Your Enemies,” Arthur Brooks describes the rise of a culture of contempt—a habit of seeing people who disagree with us not as merely incorrect or misguided, but as worthless–and considers what we can do to bridge divides and mend relationships. He talks with Paul E. Peterson about how contempt corrodes our own happiness, about remembering the difference between people we disagree with and the ideas they embrace, and about the role universities can play in repairing our culture.

In the News: California’s K-12 Enrollment Drops Again, Charter Schools See Increase

The number of students enrolled in California public schools this year dropped compared to last year. Declines like this make budgeting a difficult art.

In the News: School Choice and Lotteries in D.C., New Orleans, and Beyond

As public school choice grows, more cities are relying on centralized application processes to match as many students as possible to their top-ranked schools.

EdNext Podcast: Reading in the Age of Screens

The rise of digital media has made it harder than ever to engage in deep, contemplative reading. As Maryanne Wolf writes in her new book, Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World, skimming is the new normal. Marty West speaks with Doug Lemov, who reviewed Wolf’s book for Education Next.

The Education Exchange: How Declining Birth Rates Could Affect Schools

A decline in birth rates in the U.S. could mean that the school-aged population will spiral downward in the next decade and beyond. Would this be a disaster for schools? Or could there be a silver lining? Mike Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his new article, “The Baby Bust Goes to School.”

In the News: Only 7 Black Students Got Into Stuyvesant, N.Y.’s Most Selective High School, Out of 895 Spots

How have other school districts handled the issue of low numbers of students from minority groups gaining admission to selective schools?

EdNext Podcast: The Persistence of Achievement Gaps between Haves and Have-Nots

The conventional wisdom is that, as income inequality has grown in the United States, inequality in education has increased as well. A new study finds that gaps in student achievement along lines of socioeconomic status have not grown over the past half-century. But neither have they narrowed; rather, they’ve been strikingly persistent.

What We’re Watching: Education 20/20 — William Damon & Robert P. George

On March 26, 2019 at 4 pm, Fordham and Hoover will host two speakers on schools, patriotism, and illiberalism.

In the News: The War on Poverty Remains a Stalemate

Despite efforts to narrow the gap in academic achievement between those born into families with the highest and lowest levels of education and household resources, the gap remains wide.

The Education Exchange: How Much Should We Spend to Tackle Climate Change?

What tradeoffs are involved when we choose to spend huge sums of money to slow global warming? Are there more cost-effective ways to do more good in the world, through spending on education, for instance? Bjorn Lomborg talks with Paul E. Peterson about his research on the impact on global temperatures of goals set in the Paris climate accord and how the funds being used to meet those goals could be better spent.

In the News: Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

An ed school professor, a new fourth grade teacher, and a college student discuss what quality homework looks like, how it can help children learn, and how schools can equip teachers to design it, evaluate it, and facilitate parents’ role in it.

EdNext Podcast: Using Behavioral Science to Improve School Attendance

Can research help reveal what works and what doesn’t work to reduce student absences? New studies find that attendance awards may actually hurt attendance, but that correcting parents’ false beliefs about their child’s school absences may help. Marty West speaks with Todd Rogers, professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.

The Education Exchange: Looking Beyond Academic Impacts of School Voucher Programs

This week, Paul Peterson speaks with Corey DeAngelis, an education policy analyst at the Cato Institute, and co-author, with Patrick J. Wolf, of the new study, which is described in “Private School Choice Helps Students Avoid Prison and Unplanned Pregnancies.”

In the News: Democrats Have Taken Over Education Reform

Will the progressive capture of education reform undermine the quality and effectiveness of the movement’s work?

In the News: Millennials Are More Likely to Support School Choice — a SXSWedu Panel Reveals Why

According to recent polls, adults who were born between 1981 and 1996 tend to think favorably about charter schools, vouchers, and other types of education options.

In the News: The First Lady Watched School Kids Coloring in Tulsa. The Turks Saw Links to Terrorism.

The First Lady’s visit was to a public charter school alleged to be connected to supporters of Fetullah Gulen.

EdNext Podcast: How Would a Federal School Choice Tax Credit Work?

Last Thursday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, along with Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Bradley Byrne of Alabama, announced a bill to create a nationwide tax credit to provide school choice scholarships. Marty West talks with Jim Blew, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development at the U.S. Department of Education, about how the tax credit will work, why the administration looked to the tax code to promote school choice, and what would have to happen for the bill to be enacted.

The Spring 2019 Issue of Education Next Is Here!

The cover story of our Spring 2019 issue examines the 10-year tenure of former Denver Superintendent Tom Boasberg, who stepped down in October.

In the News: How Extra Arts Education at School Boosts Students’ Writing Scores — And Their Compassion

Because opportunities to participate are limited by the available resources, random assignment of schools to treatment and control groups is possible.

The Education Exchange: Subject Tests for Prospective Elementary Teachers Have High Failure Rates

Kate Walsh, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss a new report by the NCTQ, “A Fair Chance: Simple steps to strengthen and diversify the teacher workforce.”

In the News: Betsy DeVos Backs $5 Billion in Tax Credits for School Choice

The administration’s new tax credit initiative revives a debate over the role of the federal government in promoting school choice.

In the News: Cal State Remedial Education Reforms Help Thousands More Students Pass College-Level Math Classes

After the Cal State system eliminated non-credit, remedial math classes and replaced them with credit-bearing, college-level courses, nearly 7800 students passed the higher-level math classes.

EdNext Podcast: Comparing Teacher Skills in the U.S. and Abroad

The cognitive skills of teachers differ widely among nations. A new study investigates whether these differences affect student achievement and how the U.S. might recruit teachers with stronger cognitive skills. Eric Hanushek joins Marty West to discuss his article, “Do Smarter Teachers Make Smarter Students?,” co-written with Marc Piopiunik and Simon Wiederhold.

In the News: $773 Million Later, de Blasio Ends Signature Initiative to Improve Failing Schools

New York City is canceling the Renewal program, acknowledging that turnaround efforts have failed yet again in many long-struggling public schools.

The Education Exchange: Public Sector Unions Not Devastated by Janus

When the Supreme Court ruled last year in Janus v. Afscme that unions could no longer collect agency fees from employees who choose not to join, many predicted a major decline in union membership. But according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public union membership declined less than 1% in 2018. In this episode, Paul E. Peterson talks with Daniel DiSalvo.

In the News: Landmark Case on Student Free Speech Still Resonates 50 Years Later

Sunday, Feb. 24, was the 50th anniversary of Tinker v. Des Moines Community Independent School District, the Supreme Court ruling affirming that students have free speech rights protected by the first amendment.

In the News: Higher Pay Leads to Smarter Teachers, Global Study Says

Some countries have chosen to hire teachers from higher up in the distribution of college graduates, and these teachers are more effective in the classroom.

In the News: So Long, Zig

Siegfried “Zig” Engelmann, the designer of Direct Instruction, died this weekend.

EdNext Podcast: School Districts Need to Prepare for the Next Economic Downturn

It may seem like money is tight, but we’re actually spending at a relatively high level on schools right now. When state revenues decline, districts will have to make some tough choices. Marty West talks with Marguerite Roza, the Director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University, about what’s coming and how school districts can prepare.

The Education Exchange: Florida Tax Credit Scholarships Boost College Enrollment

The Florida Tax Credit (FTC) scholarship program is the nation’s largest private school choice program. A new study finds that students who enroll in private schools through the FTC program are more likely to go to and graduate from college than their public school peers.

In the News: New Studies Point to a Big Downside for Schools Bringing in More Police

Hiring more police officers can have negative effects on student academic performance according to two studies released this week.

In the News: Edward F. Zigler, an Architect of Head Start, Dies at 88

Zigler hoped the Head Start program would promote school readiness by teaching children a range of skills.

EdNext Podcast: Tom Boasberg’s Legacy in Denver

As superintendent of Denver Public Schools, Tom Boasberg implemented a wide array of unconventional reforms, building a coalition based on pragmatism and a shared belief that change was a long overdue moral imperative. Boasberg talks with Ed Next editor-in-chief Marty West about his decade-long effort to improve Denver’s schools.

In the News: At House Education Hearing, Lawmakers Differ Sharply on Why Teachers Are Underpaid

Sharp rise in the number of non-teacher staff cuts into funds available for higher salaries for teachers.

The Education Exchange: Charter School Effectiveness Growing in Texas

Most studies of charter schooling look at how charter schools compare with traditional schools at one point in time, but the success of the reform depends on whether the charter sector improves over time. So explain Eric Hanushek and his colleagues, the authors of a new study looking at changes over time in the charter school sector in Texas.

In the News: Cory Booker’s School Reform Instincts

Last week, Sen. Cory Booker announced that he will enter the 2020 presidential race. There is already great interest in how Booker’s support for school choice and his education record as mayor of Newark will be viewed by voters.

EdNext Podcast: Identifying the Colleges That Successfully Recruit Low-Income Students

Colleges are trying harder to recruit high-achieving students from low-income families. And some organizations are now ranking colleges on the extent to which they provide opportunities to those students. But new research identifies problems with the way these rankings are calculated, and suggests that colleges should be looking at the numbers differently. Caroline Hoxby joins Marty West to discuss her latest research on this topic.

The Education Exchange: Public Opinion on Education is Less Polarized Than on Other Issues

Polling data reveal that when it comes to most debates in education policy, the divide between Republicans and Democrats is not growing. Only on issues like teacher tenure and merit pay is public opinion becoming more polarized. David Houston, a Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his latest paper, “Polarization and the Politics of Education: What Moves Partisan Opinion?”

What We’re Watching: Sen. Lamar Alexander on Reforming the Higher Education Act

On Monday, February 4, the American Enterprise Institute hosted Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) for a speech on the committee’s agenda for reforming the Higher Education Act.

EdNext Podcast: New Rules Will Change How Schools Handle Sexual Assault Allegations

The Department of Education’s proposed new Title IX regulations have generated over 72,000 comments and a lot of debate, especially the requirement that schools allow students who have filed sexual-assault complaints to be cross-examined. As the public comment period for the new rules is about to close, Shep Melnick joins Marty West to discuss how federal mandates on sexual harassment have evolved and what happens next.

The Education Exchange: Remembering Nathan Glazer

Nathan Glazer, urban sociologist and scholar of ethnicity, race and education, died recently at the age of 95. On this episode, Peter Skerry, Professor of Political Science at Boston College, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss Glazer’s work and the ideas he wrestled with.

In the News: Another Small College Will Close

Many higher-education experts are concerned about the future of small private colleges in America, which face dwindling enrollment and mounting deficits.

In the News: Colleges have been under pressure to admit needier kids. It’s backfiring

A new study finds that when we rank colleges based on how many Pell grant recipients they enroll, we may not accurately identify the schools that are doing the best job of recruiting low-income students.

EdNext Podcast: How School Shopping Websites Affect Parents’ Choices

Parents often rely on school shopping websites to find out more about schools they are considering for their children. A new study looks at how the content and layout of these websites influence how parents judge schools. Ira Nichols-Barrer of Mathematica, one of the authors of the study, joins Marty West to discuss his findings.

What We’re Watching: The New Congress – What’s Next on Crucial Health and Education Issues?

On Wednesday, January 23, 2019, Politico and the Harvard Chan School of Public Health hosted a forum on key health and education policies that are likely to be enacted by the new Congress.

In the News: Nathan Glazer, Urban Sociologist and Outspoken Intellectual, Dies at 95

At Education Next we were extremely lucky to have worked with Nathan Glazer for fifteen years.

The Education Exchange: Surge in Non-Teaching Staff Strains School Budgets

As teachers strike or threaten to strike in several cities, one of the key issues is pay. But while teachers want higher salaries, school districts face a number of financial challenges. One source of strain in school district budgets is what economist Ben Scafidi calls the staffing surge, a major increase in non-teaching staff hired over the past few decades.

In the News: LA Teachers Strike Drags Into Third Day With No End In Sight

As the teachers strike in Los Angeles drags on, there has been no shortage of media coverage. How fair has it been?

EdNext Podcast: Ranking Education Scholars Based on Influence

Every year since 2010, Rick Hess and his team at AEI have ranked the university-based researchers who are doing the most to shape the conversation about education policy and practice. Rick Hess talks with with EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West about this year’s Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings.

In the News: Hampshire Struggles to Stay Afloat

The president of Hampshire College has announced that the school is seeking a partner to help the institution survive. Many small private colleges are now facing a fiscal crisis.

The Education Exchange: How Teach for America Shapes State Education Policy

Many Teach for America corps members remain in the classroom long-term, but a large number move on to careers involving advocacy. A new study looks at how Teacher for America impacts state-level education policy.

In the News: No Penalty for Western Governors

Should auditors have been setting the terms of debate on federal education policy in the first place?

In the News: A Simple Proposal to Revive the American Dream

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and California Governor Gavin Newsom are both speaking out in favor of making community college free. Is free community college the way to revive the American dream?

In the News: Skipping Free College and Federal Loans

Some California community colleges are turning down funds offered by the state that would make the first year of community college free because the program requires the schools to participate in the federal student loan program.

EdNext Podcast: Charter Schools Facing an Unlikely Opponent: Turkish Government

When Magnolia Public Schools, a charter school network based in California, tried to open a new science academy in Anaheim, its proposal was opposed by lobbyists paid by the government of Turkey. Caprice Young, former CEO of Magnolia Public Schools, joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s battles against charter schools across the U.S.

In the News: Context on LAUSD’s Potential Teacher Strike

As teachers in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) prepare to go out on strike this Thursday, Chad Aldelman calls attention to the district’s big increase in spending on employee benefits. He notes that one reason benefit costs are so high in LAUSD is that the district has offered generous health care benefits to retired teachers.

The Education Exchange: Who Benefits from Redshirting?

Many parents choose to wait an extra year before enrolling a child in elementary school, a practice known as redshirting. Does this practice benefit the children who are held back? This week, Paul E. Peterson talks with Phillip Cook of Duke University, the co-author of a new study on the impact of delayed entry on student achievement.

What We’re Watching: A Federal Right to Education?

On Thursday, January 24 at 5:45 pm, AEI will host a debate on the topic of whether the U.S. Supreme Court was wrong when it decided, in San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez (1973), that there is not a federal right to education.

In the News: A New Center Being Born

The idea of balancing school choice with smart regulation is just one of the policies being embraced by a new think tank devoted to moderation.

In the News: Should a College Diploma Be a Goal for All?

The New York Times published an interesting batch of letters in response to an op-ed by Oren Cass arguing that our education system spends too much money on college students and not enough on other students. Several Education Next writers have also considered whether college should be the goal for all students.

In the News: Betsy DeVos Revokes Obama Discipline Guidance Designed to Protect Students of Color

On Friday, December 21, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos formally rescinded guidance created by the Obama administration on school discipline.

Exchange Replay: High School Grade Inflation on the Rise

A study based on data from North Carolina found that grade inflation increased over the last decade and that grade inflation was more severe in schools attended by affluent students than in those attended by lower-income pupils. Seth Gershenson joined Paul E. Peterson last summer to discuss the study.

Exchange Replay: A Survey of Teachers by Teachers

How do teachers feel about the changes taking place in American education? In this replay episode, Evan Stone, the co-founder and CEO of Educators for Excellence, joined Paul E. Peterson to discuss his organization’s survey, “Voices from the Classroom: A Survey of America’s Educators.”

In the News: Visiting Families at Home Leads to Better School Attendance

Phyllis Jordan of FutureEd takes note of a recent evaluation of a program in which teachers visit the homes of their students, noting encouraging reductions in absenteeism and gains in achievement.

In the News: 11 Charts That Changed the Way We Think About Schools in 2018

Among the list of “top charts of 2018” highlighted by Kevin Mahnken in the 74 is this chart showing a significant decline in the percentage of middle class families sending their children to private schools.

EdNext Podcast: Top Reads from Education Next

Marty West and Paul Peterson talk about some of the most popular articles published by Education Next in 2018, articles on inclusion and special education, teacher evaluation, homework, and more.

In the News: White House: Scrap Obama-Era School Discipline Guidance

On Tuesday, the White House released a report on school safety that recommends, among other things, that the Department of Education get rid of guidance issued by the Obama administration relating to school discipline.

The Education Exchange: Parents Satisfied with Florida Tax-Credit Scholarship Program

The Florida Legislature created the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program in 2001. Last year, scholarships from the program were awarded to a total of 108,098 students to attend private schools in the state. Jason Bedrick, director of policy for EdChoice, joins Paul E. Peterson to explain how the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program works and to discuss the results of a new survey of participating families.

In the News: Down With Homework, Say U.S. School Districts

Several school districts are banning or reducing homework in response to parents who complain of overload.

The Top 5 EdNext Podcast Episodes of 2018

The year’s most popular episodes, as measured by the number of listens

The Top 5 Education Exchange Episodes of 2018

The year’s most popular episodes, as measured by the number of listens

EdNext Podcast: Remembering George H.W. Bush

Chester E. Finn, Jr. joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the life and legacy of President George H.W. Bush. who declared on the campaign trail that he wanted to be “the education president.”

The Top 10 Education Next Blog Entries of 2018

The most popular entries on the Education Next blog based on readership

The Education Exchange: Test Scores and Long-Term Outcomes: Why the Disconnect?

Researchers and policymakers are often puzzled when a policy like high quality preschool or class size reduction is found to have no impact on student test scores but a positive impact on longer-term outcomes like college graduation or future earnings. A new paper by Eric Nielsen can help explain these different findings. It turns out that the way we calculate test scores may be disguising the true impact of these policies.

The Winter 2019 Issue of Education Next Is Here!

The Winter 2019 issue of Education Next is now available in full on our website. The issue presents results from the 2018 EdNext Poll of public opinion.

EdNext Podcast: What Will the 2018 Midterm Election Results Mean for Education?

Charles Barone joins Education Next editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the results of the midterm election and what impact they might have on education policy.

The Education Exchange: Inside the U.S. Senate with Erica Suares, Advisor to Sen. Mitch McConnell

Erica Suares, Senior Policy Advisor to the Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to talk politics and policy.

What We’re Watching: Do Field Trips Have Educational Value?

Field trips can get pushed aside when schools decide to focus on math and reading skills in order to boost standardized test scores. Is anything lost as a result? In this 60-second video, Rick Hess takes a look at rigorous research by Jay Greene and colleagues on the benefits of culturally enriching field trips.

In the News: Black Teachers Improve Outcomes for Black Students

A new NBER working paper can be added to the growing list of studies finding that black students who have black teachers reap benefits in both the short term and in the long term.

The EdNext Podcast: Connecting Student Loans to Community College Attainment

As college costs rise, some see cause for alarm in rising levels of student loan debt. However, a new study finds that students who take out loans do better in school. Lesley Turner joins Marty West to discuss that new study, “The Benefits of Borrowing: Evidence on student loan debt and community college attainment,” which she co-authored with Benjamin M. Marx.

What We’re Watching: Education 20/20 Speaker Series with Naomi Schaefer Riley and Jonah Goldberg

On November 28 , Fordham and the Hoover Institution hosted Naomi Schaefer Riley on how K-12 schools can best support America’s neediest kids and Jonah Goldberg on the need to reclaim civic education.

The Education Exchange: What Will the 2018 Midterm Election Results Mean for School Choice?

Clint Bolick, an Associate Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, talks with Paul E. Peterson about how the results of gubernatorial elections will affect the school choice climate in various states. They also discuss the proposed expansion of an education savings account program which was on the ballot in Arizona.

In the News: Education Dept. Proposes Enhanced Protection For Students Accused Of Sexual Assault

Last week, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos proposed new rules for how colleges are to handle cases of sexual assault and harassment. These rules for how to implement Title IX would replace the policies put into place by the Obama administration.

The Education Exchange: The Effect of Information on College Aspirations

Are parents move likely to want to send their kids to college if they are given accurate information about the costs and benefits of attending college? A new study looks at what happens when parents are given customized information about the cost of going to college and the wage premium for earning a college degree.

In the News: Study Cites the Benefits of Taking Student Loans

Despite their toxic reputation, student loans help recipients earn better grades, take more classes, and graduate sooner, a new study finds.

EdNext Podcast: Teachers Can Boost Long-Term Outcomes for their Students by Improving Student Behaviors

Research shows that teachers who raise student test scores also improve long-term outcomes for their students. A new study finds that long-term outcomes for students are even more strongly predicted by student behaviors than they are by student test scores. And the teachers who are good at improving student behaviors are not necessarily the same teachers who are good at raising student test scores.

The author of the new study, C. Kirabo Jackson, professor of human development and social policy at Northwestern University, discusses his findings with EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West.

The Education Exchange: KIPP Schools and the Charter Sector Continue to Evolve

Richard Barth, CEO of the KIPP Foundation, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how the KIPP network is adapting to changes in the charter sector.

EdNext Podcast: Lessons from an Effort to Reform Teacher Evaluation

For four years, Tom Kane ran a project for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which offered to help a set of school districts develop new ways of evaluating teacher effectiveness. He talks with EdNext’s Marty West about lessons to be learned from that effort.

The Education Exchange: Making Exam Schools More Diverse in Boston

In Boston, nearly 25% of public middle and high school students attend exam schools, but these schools are much less diverse than the school district as a whole. A new study looks closely at the entrance exam used to select students for these schools and at ways the admissions process could be changed to to make the schools more diverse without sacrificing academic selectivity.

In the News: Why Are We Still Teaching Reading the Wrong Way?

Our children aren’t being taught to read in ways that line up with what scientists have discovered about how people actually learn. Many teachers will tell you they learned something different about how children learn to read in their teacher preparation programs.

What We’re Watching: What Will the 2018 Midterm Elections Mean for Education?

On November 7, AEI hosted a panel discussion looking at how the results of the election will affect federal and state education policies.

EdNext Podcast: What is the Value of Homework?

While many parents worry that their children are assigned too much homework, studies show that American students do very little homework, on average. Janine Bempechat, clinical professor of human development and the author of a new article, “The Case for (Quality) Homework.” talks with Marty West why homework improves learning and how parents can help.

In the News: New Study Shows ‘Homework Gap’ Most Affects Students Already Likely to Fall Behind

Students who only have access to the internet via a smartphone are less likely to spend time outside of class on school-related activities, and this problem disproportionately affects students who are already more likely to fall behind academically.

In the News: Longtime Miami Superintendent Chosen as Urban Superintendent of the Year

Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho was named Urban Superintendent of the Year for 2018 by the Council of the Great City Schools.

The Education Exchange: Four-Day School Weeks and Pathway 2 Tomorrow

Hanna Skandera, Editor-in-chief of The Line and former Secretary of Education for New Mexico, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss the four-day school week and Pathway 2 Tomorrow, a call for innovative proposals to broaden education.

In the News: New York Knew Some Schools in Its $773 Million Plan Were Doomed. They Kept Children in Them Anyway

New York is preparing to end its effort to turn around the city’s lowest-performing schools, an effort launched in 2014. Overall, school turnaround efforts have consistently fallen far short of hopes and expectations.

In the News: Uber, But for Driving Your Kids Around

Will parents be able to outsource drop-offs and pick-ups to Uber-like companies or automated vehicles? Will school buses be self-driving? The future is now.

In the News: Should Student Behavior Be Factored Into Teacher Evaluations? Study Says Yes

Teachers’ impact on non-cognitive skills, like adaptability, motivation, and self-restraint, is 10 times more predictive of students’ long-term success than teachers’ impact on student test scores.

In the News: YouTube Is Investing $20M in Educational Content, Creators

YouTube will invest in content from independent creators as well as traditional news sources and educational organizations to boost the amount of educational content available.

EdNext Podcast: How Did Massachusetts Charter Schools Become the Best in the Country?

Does Massachusetts really have the best charter schools in the country? If it does, why is the charter sector growing so slowly in the state? Marty West talks with Cara Stillings Candal, the author of a new book on charter schools in Massachusetts, The Fight for the Best Charter Public Schools in the Nation.

The Education Exchange: Lowering College Costs by Offering Credits for Free

Steve Klinksy, founder and CEO of Modern States Education Alliance, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to explain how the organization is able to provide an on-ramp to college with its “Freshman Year for Free” program.

EdNext Podcast: An Arts Educator Wins the Global Teacher Prize

Earlier this year, the Global Teacher Prize was awarded to Andria Zafirakou, an arts educator at an inner city secondary school in London. Zafirakou joins Marty West to talk about how she uses the arts to inspire the students in her school and and her plan to use the $1 million prize to launch a charity supporting arts education in the UK.

The Education Exchange: Is This Discrimination?

When a school district’s discipline policy has a disparate impact on African American students, is that racial discrimination? How about when an elite university uses affirmative action to increase the diversity of its student body? Adam White, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, and director of the Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the legal issues involved.

In the News: What’s the Right Amount of Homework? Many Students Get Too Little, Brief Argues

A new EdNext article looks at whether American students are getting too much homework or too little.

What We’re Listening To: Who Goes to Private School?

The Harvard EdCast takes a close look at declining enrollment in private schools, particularly among the middle class. Sean Reardon, the author of “Who Goes to Private School?” an article in the fall issue of Education Next, is the guest.

EdNext Podcast: Thinking Clearly About the Goals of Education

Should data drive decision-making in education policy or should data be used in the service of our values? Harry Brighouse and Susanna Loeb join Marty West to discuss how the tools of philosophy and social science can help policymakers make better decisions.

Education Exchange: Alberto Carvalho and Miami-Dade County Schools

Under the leadership of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade County Public Schools has won numerous awards for student performance. Carvalho sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss his strategy of empowering school leaders and reforming teacher compensation.

EdNext Podcast: Health Benefits for Retired Teachers Strain State Budgets

In many school districts, teachers receive generous health care benefits even after they retire, but states and school districts have not been putting aside sufficient funds to pay for those promises. Chad Aldeman visits the podcast to discuss his article, “Health Care for Life: Will teachers’ post-retirement benefits break the bank?”

The Education Exchange: High School Grade Inflation on the Rise

A new study based on data from North Carolina finds that grade inflation increased over the last decade and that grade inflation was more severe in schools attended by affluent students than in those attended by lower-income pupils. Seth Gershenson, the author of “Grade Inflation in High Schools (2005-2016),” joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the study.

EdNext Podcast: Getting Inclusion Right

Including students with disabilities in regular classsrooms is a worthy goal, but it may not always be the best way of serving children with disabilities. It can also sometimes have negative consequences for teachers and for students without disabilities. Allison Gilmour, an assistant professor of special education at Temple University, joins EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss her article, “Has Inclusion Gone Too Far?”

In the News: Let Teenagers Sleep In

In the New York Times, Henry Nicholls argues that school start times should be changed so teenagers can get more sleep.

The Education Exchange: Hanna Skandera on Overcoming Divisions in Education Reform

The world of education policy has been filled with some nasty battles in the recent years. Hanna Skandera, who formerly served as education secretary in New Mexico, hopes to change that by promoting civil discourse around education.

What We’re Watching: AEI Event on Bush-Obama School Reform

On September 26, AEI hosted a panel discussion on Frederick M. Hess and Michael Q. McShane’s new edited volume, Bush-Obama School Reform: Lessons Learned.

In the News: What’s Next for the Laurene Powell Jobs-Funded Effort to Rethink American High Schools

The XQ institute is hoping to influence local policy, not just seed innovative new high schools.

EdNext Podcast: What It Was Like to Go On Strike

In Oklahoma, teachers walked out for nine days this April to demand better pay and more spending on schools. Eleanor Goetzinger, a special ed teacher and behavior specialist in the Oklahoma City Public Schools, talks with Marty West about what the strike meant for her, for her students, and for schools in Oklahoma.

The Education Exchange: The EdNext Poll vs. the PDK Poll

Education Next and PDK both released the results of major surveys of public opinion about education in recent weeks. Joshua Starr, the president of PDK, joins Paul E Peterson to discuss the results of the two surveys.

In the News: College Students Predicted to Fall by More Than 15% After the Year 2025

The Northeast is expected to be the hardest hit, but demand for spots in elite institutions is not expected to decline.

In the News: Does Teacher Diversity Matter in Student Learning?

According to a significant body of research, students tend to benefit from having teachers who look like them, especially nonwhite students, yet the teacher work force is overwhelmingly white and female.

EdNext Podcast: The Role of the Inspector General in Education Policy

The Office of the Inspector General from the U.S. Department of Education is widely respected for its efforts to ferret out waste, fraud and abuse, but what happens when the OIG starts making policy recommendations? Jason Delisle, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the involvement of the OIG in policymaking.

The Education Exchange: How Do Hot Days Affect Student Learning?

School is back in session after one of the hottest summers in recorded history, and many students are now in classrooms without air conditioning. A new study looks at how hotter school days impact. student learning. Josh Goodman of the Kennedy School at Harvard sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss his recent working paper, “Heat and Learning.”

The Fall 2018 Issue of Education Next is here!

The cover story of the Fall 2018 issue examines what’s ahead for teachers unions after this June’s landmark Supreme Court decision banning agency fees for non-members.

EdNext Podcast: Does Teacher Coaching Work?

Matthew Kraft, an associate professor of education and economics at Brown University, sits down with EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss his article, “Taking Teacher Coaching To Scale,” co-written with David Blazar.

The Education Exchange: Behind the Scenes of the EdNext Poll

Michael Henderson, assistant professor at Louisiana State University and survey director for the EdNext poll, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the nuts and bolts of EdNext’s annual survey of public opinion.

EdStat: 68% of Americans support annual testing in reading and math, according to the 2018 EdNext survey

A large majority of Americans continue to support the federal requirement that all students be tested in math and reading each year in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school.

EdStat: The 2018 EdNext poll finds that support for the Common Core State Standards has stabilized at 45 percent

After falling in previous years, public support for the Common Core State Standards has now stabilized at 45%, the 2018 EdNext survey finds, compared to 41% a year ago.

EdStat: 57% of respondents favor tax-credit scholarship programs, according to the 2018 EdNext poll

The 2018 EdNext poll finds a clear majority—57%—in favor of “a tax credit for individual and corporate donations that pay for scholarships to help low-income parents send their children to private schools.”

EdNext Podcast: Are Private Colleges At Risk?

Private colleges currently enroll 30 percent of students attending four-year colleges, but they face declining enrollment and mounting deficits. Is a crisis on the horizon? Stephen Eide, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, joins Education Next editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss his article “Private Colleges in Peril.”

EdStat: 51 percent of Americans rate their local public schools with a grade of A or B on the 2018 EdNext poll

On the 2018 EdNext poll, approximately half of the public (51%) rates their local public schools with a grade of A or B, consistent with the last three years of polling.

EdStat: 18 percent of respondents support affirmative action in K-12 school assignments, according to the 2018 EdNext poll

The 2018 EdNext poll finds that the public is overwhelmingly opposed to considering race in K–12 school assignment decisions as part of efforts to increase school diversity, though the difference between support and opposition has narrowed somewhat since the question was last asked in 2008.

The Education Exchange: Changes in Support for School Choice

Last year’s EdNext poll revealed a sharp drop in support for charter schools. On today’s podcast, Paul E. Peterson and Marty West look at the biggest changes in public opinion revealed by the 2018 EdNext Poll, some of which relate to charter schools and vouchers.

EdStat: On the 2018 EdNext poll, public backing for charter schools has increased by 5 percentage points

After a substantial drop in support for charter schools last year, the 2018 EdNext poll finds that public backing for charter schools has increased by 5 percentage points this past year, to 44%, with 35% opposed.

In the News: New Education Research? A Good Chance it’s from North Carolina

Why does so much high-quality education policy research come from North Carolina? Because the state has tracked important data since the ‘90s, and has made that information more accessible to researchers than anywhere else.

In the News: Teachers Are Winning Public Support for Pay Raises

In states where teachers walked out of their classrooms this spring to protest low salaries and cuts to school spending, public support for raising salaries has grown significantly.

EdStat: 47 percent of Americans say school spending should increase, according to the 2018 EdNext poll

Among those provided information about current spending levels in their local school districts, 47% say that spending should increase, a rise of 7 percentage points over the prior year.

In the News: Alexa, What’s the Deal With You, Anyway?

Several universities are putting free Amazon Echo Dot devices in student dorm rooms to help students more easily access information about their schools.

EdStat: 56 percent of nonunion teachers say in the 2018 EdNext poll that unions have a positive impact on schools

New in the 2018 EdNext poll is a breakdown of teacher respondents that shows sharp differences between union and nonunion members on certain issues.

EdNext Podcast: Results from the 2018 EdNext Poll

What does the public think about teacher strikes, teacher salaries, agency fees, and more? And what do teachers think? The EdNext Podcast returns from vacation this week so editor-in-chief Marty West and senior editor Paul E. Peterson can discuss the results of the 2018 Education Next poll.

In the News: Support for School Choice Growing Among Republicans

Support for charter schools and private school voucher programs has gone up over the past year according to the new EdNext poll.

EdStat: 54 percent majority of the public supports school vouchers for all students, according to the 2018 EdNext poll

The 2018 EdNext survey finds that a 54% majority of the public supports school vouchers for all students, a 9-percentage-point increase over a year ago.

EdStat: On the 2018 EdNext poll, public support for increasing teacher pay jumps by 13 percentage points

On the 2018 EdNext survey, among respondents provided with information on average teacher salaries prevailing in their state, 49% of the public say that teacher pay should increase—a 13-percentage-point jump over the share who said so last year.

The Education Exchange: Boston Public Schools in Transition

The Boston Public Schools will be led by an interim superintendent this fall, since former superintendent Tommy Chang was asked by the mayor of Boston to step down last June. Steve Poftak talks with Paul E. Peterson about some of the challenges that have faced, and will continue to face, the school district, including debates over school start times, diversity levels at exam schools, whether the student assignment system is causing segregation, transportation costs, and what happens next for BPS.

EdStat: By 2017, Religious Staff Represented Less than 3 Percent of the Staff at Catholic Schools

Lay staff now constitute nearly all staff in Catholic schools.

EdStat: To Date, 75 Percent of Charter Schools in New Orleans Have Adopted High-Quality Curricula

Kunjan Narechania discusses on the EdNext blog.

EdStat: Charter Schools Have Gained a Substantial Following in Louisiana, Where 148 Charters Now Serve more than 80,000 Students

But charters have also attracted opposition from many school districts and teachers.

EdStat: 38 States had Statewide Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for Preschools by February 2017

Many systems include differential funding reimbursement for programs with higher quality ratings.

EdStat: State Spending on Preschool More Than Doubled between 2002 and 2016, from $3.3 to $7.4 Billion

However, a range of research also shows that many early childhood programs do not have positive long-term effects.

In the News: New England’s Smallest Colleges Are Struggling

A review of financial conditions at New England’s small private colleges finds that tuition revenue is failing to keep up with expenses at more than half the schools.

The Education Exchange: Effectiveness of Teaching Practices Depends on Classroom Composition

A new study investigates whether teaching practices differ in effectiveness depending on the students in the class. It finds that the impact of good classroom management and student-centered instruction vary depending on whether the students in the classroom are of high ability or of mixed ability. Jane Cooley Fruehwirth, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of North Carolina, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss the study,”Teacher Effectiveness and Classroom Composition,” which she co-authored with Esteban Aucejo, Patrick Coate and Zachary Mozenter.

EdStat: Between 1968 and 2013, the Percentage of Middle-Income Families Enrolled in Private Schools Fell from 12 Percent to 7 Percent

Enrollment in private schools is falling among middle-income students, while high-income and low-income student enrollment in private schools is holding steady.

EdStat: During the Last School Year, the Number of Charter Schools in California Grew by 1.6 Percent

This is even lower than last year’s rate of 1.9 percent.

EdStat: In 2011, Private K–8 School Tuition Averaged $10,940

Has expanding income inequality fueled a broader increase in segregation at both public and private schools?

In the News: After Quarter Century of Rapid Expansion, Charter School Growth Slowing in California

During the last school year, the number of charter schools in California grew by a mere 1.6 percent, even lower than last year’s rate of 1.9 percent.

EdStat: A New Version of the HEA Would Cut the “90/10” Rule, which Requires Colleges to Raise a Minimum of 10 Percent of their Revenues from Sources Other than Federal Financial Aid

As part of our Fall 2018 forum, Kevin Carey discusses rethinking the rules on higher-ed spending.

EdStat: Every Year, the Federal Government Spends More than $100 Billion on Higher Education, Mainly in the Form of Grants and Subsidized Loans to Students

As part of our Fall 2018 forum, Michael B. Horn and Alana Dunagan discuss rethinking the rules on higher-ed spending.

The Education Exchange: A Survey of Teachers by Teachers

How do teachers feel about the changes taking place in American education? Evan Stone, the co-founder and CEO of Educators for Excellence, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his organization’s new survey, “Voices from the Classroom: A Survey of America’s Educators.”

EdStat: All Else Being Equal, Teachers with Classes in which 20 Percent of Students had an Emotional/ Behavioral Disorder were 2.15 Percentage Points More Likely to Leave Their School or Teaching

Teachers are likely a key element in the successful inclusion of students with disabilities (SWDs), but few studies have investigated how general-education teachers are impacted.

EdStat: 89 Percent of American Children who Attended a Private Elementary School were Enrolled in a Catholic School in 1965

In 2013, the comparable figure was 42 percent.

In the News: Instructional Coaching Works, Says a New Analysis. But There’s a Catch

When teachers receive instructional coaching, the quality of their instruction improves, but larger coaching programs are less effective than smaller ones.

In the News: Hey, Alexa, Should We Bring Virtual Assistants to Campus?

Three universities partnered with Amazon last year to provide some students with free voice-activated devices (Echo Dots) programmed to answer questions from students.

Looking for Innovative Policy Solutions from Voices Not Always Heard

Hanna Skandera talks with Martin West about Pathway 2 Tomorrow: Local Visions for America’s Future

EdStat: Twenty-Seven Percent of Public K‒12 Schools had a Reading Coach on Staff by the 2015‒16 School Year, According to the National Teacher and Principal Survey

Does one-to-one coaching actually help teachers get better?

EdStat: A Recent Scan Covering the Past 40 Years Found 80 Cases Alleging Education Malpractice

Only one of those cases was successful.

EdStat: Twenty-Four Percent of Public K‒12 Schools had a General Instructional Coach by the 2015‒16 School Year, According to the National Teacher and Principal Survey

Historically, professional development for teachers has been dominated by daylong seminars that took teachers out of the classroom and delivered the same tips and tricks to an entire department, grade level, or school.

The Education Exchange: What Happened to Black Teachers When Southern Schools Were Desegregated?

Before schools in the southern U.S. were racially integrated, schools for African American students were staffed almost exclusively by African American teachers. After the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, southern schools began to be desegregated, and this had a big effect on black teacher employment.

EdStat: Students Without Disabilities who had a Classmate With an Emotional/ Behavioral Disorder were 1.42 Times More Likely to be Chronically Absent

Early studies that addressed peer effects in inclusive classrooms did not identify any negative academic consequences for students without disabilities.

EdStat: 10 States Will Have at Least 20 Percent Fewer High-School Graduates in the Pipeline by 2030

Raw population numbers are what matter most in predicting future demand for postsecondary education.

In the News: Private Schools Are Becoming More Elite

There has been a decline in the share of middle-class students attending private schools.

EdStat: Between 2005 and 2012, the Number of Special-Education Teachers Declined More Than 17 Percent

The student-to-teacher ratio in special education is now greater than the overall student-to-teacher ratio, suggesting that students with disabilities spend more time with general educators than with special educators.

EdStat: The Private Nonprofit Sector Enrolls About 30 Percent of All Students Attending Four-Year Colleges

How will the fiscal crisis impact this sector? And what kind of higher-education system do we want?

What We’re Watching: Can Charter Schools Survive Polarization and Populism?

On Thursday, July 26, 2018, the Fordham Institute hosted a panel discussion on changing support for charter schools featuring Charles Barone, Carlos Marquez, Nina Rees, and Mike Petrilli.

EdStat: 60 Percent of All Students with Disabilities Spend 80 Percent or More of Their School Day in Regular Classrooms

How does mainstreaming benefit students with disabilities? A new article explores what we know and what we don’t.

The Education Exchange: Brett Kavanaugh’s Possible Impact on the Supreme Court

Michael McConnell, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a former Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

EdStat: Private-School Enrollment Has Decreased Dramatically for Hispanic Students, Dropping from 13 Percent Enrolled in 1959 to 3 Percent Enrolled in 2013

The decline was steepest among middle-class Hispanic families.

EdStat: In 2010, the Average Catholic Elementary School Tuition was $5,858 (in 2015 Dollars)

Changes in private school enrollment may have to do with the widespread closures of Catholic schools, which had relatively low tuitions.

EdStat: At Best, Increasing Pre-K Enrollment by 10 Percent Would Raise a State’s Standard Adjusted NAEP Score by a Little Less Than 1 Point Five Years Later

According to new analyses, the positive associations between NAEP scores and earlier pre-K enrollment are small and typically not statistically significant.

EdStat: For the Past 50 Years, Roughly One in 10 U.S. Families Has Chosen to Enroll Their Children in Private School

Has expanding income inequality led to an increased concentration of affluent families at private schools?

EdStat: From 2002 to 2017, the Percentage of Four-Year-Olds Enrolled in State Pre-K Rose from 14 Percent to 33 Percent

But is government-funded pre-K the surest way to provide the opportunity for all children to succeed in school and life?

The Education Exchange: A Teacher-Centric Approach to School Reform

Students in Washington, D.C. have been making large gains on NAEP, and many credit the transformation of the teaching profession that has taken place in DCPS over the past decade. Thomas Toch of FutureEd joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his new report, which takes a close look those changes.

EdStat: Of the 30 Percent of Undergraduate Students Who Did Not Apply for Federal Student Aid in 2011-12, Roughly a Third were Likely Eligible for Pell Grants

For the purpose of awarding need-based aid, what matters most is increasing financial aid applications among those most likely to be eligible for financial aid.

EdStat: School Districts with Higher Child Poverty Levels Have Lower FAFSA Completion Rates—About 3 Percentage Points for Every 10-Percentage-Point Difference in the Child Poverty Rate

Students in relatively affluent districts are more likely to have access to the one-on-one assistance that helps students submit the FAFSA, enroll in college, and receive more financial aid.

In the News: Once Known For English Immersion, Charter Network Remakes Itself

The UNO Charter School Network, now Acero Schools, has made the transition away from the English immersion approach to educating its mostly Latino student body.

EdStat: 124 Four-Year Private Nonprofit Colleges have Closed in the Past 25 Years, According to Data from the National Center for Education Statistics

Many higher-education experts are concerned that more closures may be looming.

EdStat: Around the World, There are Approximately 264 Million Children Not in School

Another 330 million are in school but not learning.

EdStat: In 2003-04, the Percentage of Black and Hispanic Students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Dropped to 3.5 Percent

In 1997-98, the percentage of black and Hispanic students at TJ was at a high of 9.4 percent schoolwide.

In the News: In Reversal, PBC Schools Chief Says to Exclude Charters in Tax Push

In Palm Beach County, Florida, the school board is hoping to raise over $150 million a year in additional property tax revenues while preventing local charter schools from receiving any of the funds.

The Education Exchange: LAUSD at the Edge of a Fiscal Cliff

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) faces a debt of between $11-15 billion. How did the school district get itself into such a financial hole and what might it do to get out of it?

EdStat: According to American Teacher Panel Data, More than 90 Percent of Teachers Reported Using Google to Find Lessons

More than 70% reported using TeachersPayTeachers and Pinterest to find lessons.

In the News: Lessons Learned by Taking in Refugee School Children in Florida

On the John Batchelor show, Paul E. Peterson talks about research on what happens when a school enrolls refugee students, and in particular, how this affects the non-refugee children who had already been attending the school.

EdStat: Before a 2004 Change in the Admissions Process, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Applicants were Sorted First by Test Scores and Grades, with Scores Weighted at 80 Percent

In an attempt to close the excellence gap, the admissions guidelines were revised in 2004 to include a sliding scale.

In the News: ‘Access to Literacy’ Is Not a Constitutional Right, Judge in Detroit Rules

On Friday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Detroit students who argued that they had been denied access to literacy because of the condition of their schools.

EdStat: Up to 80 Percent of Teachers Use Instructional Materials Developed by Colleagues or Themselves at Least Once a Week

There is increasing momentum behind the idea that curriculum materials, including textbooks, represent a powerful lever for education reform.

The Education Exchange: Why Did the Supreme Court Change Course on Agency Fees?

On the last day of its 2017-2018 term, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Janus vs. AFSCME that public employee unions can no longer collect agency fees from non-members. Clint Bolick, an associate justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss why the U.S. Supreme Court felt it was necessary to overrule a decision from the 1970s allowing agency fees.

EdStat: At Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Asian Students Made Up 68 Percent of the Student Body by 2017–18

Asian students made up only 20 percent of overall school district enrollment.

EdStat: One Percent of Students Offered Admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Next Fall are from Low-Income Families

Some 29 percent of the students in Fairfax County Public Schools, where “TJ” is located, are from low-income families.

EdStat: 54% of Public School Teachers are Opposed to Agency Fees

Only 25% of the public favor collecting union dues from non-members.

In the News: Is This Supreme Court Decision The End Of Teachers Unions?

NPR’s Anya Kamenetz and Cory Turner consider what the Janus ruling will mean for teachers uions in an article that draws on research by Bradley D. Marianno and Katharine O. Strunk that was published recently in Education Next.

EdStat: Following the Janus Supreme Court Decision, Unions in 22 States Can No Longer Collect Agency Fees

Six states had already passed right-to-work legislation removing unions’ rights to assess agency fees.

In the News: Teacher’s Aide or Surveillance Nightmare? Alexa Hits the Classroom

Teachers are starting to use voice-powered devices like Alexa in the classroom, though privacy advocates have raised some concerns. Michael Horn considers some of the larger ways that voice assistants might disrupt the classroom.

EdStat: This Spring, the Acceptance Rate at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was 15 Percent

The acceptance rate at “TJ” was slightly lower than the acceptance rate at nearby Georgetown University.

The Education Exchange: Congress Checks In On Charter Schools

Charter schools have been in the news lately, as supporters and opponents have debated whether they are expanding opportunities for students most in need or whether they are increasing segregation. Earlier this month, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing on charter schools and EdNext’s Marty West was invited to testify.

EdStat: In 2017, the Annual Budget for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General was Approximately $60 Million

An independent watchdog agency, OIG is funded by Congress and recovers $2 for every $1 spent on its efforts.

EdStat: The Office of Inspector General Completes Up to 300 Investigations Each Year

What is the mission of the OIG? Do all of its investigations lead to criminal charges?

EdStat: Seven Regional Accreditors were Responsible for Accrediting More Than 80% of the Public and Private Nonprofit Colleges in the United States as of 2012–2013

Higher-education institutions have to stay accredited for their students to be able to use federal subsidies to pay for college.

EdStat: On the 2015 Program for International Student Assessment’s Math Tests for 15-Year-Olds, the United States Ranked 39th

Continuing “business as usual” puts the U.S. below the average math-skill level in developed countries, faring only slightly better than Croatia and Greece.

In the News: California’s CORE Districts Joined Forces to Bolster Social-Emotional Development, But a Study Reveals Gaps in Learning

Researchers find that growth-mindset increased but that social awareness, self-efficacy, and self-management decreased as students progressed through school.

EdStat: Between 2010 and 2016, NACIQI Identified Compliance Issues with 80% of the Accreditors Requesting a Status Renewal

Critics have observed that NACIQI and the U.S. Department of Education rarely hold accreditors accountable for their outcomes.

The Education Exchange: Impact of Magnet Schools in San Diego

In San Diego, one in ten students attends a magnet school, and because admission is sometimes determined by lottery, researchers have been able to study the impact of attending a magnet school on long-term outcomes.

Julian Betts of the University of California, San Diego joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his research on magnet schools in San Diego.

EdStat: In the Five Years After Right-to-Work Reform, Union-Dues Revenue per Teacher Decreased by $316 in Wisconsin

These figures suggest that, in right-to-work states, teachers unions lost power not only in numbers, but also in terms of dollar resources.

EdStat: Colleges Have Estimated that an Accreditation Review Costs Over $1 Million

A higher-education institution has to participate in an accreditation review every five to ten years to stay accredited.

EdStat: In the Five Years Following Right-to-Work Reform in Wisconsin, the National Education Association (NEA) Affiliate Lost Approximately 52 Percent of its Members

During the same period of time, trends in agency-shop states remained stable.

What We’re Watching: Hearing on The Power of Charter Schools

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing on June 13, 2018 on The Power of Charter Schools: Promoting Opportunity for America’s Students. Testifying were Nina Rees, Greg Richmond, Jonathan Clarke, and Marty West.

EdStat: As of 2012-2013, Seven Regional Accreditors Collectively Oversaw the Colleges that Enrolled Over 90% of All U.S. College Students

Over the course of 200 years, accreditors transformed from voluntary college associations into the gatekeepers for billions of dollars of public aid.

EdStat: $18 Billion a Year is Spent on Professional Development for U.S. Teachers

But teachers usually don’t get to pick their own programs.

The Education Exchange: Private School Attendance and Civic Involvement

Are graduates of private schools as active in the public sphere as graduates of public schools? David Sikkink, an associate professor of sociology at Notre Dame, finds that when it comes to volunteering and charitable giving, graduates of private religious schools are more likely to be engaged. He joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his research.

EdStat: The National Education Association is Currently Estimating Membership Losses at 300,000 Nationwide

Membership losses will result in a steep decline in revenue.

EdStat: Six States have Passed Right-to-Work Legislation in the Past Eight Years

An upcoming Supreme Court decision might end the controversial practice of allowing public-sector unions to collect agency fees.

EdStat: For Teachers Who Report that Covering Housing Costs is Very Difficult, the Chronic Absenteeism Rate is Nine Percentage Points Higher

Long commutes combine with rising rents to create economic anxiety.

EdStat: In 2016, Raising Blended Learners Chose Five “Demonstration Sites” to Receive Grants of up to $500,000 Over Three Years

These sites had mixed to modest gains in student achievement, though educators report greater student ownership of learning and fewer disciplinary problems.

EdNext Podcast: Rebecca Friedrichs on Janus v. AFSCME

Later this month, the Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in Janus v. AFSCME on whether public sector unions should be allowed to collect agency fees from employees who choose not to join the union. The Court heard a similar case two years ago, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. Marty West talks with Rebecca Friedrichs, the lead plaintiff in that case, about agency fees, unions, and what to expect after Janus.

EdStat: According to the 2017 EdNext Poll, Only 46 Percent of Less-Educated White Respondents Favor Higher School Spending

Fifty-five percent of more-educated white respondents share that view.

The Summer 2018 Issue of Education Next Is Here!

The cover story is on an innovative online master’s degree program that is expanding access and increasing educational attainment for students who would not otherwise enroll in a graduate program.

In the News: New York City Mayor Alters Exam-School Admissions

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city’s eight most selective schools will now set aside 20% of seats for low-income students. The mayor hopes to eliminate the admissions test altogether, but doing this will require the approval of the state legislature.

The Education Exchange: Tennessee Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen on High State Standards

A new analysis by Education Next finds that the state that has raised its proficiency standards the most over the past 10 years is Tennessee. Tennessee Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how her state has raised its standards and made other changes to advance student learning.

EdStat: The Next Generation Learning Challenges Have Allocated More than $25 Million across Seven Regional Funds

But has NGLC funding expanded the adoption of personalized learning in those regions?

EdStat: Four of the 5 States with F Grades in 2009 Achieved a C+ or Higher for Their Proficiency Standards in 2017

Researchers at Education Next have graded state proficiency standards on an A–F scale since 2005.

EdStat: Students Attending Schools Backed by Silicon Schools Score 15 Points Above Proficiency on California State Assessments, on Average

Critically, more than two-thirds of students attending schools backed by Silicon Schools are from low-income families.

EdStat: 69 Percent of Americans Support Laws Allowing States to Take Control of Local Districts Where Academic Performance Has Been Low for Several Years

Teachers are less favorable toward these laws but nevertheless lean toward support.

EdNext Podcast: Tenure Reform and Test Scores in Florida

In 2011, a Florida law eliminated tenure for teachers hired on or after July 1, 2011. A new study looks at the impact of that change on student achievement in the state. Celeste Carruthers joins Marty West to discuss the new study, which she co-authored with David Figlio and Tim Sass.

The Education Exchange: How Have States Changed Their Standards?

Dan Hamlin, a postdoctoral fellow at the Program on Education Policy and Governance (PEPG) at the Harvard Kennedy School, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss their new article, “Have States Maintained High Expectations for Student Performance? An analysis of 2017 state proficiency standards.”

EdStat: In 2017, Only 9 Percentage Points Separated the Proficiency Results on the Average State Test from the NAEP Results for That State

In 2005, 35 percentage points separated these two results.

EdStat: When the Public is Told How Much Teachers Currently Earn, Only 36 Percent Support Raising Teacher Salaries

According to the EdNext poll, support is down 5 percentage points from 2016.

EdStat: Nine of 24 States with D- to D+ Grades in 2009 Received A Grades for Their Proficiency Standards in 2017

The relatively close alignment between state and national assessments represents a major improvement from 2009 when the Common Core initiative began.

EdStat: There are Over 500 Medium- and High-Poverty Census Tracts across the Country without Nearby Charter Elementary Schools

The Opportunity Zone program might help make these “charter school deserts” fewer and farther between.

EdNext Podcast: Motivating American Students to Work Harder

In the United States, we don’t expect most kids to work very hard, and they don’t. So write Mike Petrilli and Adam Tyner of the Fordham Institute in a new EdNext article about student motivation. Should we try to make schools more engaging? Use external exams to hold students accountable for their learning? Adam Tyner sits down with Marty West to discuss some options that he and Mike Petrilli explore in their article, “The Case for Holding Students Accountable.”

What We’re Watching: Are State Proficiency Standards Falling?

On Tuesday, May 22, Education Next presented the results of its latest evaluation of the rigor of state proficiency standards at an event hosted by the Hoover Institution.

EdStat: 16 States and the District of Columbia Received a Grade of A or A- for Their Proficiency Standards in 2017

Since 2005, researchers at Education Next have graded state proficiency standards on an A–F scale.

The Education Exchange: Understanding the Social Aspect of Truancy

Schools are paying increasing attention to the problem of truancy, and many states are including an indicator measuring chronic absenteeism in their accountability plans for the Every Student Succeeds Act. In this episode, Paul E. Peterson talks with Peter Bergman about the phenomenon of joint absences, when students have a peer with whom they systematically skip class.

EdStat: The Differences between Teacher-Preparation Programs are Negligible When It Comes to Teacher Quality, Amounting to No More Than 3 Percent of the Average Test-Score Gap between Students from Low-Income Families and their More Affluent Peers

If policymakers want to hold preparation programs accountable for the quality of their graduates, there may be better ways to do it.

EdStat: According to the 2017 EdNext Poll, 51 Percent of Republicans Oppose the Common Core

For the general public, opposition to the Common Core has more than tripled, from 13% in 2013 to 42% in 2016.

What We’re Watching: School Funding – Stories from the States

On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, the Urban Institute will host a panel discussion on how states can make changes to their school funding systems.

EdStat: Only 46 Percent of Families Have a Charter School Within 5 Miles from Their Home

The Opportunity Zone program, part of the 2017 tax reform package, might be able to help.

EdStat: The College Readiness Program of the National Math and Science Initiative Increases College Attendance by 4.2 Percentage Points

Holding students accountable for their performance might get them to work harder and learn more.

EdNext Podcast: The Trouble with Ranking Teacher-Prep Programs

For a brief period, states were required to rank their teacher education programs based in part on how much their graduates were boosting student test scores. But when Paul von Hippel and Laura Bellows took a close look at the evaluations of teacher education programs in six states, they found that the differences between the programs in their graduates’ impact on student learning were negligible.

EdStat: Last Year, 21 States and the District of Columbia Opted to Rank Teacher-Preparation Programs by Measures of Their Graduates’ Effectiveness in the Classroom

Paul von Hippel and Laura Bellows find that if programs are ranked on value-added scores, then the differences between the programs are typically too small to matter.

The Education Exchange: When For-Profit Colleges Lose Access to Federal Aid

The Trump administration may undo regulations that punish for-profit colleges if their graduates are unable to earn enough money to repay their student loans. The authors of a new study discuss the impact on student enrollment in for-profit colleges and community colleges when the federal government cracks down on for-profit colleges with high rates of students defaulting on their loans.

EdStat: The Annual Rate of Charter School Growth has Reached an All-Time Low: a 1 Percent Increase in Charter Schools between 2017 and 2018

Our EdNext authors propose a few ways to regain momentum.

EdStat: Total State and Local Spending on Higher Education Increased by 13.5 Percent (in Inflation-Adjusted Terms) from 1987 to 2015 Nationwide

The student population increased far more rapidly than state spending during the same period of time.

In the News: One Ohio School’s Quest to Rethink Bad Behavior

In the Atlantic, Katherine Reynolds Lewis takes a step back from the current debate over school discipline to profile a school that is trying something new: use whatever methods will meet children’s needs.

EdStat: According to the 2017 EdNext Poll, 69 Percent of Respondents Support the Idea of Schools Providing Students with Laptops for Classroom Use

Approval is higher among parents and still higher among teachers.

In the News: Maryland Community Colleges to Offer Free Tuition in 2019

In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan has signed a bill that will make community college free. The state will join California, Kentucky, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Tennessee in offering statewide tuition-free programs,

EdStat: State and Local Funding for Higher Education has Declined to $7,152 per Student Enrolled in a Public Two- or Four-Year School

Even though states are spending more overall on higher education, these increases have not kept pace with enrollment growth.

EdNext Podcast: When Benefit Costs Rise, Teacher Salaries Bear the Brunt

In many states, teacher pay has stagnated or even declined in recent years. The rising cost of maintaining teacher retirement systems is part of the problem. Chad Aldeman joins Marty West to discuss the increasing cost of teacher benefits, how this affects teacher take-home pay, and what teachers gain and lose under the current system.

In the News: Purdue President Eyes Expansion into High School

Last year Purdue University helped launch a charter school aimed at boosting the number of high school students in Indiana’s urban areas who can meet Purdue’s admissions criteria. Now it wants to expand the model.

EdStat: The Average Increase in the African American Concentration Experienced by an African American Transfer Student was 3.8 Percent

Charters don’t seem to be solving the problem of school segregation and, in some cases, are making it a little worse.

The Education Exchange: Phonics Makes a Comeback in England

A little over a decade ago, a new government in the United Kingdom issued a report recommending that early reading instruction include phonics. What has been the impact of that change in approach to teaching reading?
Martina Viarengo, the author of a study on this topic, joins Paul Peterson to discuss her research.

EdStat: K–12 Education Spending per State Resident has Increased by 41 Percent from 1987 to 2015

But there is no evidence that state K–12 spending has displaced spending on higher education.

EdStat: Medicaid Has Increased More Than $1,000 Per Capita Since 1987

The increase in Medicaid spending is the single biggest contributor to the decline in higher-education support at the state and local level.

In the News: What Should it Take to Graduate? Inside the Growing Divide Over Whether to Require New York’s Vaunted Regents Exams

In Chalkbeat, Monica Disare looks at how one state has tried to uphold rigorous standards for high school graduation when not all students are going to be able to meet those standards.

What We’re Watching: Learning from the Long-Term Effects of School Choice in America

The Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard hosted a conference last month on the long-term effects of choice.

EdStat: 53 Percent of the Higher-Education Spending Decline is Explained by Public-Welfare Spending

Doug Webber looks at state spending decisions to determine the relationship between higher-education funding declines and increases in other categories.

EdStat: Taxpayers Have Filed for Over Thirty Billion Dollars in Credits and Deductions for College Expenses They Paid in 2017

What impact do these tax benefits have on education?

EdNext Podcast: Changes in State Spending on Higher Ed

The cost of college is rising, in part because of declines in state support for higher education. But what explains those declines?

Douglas Webber, associate professor in the Temple University Department of Economics, joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss his article, “Higher Ed, Lower Spending: As States Cut Back, Where Has the Money Gone?”

EdStat: When Informed About Teachers’ Current Salaries, 36% of the Public Favor a Pay Raise for Teachers

Recent polls show that most Americans agree that teachers deserve a pay raise, but the annual EdNext survey has shown that the public’s views on teacher salaries change when respondents are given more information.

The Education Exchange: Effects of Refugee Students on Non-Refugee Students

After a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, thousands of Haitians moved to the U.S. and enrolled their children in school here. David Figlio, Dean of the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his research on the impact these Haitian refugee students had on the non-refugee students who were already attending those schools.

EdStat: Parents Pay a Median Price of $8,320 a Year for Eight Hours a Week of Center-Based Care for a Child Under Five Who Does Not Have a Disability

Parents spend more in the Northeast and West and less in the South and Midwest.

In the News: Most Americans Support Teachers’ Right To Strike

A new NPR/Ipsos poll finds that just 1 in 4 Americans believe teachers in this country are paid fairly, but other surveys have found that when respondents are told what teachers currently earn, support for raising salaries drops.

EdStat: According to the 2017 EdNext Poll, 61 Percent of Respondents Support the General Concept of Standards that are the Same Across the States

Far fewer support “Common Core.”

EdStat: The Art of Problem Solving Online Community has 300,000 Members

Art of Problem Solving founder Richard Rusczyk talks to Rick Hess.

What We’re Watching: Beyond the Classroom

The Education Without Walls program run by the National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education gives chronically homeless students in North Carolina the chance to learn from outdoor experiences like camping trips.

EdStat: The U.S. Federal Government Spends Roughly $26 Billion Annually on Programs and Tax Expenditures to Support the Care and Education of Young Children

But how much are individual households spending to send a child to a center-based program when no one is helping them pay?

EdNext Podcast: A More Diverse Charter Sector

As the charter school sector grows, there is more emphasis on replicating school models with a track record of success and less emphasis on single-site schools that increase the variety of schooling options. So argues Derrell Bradford in a new article for Education Next, “Strengthening the Roots of the Charter-School Movement.”

This week, Derrell Bradford joins EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss his article, what can be done to support single-site schools, and why it matters.

EdStat: Over 1,000,000 Students Drop Out of College Each Year

Students who drop out rack up debt without getting the benefits that come with having earned a degree.

The Education Exchange: Gov. Chris Sununu and Education Reform in New Hampshire

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss efforts to bring education savings accounts and full-day kindergarten to his state.

EdStat: 16 Percent of Charter School Principals are Black or Hispanic

Charter school principals are more diverse than principals of district schools, but far less diverse than the students they serve.

EdStat: Only Five of the Country’s 13,600 Districts Have Applied to the Weighted Student Funding Pilot, Part of the Every Student Succeeds Act

Why have only five of the country’s 13,600 districts applied to the weighted student funding pilot, part of the Every Student Succeeds Act?

EdStat: On Average, over the Past 10 Years, Teacher Compensation has Increased by 7.8 Percent for Retirement Benefits

During the same period of time, salaries increased by 1.4 percent a year, on average.

EdStat: A Study of 639 Charter School Applications in Four States Found That Applications That Included Plans to Hire a Management Organization Were 10 Percentage Points More Likely to Be Approved

Increasingly, single-site charter schools appear to suffer a higher burden of proof to justify their existence, relative to CMOs.

EdNext Podcast: Teacher Education Reboot – An Expert Proposal

Do teachers know enough about how students think and what motivates them? Daniel Willingham thinks that ed schools are not giving teachers enough useful information about how children learn. He laid out his argument in an Education Next article, “Unlocking the Science of How Kids Think.”

EdStat: One District, Chicago, Narrowed Its Test-Score Gap between White Students and Black Students in 4th-grade Math on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2017

Chicago also narrowed its test-score gap between white students and Hispanic students in 4th-grade math and 4th-grade reading. No other participating district saw its achievement gaps narrow.

The Education Exchange: New Research on the Impact of Teachers

Instead of just looking at the effect teachers have on the test scores of their students, researchers have expanded their focus to include the impact of teachers on student attendance and the long-run outcomes of their students. Seth Gershenson joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the latest findings on the impact teachers have on their students.

EdStat: 23 States Said Their Education Agency “Had a Heavier Workload under ESSA than under NCLB”

New research challenges the notion that ESSA has fewer federal regulations than previous iterations of the federal K–12 law.

EdStat: Rescinding DACA Could Cause Roughly 9,000 K–12 Teachers to Face Legal Action or Deportation

As part of our Summer 2018 forum, Shavar Jeffries shares his view of how Trump’s policies in his first year as president have affected American education.

EdStat: The Average Scale Score in 8th-Grade Reading on the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress was 267 on a 500-Point Scale

There was no significant score change in 2017 compared to 2015 in 4th-grade math, 4th-grade reading, and 8th-grade math.

What We’re Watching: NAEP, A Nation at Risk, and the Future of Education Reform

On April 25, 2018, the Hoover Institution, the Fordham Institute, and Education Next hosted a panel discussion on the progress ed reform has made since the 1980s and what the latest NAEP scores suggest about America’s future.

EdStat: On Average, Federal Money Pays for 41 Percent of the Salary Expenditures at State Education Departments in 34 States

Public-school student enrollment in these states accounts for 71 percent of student enrollment in the U.S.

EdNext Podcast: A Lost Decade for U.S. Education?

The results of the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress have just been released and the news is not good. National trends are mostly flat, and as Mike Petrilli notes, it’s now been almost a decade since we’ve seen strong growth in either reading or math, with the slight exception of eighth grade reading. Mike Petrilli joins Marty West to take a close look at the results and to consider what lessons we can draw from them.

Interpreting the 2017 NAEP Reading and Math Results

Education Next has released a series of posts analyzing the 2017 results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

EdStat: On the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress, 48 States/Jurisdictions Had No Significant Change in Their 8th-Grade Math Scores Compared to 2015

Two states/jurisdictions had score increases from 2015 to 2017, while three had score decreases.

The Education Exchange: Studying a Large-Scale Voucher Program in Colombia

In Colombia, a voucher program has awarded over 125,000 poor children scholarships to help them attend private high schools. Eric Bettinger of Stanford University talks with Paul Peterson about the program, which has been found to have positive long-term impacts on participating students, including better labor market outcomes.

EdStat: Between 2011 and 2015, Reading Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress Improved in 4 Trial Urban Districts

Which urban school districts have been moving in the right direction on NAEP?

What We’re Watching: NewSchools Venture Fund Summit 2018

The New Schools Venture Fund (NSVF) live-streamed sessions of its annual summit on Wednesday, February 9, 2018 starting at 11 am Eastern time.

EdStat: Under the New Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Savers in 529 Plans Can Withdraw up to $10,000 Per Year Free of Federal Taxes to Pay Tuition Expenses at an Elementary or Secondary Private School

In our current forum, Lindsey M. Burke argues that the Trump administration has already made some positive strides for the nation’s schools.

EdStat: According to the Understanding America Study, 47 Percent of U.S. Adults Support Charter Schools

Our 2017 EdNext poll reported a sharp drop in support for new charter schools, but is public opinion bouncing back?

In the News: Wanted – Big-City School Superintendents

About a dozen big cities are at this moment trying to hire new school superintendents.

EdStat: Between 2011 and 2015, Reading Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress Improved in 19 States

Which states are on a hot streak coming into the 2017 NAEP release on April 10?

EdNext Podcast: One University Enters Innovative New Territory in Online Learning

Georgia Tech already offered a highly regarded master’s degree in computer science. In 2014, the school added a fully online version of the degree. In this episode, Josh Goodman joins Marty West to discuss the impact of the program.

EdStat: Georgia Tech’s Online Master’s Degree Program in Computer Science Costs About $7,000

The online degree costs less than one-sixth of the $45,000 that out-of-state students pay to enroll in the same program in person.

The Education Exchange: Checking In on Support for Charter Schools

Results from a survey released last week showed that support for charter schools has come back up after a sharp drop last year. In this week’s episdode, Nina Rees of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss what might have caused support for charters to dip and then rise and to consider the results of some recent studies on charter schools.

35 Years Ago This Month, the National Commission on Excellence in Education Released “A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform”

Reflecting on the “35 pages that shook the US education world [and became] one of the most significant documents in the history of American public education.”

EdStat: 1,700 Students Begin a Computer-Science Master’s Degree Through Georgia Tech’s Online Program Each Year

Georgia Tech’s online program is the largest computer-science master’s degree program in the United States—and possibly the world.

In the News: Apple Tries to Regain Education Market Share With iPad Changes

One day before the Apple announcement, Google announced the release of a new tablet for schools that will cost the same amount as Apple’s new iPad, $329

EdStat: Between 2011 and 2015, Math Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress Declined in 20 States

What changes will be revealed on April 10 when the 2017 NAEP results are released?

EdNext Podcast: Charter Schools and Teacher Retirement Benefits

In some states, charter schools can design their own retirement plans for teachers. In this episode, Michael Podgursky, professor of economics at the University of Missouri–Columbia, joins Marty West to discuss what we can learn from charter innovation in this area.

EdStat: Only 54 Percent of School Principals Rate Their Teachers’ Understanding of How Children Learn as “Moderately” or “Very” Good

Though teachers are required to learn some basic principles of psychology as part of their training, many report that their education is too theoretical.

What We’re Watching: Charter Schools – Expanding Opportunity or Reinforcing Divides?

On Thursday, March 29 at 5:30 pm, the Harvard Graduate School of Education hosted an Askwith Debate on whether charter schools enahnce or undermine equity.

In 2015, 14 Percent of U.S. College Students Were Enrolled in Online-Only Programs

Who takes online classes? Does online education simply substitute for in-person education or does it serve students who would not otherwise enroll in an educational program?

The Education Exchange: Looking Beyond Test Scores

School choice researchers are finding that vouchers may impact student test scores and later attainment outcomes in different ways. In this episode, Patrick Wolf joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss why researchers should consider other outcomes besides test scores when evaluating school choice programs.

EdStat: West Virginia Teachers Secured a 5 Percent Pay Raise by Striking

Maybe we need to rethink how teachers’ pay schedules are structured.

EdStat: Only 36 Percent of the Public Think the Federal Government Should Play the Largest Role in Setting Educational Standards

Opinion has shifted modestly away from federal control toward local control over the past two years.

In the News: Extensive Data Shows Punishing Reach of Racism for Black Boys

A new study led by researchers from Stanford, Harvard, and the Census Bureau, finds that white boys who grow up rich are likely to remain that way. Black boys raised at the top, however, are more likely to become poor than to stay wealthy in their own adult households.

EdStat: The West Virginia Teachers’ Strike Lasted 9 Days

Could labor activism mean that unions are getting weaker?

In the News: I’d Be an ‘A’ Student if I Could Just Read My Notes

When college professors ban laptops, students complain about hand cramps and an inability to read their own handwritten notes.

EdStat: Children Whose Parents Receive Public Assistance Hear Less Than One Third of the Words Encountered by Higher-Income Peers by Age 3

The children of highly educated parents are capable of more complex speech and have more extensive vocabularies before they even start school.

EdNext Podcast: Could Voice-Activated Technology Transform the Classroom?

As the use of smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo becomes widespread in homes, some wonder whether voice-activated technology technology could prove useful in the classroom. Michael Horn joins Marty West to discuss how this might work and what the challenges might be.

In the News: A Better Way to Increase Teachers’ Pay

The 5 percent increase in pay secured by striking teachers in West Virginia might seem reasonable; the problem is that no effort has been made to transform the way teacher salary schedules work, Reihan Salam argues.

School Choice Conference at Harvard, April 19, 2018

Learning from the long-term effects of school choice

EdStat: By 2016, 44 States Had Passed Legislation Mandating Major Teacher Evaluation Reforms

Have these new evaluation systems had a net positive or negative effect on our nation’s schools?

What We’re Watching: How Far Do Students Travel to Get to School?

Researchers from the Urban Institute have released a study looking at how long it takes students to travel from home to school in five different cities where families have a significant amount of educational choice.

The Education Exchange: Latino Views on Politics and Education

In this episode, David L. Leal, professor at the University of Texas, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss how Latinos vote, what Latinos think of their kids’ schools, and whether the views of Latinos differ significantly from the views of other Americans.

EdStat: 6,440 New Mexico Students Passed Advanced Placement Exams in 2016

In New Mexico, the number of AP test-takers grew from 7,636 in 2010 to 10,756 in 2016, and the number of students passing the tests increased from 5,266 in 2010 to 6,440 in 2016.

EdStat: Being Exposed to a Duty-to-Bargain Law for All 12 Years of Schooling Reduces Male Earnings by Almost $1,500 Per Year

“Duty-to-bargain” laws require school districts to negotiate with teachers unions in good faith.

EdStat: 61 Percent of Respondents Liked the New California School Dashboard Accountability Site

According to a recent Pace and USC Rossier poll, 61 percent of respondents had a positive impression of the California School Dashboard.

In the News: Colorado’s High Court – There’s No Such Thing as Teacher Tenure

The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled in a case brought by teachers who were unhappy with a new law that makes it possible for experienced teachers to be put on unpaid leave if no schools want to give them a job.

EdStat: Charter Schools Received $3,509 Less on Average in Annual Funding per Student Than District Schools in 2011

Even though charter schools and district schools receive equal funding from the state, charters generally receive less funding per student.

EdNext Podcast: A Reformer’s Legacy in New Mexico

“As public education secretary of New Mexico, Hanna Skandera dug in fast, set an ambitious agenda, and broke a lot of china.” So writes Michael McShane in a new article for Education Next about Skandera’s seven years of leadership. Michael McShane joins Marty West to discuss the lessons education reformers can learn from Skandera’s successes and challenges.

EdStat: 71 Percent of New Mexico’s Teachers Rated Effective or Better

The state’s new evaluation system has been especially effective at differentiating teachers by the skillfulness of their work.

In the News: Are iPhones Bad for Kids?

In the New York Times, Pamela Druckerman reviews two books on parenting and screen time. Mike Petrilli reviewed the same two books, by Anya Kamenetz and Naomi Schaefer Riley, for Ed Next last month.

The Education Exchange: The Long-term Effects of Voucher Programs

Three new studies released by the Urban Institute look at how private school choice has affected nearly 13,000 students in three different states.

Matt Chingos of the Urban Institute joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss what we’re learning about how school choice participants do when it comes to college enrollment and graduation.

EdStat: 58% of Less-Educated White Respondents Think the Number of Skilled Immigrant Visas Should be Decreased

In our 2017 EdNext poll, we asked respondents if the number of visas for skilled workers should be increased, decreased, or kept about the same

EdStat: The Suspension Rate for Children Living with Just One Parent or Guardian is 10.2%

Children ages 12 to 17 who live with just one parent or guardian are at a higher risk of school suspension than their peers living in a two-parent household.

EdStat: 46 Percent of the General Public Support Merit Pay for Teachers

According to the 2017 EdNext poll, support for merit pay for teachers among the general public has dropped from 67 percent in 2010 to 46 percent in 2017.

What We’re Watching: No One Way to School – Educational Pluralism and Why it Matters

In this TEDx talk, Ashley Berner makes the case for educational pluralism in the U.S., rather than a school system built around the idea of uniformity.

EdStat: 2.3 Percent of U.S. Children Have a Parent in Federal or State Prison

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 2.3 percent of U.S. children have a parent in federal or state prison.

EdNext Podcast: 50 Year Old Curriculum Still Works

A new meta-analysis documents a half-century of “strong positive results” for Direct Instruction. Robert Pondiscio of the Fordham Institute joins Marty West to talk about Direct Instruction, which he calls “the Rodney Dangerfield of education. It gets no respect.”

EdStat: 93 Percent of Charters Opting Out of State Pension Plans Offer an Alternative

When charter schools opt out of state retirement plans, they usually offer their teachers an alternative.

In the News: Will Better Civics Classes Lead to a Better America? Don’t Count on It

In a column for the Washington Post, Jay Mathews challenges the view that the renewed interest in governing caused by the election might lead to better teaching and greater civic virtue.

The Education Exchange: The ABCs of School Choice

Paul DiPerna, the vice president of research and innovation for EdChoice, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss “The ABC’s of School Choice,” a comprehensive guide to school choice programs in the U.S.

EdStat: 51 Percent of Parents Support Homeschooling

According to the 2017 EdNext Poll, 51 percent of parents support homeschooling, while just 29 percent oppose it.

EdStat: 76 Percent of Indiana’s Private Schools Participate in the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program

Roughly 76 percent of Indiana’s private schools take part in the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, including almost 100 percent of Indiana’s Catholic schools.

EdStat: States’ Teacher Pension Plans Are Now Underfunded by $500 Billion

States’ teacher pension plans have been managed so poorly that they’re now underfunded by $500 billion.

The Spring 2018 Issue of Education Next is here!

In the Spring 2018 issue cover story, we present evidence on the spillover effects of charter schools on nearby district-school students.

EdStat: 19 Percent of Arizona Public-School Students Were Enrolled in Charter Schools in 2014

With 19 percent of its public-school students enrolled in charter schools, Arizona was the state with the highest percentage of charter-school students in 2014.

EdStat: 19 States Permit Charter Schools to Opt Out of State Retirement Plans

In 19 states, charter schools can offer their teachers an alternative to state retirement plans.

EdNext Podcast: Oral Arguments Heard by Supreme Court in Janus v. AFSCME

Josh Dunn, an associate professor of political science at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the Supreme Court’s oral arguments on Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.

The Education Exchange: Will School Choice Continue to Grow in 2018?

The number of states with school choice programs and the number of students who are able to take advantage of these programs have roughly doubled since 2010. What will happen on the school choice front in 2018? Paul E. Peterson talks with John Schilling of the American Federation for Children, which promotes school choice by promoting legislation and trying to help elect candidates who support choice.

EdStat: 44% of the Public Oppose Agency Fees

Forty-four percent of the public oppose the practice of requiring teachers to pay fees to unions they choose not to join, while just 37% support the practice.

In the News: Supreme Court to Hear Case on Unions, Non-Member Financial Requirements

On Monday, February 26, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Janus vs. AFSCME, a case that could deal a potentially crippling blow to public sector unions.

EdStat: 48 Percent of Parents Support Testing Preschool Students

Even though controversy has sprung up around the new International Early Learning and Child Well-Being Study, our 2017 EdNext poll found that 48 percent of parents support requiring students in publicly funded preschool programs to take state tests.

EdStat: $1,220 per Pupil Was Spent by School Districts on Teachers’ Pension Benefits in 2017

Pension costs, excluding Social Security and retiree health insurance, have grown from $520 per student in 2004 to $1,220 today.

EdStat: 34,299 Students Receive Vouchers Through the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program

Launched in 2011, the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program is the nation’s largest voucher program, accounting for nearly 20 percent of all voucher students nationwide.

EdNext Podcast: Charter School Growth was Booming. What Happened?

There’s been a decline in the number of new charter schools opening and a slowing of growth in overall enrollment in charter schools. Robin Lake joins Marty West to discuss her research into some possible reasons for the decline, focusing on the San Francisco area.

Education Exchange: Helping Teens Develop a Sense of Purpose

Do teens need a sense of purpose? William Damon of the Stanford Center on Adolescence says that developing a sense of purpose is one of the most important but overlooked aspects of adolescent development. He talks with Paul Peterson about his his work on how we develop a sense of purpose and what schools can do to help.

In the News: Douglas County Schools Must Pay the Private Education Costs of Student Who Has Autism, Judge Rules

In 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District that public school students with disabilities are entitled to greater benefits than some lower courts had determined.

EdNext Podcast: Getting Tough on Screen Time

We don’t yet know what the long-term effects are of kids spending so many hours in front of screens. Many parents struggle to set reasonable boundaries around screen time, and some seem to have given up the fight. Marty West talks with Naomi Schaefer Riley about the challenges of limiting screen time for our kids and why parents might want to try harder.

What We’re Watching: Is Education Worth It?

On February 15, AEI hosted a debate over the value of education. Bryan Caplan, author of The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money, took on Eric Hanushek.

In the News: The Majority of California Parents Like New State Report Card

A new poll released by USC and PACE finds that voters in California have a positive view of the state’s dashboard approach to accountability.

The Education Exchange: Racial Diversity in a Boston Charter School

Boston Collegiate Charter School is the most diverse school in Boston. Paul E. Peterson talks with Richard Whitmire about what makes the school so special and how the school has managed to attract such a diverse population.

EdNext Podcast: Charter Schools in the Real Wild West

In many western states, charter schools operate with little regulation or oversight. Matt Ladner joins Marty West on the podcast to defend this approach to charter school policy.

In the News: Inside the $28,000-a-year private school where children of tech workers learn to become the next Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk

BASIS runs a small handful of private schools in addition to its 25 public charter schools.

The Education Exchange: Can District-Charter Collaborations Succeed?

Conflict between school districts and charter schools is not inevitable, argues Ashley Jochim. Paul Peterson talks with Jochim about the factors that allow some school districts to collaborate with charter schools.

In the News: How One High-Poverty District Is Adding Virtual Reality to its Classrooms

In the Hechinger Report, Eleanor Chute visits a school district in western Pennsylvania that is using virtual reality as a learning tool.

EdNext Podcast: Spillover Effects of Charter Schools

The political debate over charter schools often turns on their impact on students in traditional district schools. Marty West talks with Sarah Cordes about her new research on this topic.

The Education Exchange: School District Turnaround in Massachusetts

State interventions to improve struggling local school districts have a mixed record, but in Lawrence, Massachusetts, a state takeover seems to be turning things around.

Paul E. Peterson talks with Beth Schueler about her new report, “School District Turnaround: Learning from Leadership in Lawrence, Massachusetts.”

What We’re Watching: Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act – Access and Innovation

At a Senate HELP committee hearing on innovation and improving access to higher ed, Mike Larsson testified about Match Beyond, a program which helps students from low-income households earn college degrees at affordable prices.

EdNext Podcast: Local Funds for Charter Schools

Charter schools have long fought to get their fair share of per pupil funding. Parker Baxter joins Marty West to discuss how two states have passed breakthrough laws mandating that charters have equitable access to local funds.

In the News: Online Courses Are Harming the Students Who Need the Most Help

Online courses offer many benefits to high achievers who are extremely motivated, but high schools across the country are increasingly steering struggling students into online courses.

What We’re Watching: Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act – Financial Aid Simplification and Transparency

At a hearing on student debt held last week by the Senate HELP Committee, Matt Chingos suggested some changes to the way student loans work.

The Education Exchange: Is America More Divided than Ever?

Morris Fiorina joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss his new book, which aims to correct the widespread assumption that Americans today are more polarized than ever.

What We’re Watching: School Discipline Reform – Hard Lessons from the Front Lines

On January 25 at 4 pm, the Fordham Institute will host a debate on school discipline reform. The focus will be on the impact of policies aimed at reducing suspensions.

In the News: A Very Bad Bargain

Does collective bargaining by teachers help or hurt students? An editorial in the Wall Street Journal refers readers to a recent study that tries to answer this question.

EdNext Podcast: How School Buildings Impact Teacher Collaboration

James Spillane joins EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss how school administrators can use classroom assignments to promote teacher interaction, which is the subject of his new article, “The Schoolhouse Network.”

The Education Exchange: A Dream of Equality

Gerard Robinson joins Paul Peterson to reflect on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King and the work of improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.

In the News: BPS Plan Would Eliminate Middle Schools

Superintendent Tommy Chang presented a plan to the Boston School Committee that would eliminate middle schools and change the grade configuration of other schools in Boston so that students only have to change schools once during their education.

What We’re Watching: Bush-Obama School Reform — Lessons Learned

On Tuesday, January 16, 2018, AEI hosted a conference on the past two decades of school reform. Panels discussed what we have learned about accountability, policy instruments, and Washington’s role.

In the News: iPhones and Children Are a Toxic Pair, Say Two Big Apple Investors

Two large investors are asking Apple to do more to address the overuse of cell phones by kids.

In the News: Trump Taps Stanford Researcher for NCES Commissioner

James (Lynn) Woodworth has been named the new commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics.

In the News: Schools Closed, Roads Clogged, Trains Delayed: Snowstorm Lashes New York City

A study by Josh Goodman challenges the conventional wisdom that the number of school days cancelled due to snow has a significant impact on student learning.

In the News: The Biggest Education Stories Of 2017 And 2018

Anya Kamenetz looks back at the top education moments in 2017 and she includes in her list the big, bipartisan plunge in support for charter schools which was revealed by the 2017 Education Next poll.

In the News: The Only Way to Keep Your Resolutions

A widely-shared New York Times piece about sticking with New Years resolutions suggests that some in the social emotional learning camp who have been busying themselves with trying to foster “grit” by teaching self-control may have been focusing on the wrong thing.

EdNext Podcast: Top EdNext Stories of 2017

EdNext editor in chief Marty West and senior editor Paul E. Peterson discuss the top Education Next articles of 2017.

In the News: What Really Happened At The School Where Every Graduate Got Into College

Half of the graduates missed more than three months of school last year, unexcused.

The Education Exchange: School Choice, Test Scores, and Non-Cognitive Skills

Some recent studies of the impact of school choice have found only a limited impact on academic achievement but larger positive effects on long-term outcomes like attainment and earnings. What could account for this? In this episode of the podcast, Paul talks with Marty West about his new working paper on the impact of school choice on non-cognitive skills.

In the News: The Charter-School Crusader

Eva Moskowitz, Success Academy, and the growth of charter school networks more generally are the subject of a thoughtful essay by Elizabeth Green in the Atlantic.

EdNext Podcast: Later School Start Times for Teens in Boston

Earlier this month, the Boston School Committee announced that it would start high schools later and elementary schools earlier so that teenagers can get the sleep they need. Marty West talks with Finley Edwards, the author of “Do Schools Begin Too Early?” about his findings that later school start times increase student achievement in math and reading and have many other benefits.

The Top 10 Education Next Blog Entries of 2017

Every year we publish a list of the most popular entries on the Education Next blog as determined by readership.

The Education Exchange: Dispelling Myths about CTE

What kind of students choose career and technical education? In this episode, Paul E. Peterson talks with Albert Cheng, the author of a new paper that finds that the students who choose CTE may not be as engaged in their academic courses but have strong non-cognitive skills. Other studies find that CTE may boost attainment and improve labor market outcomes for students.

In the News: Boston School Committee Approves New Start Times, Then Changes Mind

High school students in Boston will get to sleep later next year, the Boston Globe reports. Most high schools will start at or after 8:00 am.

In the News: Teacher Professional Development – Many Choices, Few Quality Checks

Teachers in most states need to earn a certain number of professional development credits in order to renew their licenses, but as Stephen Sawchuk explains in Ed Week’s Teacher magazine, what we have today is “a bewildering array of providers offering education credits” and nobody in charge of ensuring quality.

EdNext Podcast: Why This Mom Sent Her Son to a Chinese School

Lenora Chu, an American journalist, decided to send her son to a local public school when she and her family relocated to Shanghai. In this episode of the podcast, she talks with Marty West about what she learned about the Chinese education system, which is also the topic of her new book, Little Soldiers: An American Boy, A Chinese School, and the Global Race to Achieve.

In the News: How Effective Is Your School District? A New Measure Shows Where Students Learn the Most

New data from researchers at Stanford allows us to see where students are making the largest gains from year to year. And an interactive graphic created by the New York Times lets readers click on individual school districts to see how they are doing.

The Education Exchange: Chris Cerf on a New Chapter for School Reform in Newark

The state of New Jersey is returning to the city of Newark the power to run its school system. Chris Cerf, who served as state superintendent of New Jersey and then district superintendent of Newark, joins Paul Peterson to talk about the changes that have taken place in the Newark school district and what lies ahead.

Last year, EdNext published “Continuing Change in Newark: To Protect Reform, Chris Cerf Builds Collaborative Relationships,” by Richard Lee Colvin.

What We’re Watching: How Did Massachusetts Pull Off Its Educational Miracle?

On December 7, 2017, Fordham hosted a discussion with David Driscoll, the man behind many of the reforms that led to the Massachusetts Miracle, and the author of a new book, Commitment and Common Sense: Leading Education Reform in Massachusetts.

What We’re Watching: Rural Education in America – Challenges and Promise

On Thursday, December 7, 2017, starting at 9 am, AEI hosts a day-long research conference on rural education.

What We’re Watching: A Little Help Goes a Long Way in Doubling the Community College Grad Rates

Soledad O’Brien reports on the ASAP program, an innovative program of wrap-around support services launched at CUNY.

In the News: A Bright Spot in School Diversity

Three charter schools in Washington, D.C. that are “diverse by design,” aiming to attract students of all races, are the subject of an article in US News.

In the News: Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.

The research is unequivocal: Laptops distract from learning, both for users and for those around them.

EdNext Podcast: How Teacher Expectations Directly Impact Students

The expectations teachers have for how far students will go with their education have an impact on how much education those students actually complete. And white teachers have lower expectations for black students than for similarly situated white students.

To better understand these dynamics, Marty West talks with Seth Gershenson about his new study, “The Power of Teacher Expectations: How racial bias hinders student attainment,” co-authored with Nicholas Papageorge.

The Winter 2018 Issue of EdNext Is Here!

The cover of the Winter 2018 issue features the 2017 EdNext Poll on School Reform.

What We’re Watching: Examining the State Role in Financing Public Schools

On Wednesday, November 29, 2017, the Urban Institute hosted a panel discussion on school finance policies and inequality.

The Education Exchange: How Safe Do Students Feel in School?

Daniel Hamlin talks with Paul E. Peterson about his research on whether there’s any difference in student perception of safety between district and charter schools in Detroit.

In the News: How to Get Your Mind to Read

Americans are not good readers, but the cause is not smartphones; it’s how schools teach reading.

In the News: Is DeVos Near Ending School Discipline Reform After Talks on Race, Safety?

Last week, officials from the U.S. Department of Education met with critics of school discipline policies that were put in place under the Obama administration.

In the News: ‘Teacher of the Year’ Voted New Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools

Jason Kamras, the 2005 National Teacher of the Year, will be the next superintendent of Richmond Public Schools.

What We’re Watching: Better Buses — Three Ways to Improve School Transportation

Bellwether Education Partners believes we need to think differently about school transportation. In this 3-minute video they explain what needs to change.

The Education Exchange: Should Unions Sell Health Care?

Michael Podgursky joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the role of public sector unions in negotiating and sometimes even selling health care and other benefits to their members.

In the News: Can These New Colleges Help Solve Higher Education’s Equity Problem?

Sometimes called hybrid colleges, these programs aim to help low-income students earn college degrees.

In the News: Who’s Ready to Put Their Kid on a Self-Driving School Bus?

A driverless taxi service will soon be up and running in a suburb of Phoenix. Will self-driving school buses be next?

EdNext Podcast: Local Election, National Setback for School Choice

On election day last week, voters in Douglas County, Colorado elected a slate of school board members who want to undo the reforms embraced by the last board.

Max Eden joins Marty West to discuss the results of the election, and in particular, what they mean for school choice efforts nationwide.

In the News: Common Core Tests Were Supposed to Usher in a New Era of Comparing America’s Schools. What Happened?

Seven years after the Common Core standards were introduced, not much progress has been made in pulling together data from Common Core-aligned tests in different states that would allow researchers to make comparisons across states, Matt Barnum notes in an article for Chalkbeat.

What We’re Watching: Improving Career and Technical Education by Reforming High Schools and Community Colleges

On Wednesday, November 15, 2017 AEI hosted two panel discussions on new ways to prepare students for the world of work.

The Education Exchange: A Master’s Degree from a Top University at a Fraction of the Cost

Josh Goodman of the Harvard Kennedy School sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss a new master’s degree in computer science offered by Georgia Tech. The computer science department, one of the top 10 programs in the country, has set up a flexible, online program for working adults that charges only 1/6 of what an in-person master’s degree costs.

In the News: The Charter School Breakthrough Doesn’t Work for Boys

While researching what happens to graduates of top charter schools when they go to college, Richard Whitmire noticed a gender gap in the performance of the students.

What We’re Watching: Millennials in Ed Reform

As millennials grow up and become parents, find schools for their kids, and move into positions of leadership, what’s apt to change on the education reform front? The Fordham Institute and the Walton Family Foundation are convening a panel to discuss this on November 14 at 4 pm.

What We’re Watching: Outcomes and Challenges in US Cities with Public School Choice

On November 14, the Brown Center at Brookings and CRPE will host two panels on the current state of public school choice in our nation’s cities.

EdNext Podcast: Changing How We Study Summer Learning Loss

David Quinn joins Marty West to discuss how researchers analyze summer learning loss and how it varies by student background.

In the News: Why Do Some New York City Schools Get to Choose Their Students?

In New York City, roughly a quarter of the city’s middle schools and a third of high schools screen applicants based on their grades, test scores, artistic talents and other criteria.

In the News: Anti-Reform Candidates Sweep the Slate in the Douglas County School Board Election

The anti-voucher candidates were victors in the Douglas County School Board election last night,, effectively killing the district’s voucher program.

In the News: AltSchool to Close Elementary School in Manhattan’s East Village

AltSchool will close three of their seven private “micro-schools” and focus on developing their software platform.

The Education Exchange: The Impact of School Choice on School District Resources

Martin Lueken of EdChoice and Benjamin Scafidi of Kennesaw State University sit down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss their reasearch on the effect of the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program on school district resources.

In the News: How Silicon Valley Plans to Conquer the Classroom

The New York Times looks at the ways tech companies woo superintendents to get them to buy hardware and software.

In the News: ‘Hamilton’ Education Program Brings New Energy to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hit Musical

“EduHam” is now in Los Angeles, where over 7,800 high school students will get the opportunity to see the touring production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway hit.

What We’re Watching: Dan Willingham on Reading Comprehension

Dan Willingham explains why reading comprehension tests don’t actually test reading comprehension.

EdNext Podcast: The Education of Eva Moskowitz

Eva Moskowitz, the founder of Success Academy Charter Network, joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss her new memoir, The Education of Eva Moskowitz, and the role of charter schools in New York City.

In the News: A Student Loan Nightmare — The Teacher in the Wrong Payment Plan

Welcome to the world of student loans and debt forgiveness for teachers, a patchwork of overlapping programs, contradictory regulations, and expensive subsidies.

The Education Exchange: Why is Opposition to Charter Schools Growing?

Demand for seats in charter schools remains high among families but public enthusiasm for continued growth of the charter sector seems to be slipping.

Jason Riley, Wall Street Journal columnist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss where the opposition to charter schools is coming from.

What We’re Watching: Over a Million Teachers Aren’t Covered by Social Security

Why are so many teachers not covered by social security? The answers are in this explainer created by TeacherPensions.org

In the News: Gates Foundation Announces New $1.7B for K-12

Last week, Bill Gates delivered a speech in which he described some new priorities for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

EdNext Podcast: Innovative University Gets Yellow Light from DOE

Western Governors University has earned praise for its innovative model of competency-based learning. But the U.S. Department of Education’s Inspector General has called for the government to bar WGU students from federal student aid programs.

In this episode, Michael Horn of the Christensen Institute joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the WGU model and why a government audit found it wanting.

The Education Exchange: Which Voucher Models Should Be Expanded?

Dennis Epple, Professor of Economics at the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how states can expand their school choice programs, and whether those programs have been effective.

In the News: Expert Advice on Schools Is a New Kind of Employee Perk

In New Orleans, a nonprofit called EdNavigator helps low-income parents support and advocate for their children at school. EdNavigator’s services are paid for by employers who then offer them to their employees as a free benefit.

In the News: How Teach for America Lost Its Way

In Commentary, Sohrab Ahmari makes the case that Teach for America, once a leading light of the education reform movement, has now transformed itself into an arm of the progressive movement.

What We’re Watching: A Year of Love and Struggle at Ron Brown College Prep

In August 2016, a new public school opened in Washington, D.C. specifically to meet the needs of boys of color. A three-part audio documentary looks at how things went for the students and the school in its first year.

What We’re Watching: Bill Gates Keynote at the Annual Conference of the Council of the Great City Schools

On October 19, 2017 at 12:30, Bill Gates delivered the keynote address at the 61st Annual Conference of the Council of the Great City Schools.

EdNext Podcast: Using Technology to Advance Student Learning

Tom Vander Ark joins Marty West to discuss the benefits of technology in schools and why it would be a mistake to reject the use of computers in the classroom.

In the News: Eli Broad, Giant of Education Philanthropy, is Retiring

Last week, Eli Broad announced that he would be retiring from his work at the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in order to spend more time with his family.

The Education Exchange: Free Freshman Year of College

Steve Klinsky, founder and CEO of ModernStates.org, joins Paul Peterson to discuss his new charity, which offers students up to 40 transferrable college credits for free.

In the News: ‘Open’ Curricula Offerings Expand to Social Studies

The Core Knowledge Foundation has released a free online social studies curriculum for grades 3 to 5.

EdNext Podcast: Getting Screen Time Right in Schools

How does the current array of technology in schools fit with the ages-old aspiration of forming thoughtful and reflective young men and women who will strive for a greater good beyond themselves? That’s the question Daniel Scoggin raises in his half of a new Education Next forum, “Should We Limit Screen Time in School?”

The Education Exchange: Charter School Performance in New York City

Margaret Raymond, director of CREDO at Stanford University, sits down with Paul Peterson to discuss CREDO’s latest study on charter schools in New York City.

In the News: Turning “STEM” into “STEAM” Is Counterproductive to Protecting Arts Education

Jay Greene argues that supporters of arts education are making a mistake when they try to sell the idea of integrating arts education into the study of science, technology, engineering and math.

In the News: Hispanic Dropout Rate Hits New Low, College Enrollment at New High

New data from the Census Bureau show that the high school dropout rate among U.S. Hispanics has fallen to a new low, and that the reduction has come alongside a long-term increase in Hispanic college enrollment.

EdNext Podcast: K-12 Tax Credit Scholarships Boost College Enrollment in Florida

A new study from the Urban Institute finds that a Florida program designed to expand access to private schools has helped more low income students enroll in college. Matt Chingos, one of the authors of the study, talks with Marty West about how the Florida Tax Credit scholarship program works, how the effects of the program were studied, and how his findings fit in with those of other studies of voucher and tax credit programs.

What We’re Watching: A Keynote and Conversation with Eva Moskowitz

Eva Moskowitz, the CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, was at AEI on Tuesday, October 3 to talk with Rick Hess about her battles to reform America’s education system, the topic of her new book.

In the News: If Your Teacher Looks Like You, You May Do Better In School

Carl Boisrond of NPR describes the findings of a new study that looks more closely at the impact on students of having a teacher of the same race.

The Education Exchange: Giving Teachers Valuable Feedback and Rewards for Improvement

Former Chancellor of Washington, D.C. public schools and founder of StudentsFirst Michelle Rhee sits down with Paul Peterson to discuss some of the changes she helped enact in the nation’s capital.

In the News: Supreme Court Poised to Deal a Sharp Blow to Unions for Teachers and Public Employees

The Supreme Court announced Thursday that it will hear a case involving the agency fees that teachers and other public employees are required to pay to unions even if they choose not to join the unions.

What We’re Watching: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos Speaks at Harvard

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos spoke at the IOP Forum at the Kennedy School at Harvard on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017

In the News: Denver’s Ambitious Home Visit Program Works to Build Bridges Between Parents and Teachers

In Denver, teachers from the Denver Public Schools have visited hundreds of students and their families at home in the weeks since school started.

EdNext Podcast: How Districts Can Make Smart Ed-Tech Purchases

Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates, visits the podcast to give some insider tips on how school districts can get the most out of education technology and avoid paying too much for it.

What We’re Watching: Has K–12 Education Fallen for a Testing Charade?

On Wednesday, September 27, 2017, AEI hosted Dan Koretz, whose new book is The Testing Charade: Pretending to Make Schools Better. Discussing the book were Nina Rees and Russ Whitehurst. Rick Hess moderated.

The Education Exchange: Teacher Absences Greater in District Than Charter Schools

A new Fordham report finds that 28% of teachers in traditional district schools miss more than 10 school days a year for sick or personal leave while teachers in charter schools have lower rates absences.

David Griffith of the Fordham Institute talks with Paul Peterson about the report and about where teacher absence rates are high and low.

In the News: Innovation Schools Saw Some of the Largest Gains on ISTEP in Indianapolis Public Schools

In Indianapolis, many of the schools that saw the biggest gains in passing rates on state tests were innovation schools, which have been given full autonomy.

In the News: Common Core Used Widely, Despite Continuing Debate

While there is disagreement over whether the Common Core standards are improving student performance, most states that adopted the standards are still using them.

In the News: After More Than 20 Years, Newark to Regain Control of Its Schools

In 1995, the state of New Jersey took control of the public schools in Newark.

EdNext Podcast: The Consequences of Chronic Absenteeism

Brian A. Jacob of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan joins EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the causes and consequences of chronic absenteeism in schools.

Betsy DeVos to Speak at School Choice Conference at Harvard

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will deliver the keynote address at “The Future of School Choice” on September 28, 2017

The Education Exchange: Students Control the Learning at Summit Schools

Diane Tavenner, CEO of Summit Schools, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss how Summit has spent the past 15 years building a school model around what we know about what motivates students, how they learn, and what they need to be able to do.

What We’re Watching: Legacy of Justice Antonin Scalia on C-SPAN

On Friday, Sept. 15th, the Hoover Institution hosted “Scalia’s Constitution: Essays on Law and Education,” an event that was later broadcast by C-SPAN.

In the News: U-Va. Chooses Law School Alumnus, Harvard Dean As Its Next President

Jim Ryan, currently dean of the Harvard Graduate School of education and a scholar of law and education, will be U.Va.’s next president.

In the News: Minimum Progress for Students with Disabilities ‘Preposterous,’ Betsy DeVos Says in Denver

On Day 2 of her multistate “Rethink School” tour, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos called on schools to work with parents to better serve students with special needs.

In the News: Colleges Need To Do More To Help Students Transfer Credits, GAO Says

A report released by the Government Accountability Office finds that college students who transfer from one school to another lose nearly half of the college credits they earned.

What We’re Watching: Event on Scalia’s Constitution – Essays on Law and Education

On Friday, Sept. 15th, the Hoover Institution hosted “Scalia’s Constitution: Essays on Law and Education,” an event organized by the Harvard Program on Education Policy and Government.

EdNext Podcast: What If the Government Regulated Schools But Did Not Run Them?

In earlier days, and in other countries, the government is the regulator of schools and provides quality control but does not directly operate all schools. This version of public education may better reflect American democracy, Ashley Berner notes. She joins Marty West to discuss pluralism and public education in this week’s episode of the EdNext podcast.

The Fall 2017 Issue of Education Next is Here!

The Fall 2017 cover article details how Western Governors University pioneered a competency-based approach to higher education.

In the News: Schools Around the US Are Finally Pushing Back Their Start Times — and It’s Working

In Business Insider, Chris Waller writes about some schools and districts that have changed their bell schedules so that teenagers start school later.

The Education Exchange: Are Too Many Students Choosing Four-Year Universities?

Stanford University’s Rick Hanushek joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss whether too many students are attending four-year universities instead of two-year institutions in higher education, and how to help students get the skills they need in the workforce.

In the News: Betsy DeVos Could Change Sexual Assault Policy for the Better

DeVos’s announcement that the Education Department will review Obama-era guidance on campus sexual assault has prompted strong reactions.

In the News: Common, Timberlake, U2 and Hayek Join Friday’s ‘Super School Live’ TV Special

Tonight at 8 pm, lots of celebrities will be participating in an hour-long live tv show about reinventing American high schools.

Sloane Stephens on Attending a Virtual School

Sloane Stephens beat Venus Williams yesterday to make it to the finals of the U.S. Open. As a high schol student she spoke with EdNext about attending Florida Virtual School.

EdNext Podcast: Curriculum Is Key in Louisiana

Robert Pondiscio joins Marty West to discuss the curriculum-driven reform efforts led by the Louisiana Department of Education.

The Education Exchange: Public Opinion on Teacher Quality

The 2017 Education Next poll asked the public, parents, and teachers what share of teachers at your local public school are excellent, good, satisfactory and unsatisfactory.

In the News: Do ‘No-Excuses’ Charter Schools Lead to Success after High School? At One High-Profile Network, the Answer Seems To Be Yes

Many no excuses charter schools have high test scores, but critics are often skeptical that those scores will translate into outcomes that really matter.

EdNext Podcast: Should Laptops Be Allowed in College Classrooms?

Susan Payne Carter talks with Marty West about her new study which found that students whose professors banned laptops and tablets from class outperformed students whose professors allowed the devices.

In the News: Undergraduate Education Major, Banned for 56 Years, Returns

In the 1960s, the California legislature decided that aspiring teachers would have to major in an academic area other than education, but last week, Gov. Jerry Brown reversed that decision

The Education Exchange: Choosing Vouchers in North Carolina

Paul E. Peterson talks with Anna Egalite of N.C. State about her new study looking at why some private schools do and others don’t participate in North Carolina’s means-tested voucher program and also at how families make the decision about whether or not to use a school voucher.

In the News: City Will Move Sidelined Teachers From Limbo to Classrooms

New York City teachers who have not found permanent jobs will be moved from the “rubber room,” where they have been paid for not teaching, into schools with vacancies whether the schools want them or not.

In the News: Could the Dip Be a Blip?

In U.S. News, Rick Hess and Amy Cummings take a close look at the decline in support for charter schools found in last week’s EdNext poll.

EdNext Podcast: Which Parents Want a Four-Year College for their Children?

In the 2017 EdNext poll on school reform, parents were asked whether they would rather send their child to a two-year college, a four-year college, or neither. When respondents are given information about the costs and benefits of the different options, this changes the decisions of some respondents, but not others.

The Education Exchange: Should Muslim Students Be Allowed to Form Afterschool Religious Clubs?

Paul is joined by EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss findings from the new EdNext poll on school reform, which measured public support for the rights of Muslim students and of evangelical students to form afterschool religious clubs.

In the News: The Oldest Kids in the Class May Get an Edge in College Admissions

A new study evaluates whether students who are the oldest in their class have an advantage over their younger peers.

In the News: Why Principals Lie to Ineffective Teachers — Honesty Takes Too Long

In the Washington Post, Jay Mathews considers whether any progress has been made in fixing the teacher evaluation systems that generally result in all teachers being rated satisfactory.

What We’re Watching: Discussing the 2017 EdNext Poll on School Reform

On Friday, Sept. 8, Education Next held an event at the Hoover Institution in Washington, D.C., to discuss the results of the 2017 EdNext Poll.

What We’re Watching: Bill Gates Talks with the 2017 Washington State Teacher of the Year

Bill Gates sits down with Camille Jones, who teaches STEAM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math– at Pioneer Elementary in Quincy, a small farming town in Central Washington.

In the News: How Does the ‘Trump Effect’ Change the Public’s View of Education?

Andrew Ujifusa writes about one of the more interesting findings from the new EdNext survey on the Politics K-12 blog.

EdNext Podcast: Poll Finds Decline in Support for Charter Schools

The podcast returns from summer vacation early so that EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West can discuss some key findings from the 2017 EdNext Poll with senior editor Paul E. Peterson.

In the News: Americans May Be More Tolerant of Muslims Than Ever

A just-released survey by Education Next finds that “Americans May Be More Tolerant of Muslims than Ever.”

In the News: Hispanic Students Need Degree Data

Hispanic students are more likely than other undergraduates to be enrolled in a two-year college rather than a four-year university.

The Education Exchange: Hanna Skandera and School Reform in New Mexico

Former New Mexico Secretary of Education Hanna Skandera joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how she approached education reform and what she accomplished in nearly seven years on the job.

In the News: Seeing Hope for Flagging Economy, West Virginia Revamps Vocational Track

Dana Goldstein looks at efforts to retool and expand vocational education, now called career and technical education, in West Virginia in a front-page story for the New York Times.

What We’re Watching: Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the Road Ahead

HBCUs have been in the news this week. A panel at AEI looks at the state of historically black colleges and universities and what challenges and opportunities await them.

In the News: How New York Stopped Being the Nation’s Education Reform Capital

Politico’s Eliza Shapiro looks at what has happened to education reform in New York over the past three years.

In the News: Why All Parents Should Care About Arts Education

In an article for the Washington Post, Jill Coody Smiths describes some ways schools are exposing kids to the arts and discusses some of the benefits of arts education.

In the News: The Pay Leaders Deserve

In U.S. News and World Report, Rick Hess responds to the Boston Globe’s revelation that Boston’s 16 charter-school leaders earned total compensation of $150,000 to $200,000 in 2016.

In the News: Cal State Will No Longer Require Placement Exams and Remedial Classes for Freshmen

The California State University system will no longer require less-prepared students to take remedial courses, the Chancellor’s office announced last week.

The Education Exchange: Qualified Teachers and Effective Teachers

Paul is joined by Stanford’s Eric Hanushek to discuss the California Board of Education’s plan to distinguish between qualified and effective teachers, which is part of the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act plan.

In The News: Who Gets Access to School Data? A Case Study in How Privacy, Politics & Budget Pressures Can Affect Education Research

Matt Barnum writes about a dispute over who can get access to data from Louisiana that can be used to evaluate the state’s voucher program.

What We’re Watching: Rick Hess Talks With Derrell Bradford

Rick Hess talks with Derrell Bradford of 50CAN about how he got into education advocacy work, what the work is like, and what keeps him going.

In the News: This Is the Wrong Way to Fight Inequality

What role should the government play in making the American dream available to all?

In the News: When Charter Schools Open, Neighboring Schools Get Better

A new study looks at the impact of co-location, the practice of allowing a charter school to open in the same building as a district public school.

In the News: Justice Dept. to Take On Affirmative Action in College Admissions

The Justice Department is preparing to investigate universities for racial discrimination in their affirmative action policies, reports Charlie Savage of the New York Times.

In the News: 90% of Parents Think Their Kids Are on Track in Math & Reading. The Real Number? Just 1 in 3, Survey Shows

A new national survey of parents investigates the communication gap between parents and schools.

In the News: Betsy DeVos Approves Delaware’s ESSA Plan, After Blowback

Earlier, the Trump Education Department had given Delaware some very critical feedback on the plan, which Mike Petrilli described as “a big unforced error.”

In the News: School Segregation Didn’t Go Away. It Just Evolved.

According to a recent report by EdBuild, over 70 communities have tried to secede from their school district since 2000.

The Education Exchange: Segregation in U.S. Schools

This week, Paul speaks to Gregorio Caetano and Vikram Maheshri about their paper, “Explaining Recent Trends in US School Segregation: 1988-2014.”

The Education Exchange: Trump’s School Choice Policies

This week, Paul talks to Charles Barone, the director of policy at Democrats for Education Reform, about the House Appropriation Committee’s decision to drop several of Donald Trump’s proposals to broaden school choice.

In the News: How Summer Vacation Took Hold in the U.S.

Many people think that school summer vacations are the legacy of an agrarian economy, but that’s mostly not true.

In the News: Together, Technology and Teachers Can Revamp Schools

The Economist has put education technology on its cover this week.

What We’re Watching: Who is Responsible for a Student’s Success: Parents or Teachers?

In this 60-second video produced by AEI, Rick Hess argues that a partnership is necessary for success. He describes how KIPP charter schools ask teachers, parents, and students to sign a contract in which they all take responsibility for whether the student succeeds.

In the News: Teachers With Student Debt: The Struggle, The Causes And What Comes Next

NPR conducted a survey of teachers to find out more about the problem of teachers with heavy student debt.

In the News: New York Schools for Off-Track Students May Face Stricter Rules

Transfer schools that fail to graduate enough students on time could be placed into receivership.

In the News: What Keeps Public School Parents Awake at Night?

When it comes to their children’s education, what are parents’ biggest concerns? Not academics.

The Education Exchange: Bill de Blasio and Mayoral Control

This week, Paul E. Peterson talks to Ester Fuchs, Professor of International and Public Affairs and Political Science at Columbia University, about Mayor Bill de Blasio and mayoral control of schools in New York City.

In the News: House Committee Considers Education Spending Bill That Trims Trump’s Cuts, Drops Funding for Private Choice

The bill to be considered includes a cut of about $2 billion made by eliminating Title II grants that support teacher professional development.

In the News: Yearlong Residencies for Teachers are the Hot New Thing in Teacher Prep. But Do They Work?

Year-long programs that allow teaching candidates to work alongside experienced teachers while learning how to teach don’t have much of a research base.

In the News: The Charter-School Equity Push

In Denver, a charter school network called STRIVE is working closely with Denver Public Schools to improve its ability to serve students with special needs and to enroll more of the students.

Introducing the Education Exchange, a New Podcast with Paul E. Peterson

Prof. Peterson discusses the Trinity Lutheran Supreme Court case with Stanford University professor Michael W. McConnell.

In the News: Teachers Union Adopts New, Anti-Charter School Policy

Delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly approved a policy statement on charter schools that aims to limit the growth of charter schools and regulate the schools more closely.

In the News: Specialized Summer Camps Mean More Enrichment for Kids

Summer is a popular time for opinion pieces calling for the end of summer vacation.

What We’re Watching: Senator Ben Sasse on ‘The Vanishing American Adult’

How can we teach our children to find honor in working hard instead of avoiding work? CBS News talks with Senator Ben Sasse about his new book.

In the News: How Are Schools Funded and Why Does It Matter?

Marguerite Roza is interviewed by Christine Schneider of the Walton Family Foundation about how school spending is related to efforts to improve schools.

In the News: Experiment Seeks to Transform Troubled Baltimore Schools as Federal Grants End

As the federal School Improvement Grants program winds down, a low-performing school in Baltimore is using one of the last grants to be given under the program.

In the News: Chan-Zuckerberg to Push Ambitious New Vision for Personalized Learning

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan will be investing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in “whole-child personalized learning.”

In the News: NEA Projects Losses in 2017-18. A Supreme Court Ruling Could Worsen Them

The National Education Association expects to lose about 20,000 dues-paying members next year, and the union could lose even more revenue in the future if the Supreme Court strikes down its ability to collect agency fees from teachers who choose not to join the union.

In the News: State Reaches Deal on Mayoral Control, Giving Mayor Bill de Blasio a Two-Year Extension

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s control over the city’s schools was about to expire when state lawmakers passed (and then the governor signed) legislation giving the mayor two more years to run the city’s schools.

What We’re Watching: Is Technology the Solution to Education Reform?

No, says Rick Hess in this 60-second video produced by AEI.

In the News: Is Harry Potter the Boy Who Saved Reading?

The first Harry Potter book was published 20 years ago this week. Have the books had a magic effect on reading rates?

What We’re Watching: Education and State Accountability

Ed Next’s Mike Petrilli participated in a panel at the Education Writers Association National Seminar on “Accountability and ESSA: Where Are States Headed?”

In the News: What Monday’s SCOTUS Ruling in Trinity Lutheran Preschool Case Could Mean for School Vouchers

The Supreme Court will hand down its final rulings of the term today, including the Trinity Lutheran case.

What We’re Watching: Making Sense of New Evidence on Private School Vouchers

On Monday, June 26 at 10:30 am, the Urban Institute will host an event focused on the release of new data from the Louisiana Scholarship Program.

In the News: Legislature Fails to Give Mayor de Blasio Control of Schools

In New York, the state legislature wrapped up its 2017 session without extending Mayor Bill de Blasio’s control over New York City’s schools.

In the News: Consumer Agency Condemns Abuses in Loan Forgiveness Program

A report released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns of problems with a federal program that forgives some student loans for people who take public service jobs.

In the News: Rethinking the Parent-Teacher Conference

In hundreds of schools, educators seek to build stronger relationships with parents and equip families with tools to reinforce classroom concepts at home.

What We’re Watching: Beware of Experts — Especially in Education Policy

In this 60-second video produced by AEI, Rick Hess reminds reformers to be skeptical because trusting the experts doesn’t always work out well in education policy.

In the News: Montessori Was the Original Personalized Learning. Now, 100 Years Later, Wildflower Is Reinventing the Model

Wildlflower Montessori, a micro-school in Cambridge, Mass. with 15 students, two teachers, and no principal, is one of 11 Wildflower schools in a loose network.

In the News: Stop Pretending You’re Not Rich

In an opinion piece for the New York Times, Richard Reeves gives an overview of the argument of his new book on the American upper middle class and how its members understand their own position.

In the News: No More Art, Music and Gym Tests Just to Grade Teachers?

In Ohio, the state superintendent has proposed that the state stop administering standardized tests in subjects like art, music, and gym.

In the News: Ending the Curse of Remedial Math

David Kirp looks at how CUNY is enrolling students in an intensive, counseling-heavy program that helps them quickly get on track to their degrees instead of getting bogged down in remedial courses.

In the News: Success Academy Wins 2017 Broad Prize

The prize goes to a charter network that demonstrates outstanding academic outcomes among low-income students and students of color.

Follow Education Next on LinkedIn

Not on Facebook? Twitter moving too fast? Find the best content in education reform where the change-makers are gathering to share what matters: Education Next is now on LinkedIn!

In the News: The Silicon Valley Billionaires Remaking America’s Schools

In the New York Times, Natasha Singer takes a skeptical look at the involvement of tech entrepreneurs in school reform efforts

EdNext Podcast: How Can Students Learn Better?

Researchers know more than ever before about how people learn, but our school systems struggle to translate this knowledge into student success.

In this episode, Ulrich Boser, the author of Learn Better, joins Marty West to discuss this paradox. Is the problem simply a failure of communication? Or is it deeper?

What We’re Watching: Can We Bridge the Research-to-Policy Divide?

On June 15, 2017 at 10 am, the Fordham Institute will host a discussion about why education research and education policy are often disconnected and what can be done to fix this.

In the News: Increasing Salaries So Teachers Don’t Have To Become Principals

Spencer Campbell was making too little money to live on when he was a classroom teacher so he left the classroom to be an administrator.

In the News: Report: Teacher Pension Promises Not Kept

A new report finds that pensions do little to attract new talent and even less to retain it. In fact, the opposite is true.

What We’re Watching: The Changing Politics of Education

Marty West, Randi Weingarten, Shavar Jeffries, and Lindsey Burke took part in a panel discussion on the changing politics of education at this week’s Education Writers Association conference in Washington, D.C.

EdNext Podcast: Hugh Price’s African American Life

Hugh B. Price, former president of the National Urban League, joins EdNext editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss his new memoir, “This African American Life.”

In the News: Backers Abandon $10 Million Super School Project in Oakland

A proposal from a group in Oakland was one of the winners in last year’s XQ Super School Project competition, aimed at reinventing the American high school.

In the News: Trump Should Capitalize on Vouchers’ Newfound Popularity

In an op-ed for Real Clear Education, Paul Peterson notes that public opinion surveys are finding that public support for vouchers is growing.

In the News: How Two Business-Savvy Nonprofits Are Breathing New Life Into Philadelphia’s Struggling Catholic Schools

Preserving traditional Catholic education while adding education reform elements has been the goal.

What We’re Watching: Contract-Based Accountability for All Public Schools?

What if all public schools were held accountable through contracts that gave them freedom in return for results?

In the News: The New Diploma Mills

Slate is publishing a series of articles called “The Big Shortcut” about the increasing use of online credit recovery courses to help struggling students come up with enough credits to graduate from high school.

EdNext Podcast: Program Helps Colleges Recruit High-Achieving Hispanic Students

Jonathan Smith speaks with Marty West about how an effort to recognize high-scoring Hispanic students boosts the chances that those students will enroll in and graduate from four-year institutions.

The Summer 2017 Issue of Education Next Is Here!

The cover article helps parents decide whether to hold their kindergarteners back a year to give them more time to develop physically, socially, or emotionally.

In the News: U.S. Education Secretary to Roll Out School Choice Plan in Indy

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will give a speech in Indianapolis tonight. She is expected to announce a federal tax credit program for school choice.

In the News: Will Middle Schools Become a Thing of the Past?

In Florida, middle schools are increasingly being replaced by K-8 schools.

What We’re Watching: Silicon Valley Billionaires Created AltSchool

In this video from Business Insider, former Google executive Max Ventilla talks about why he founded AltSchool.

In the News: Secret Report Shows ‘Special’ Treatment for Public Officials in D.C. School Lottery

In Washington, D.C., a report by the Inspector General’s office has found that the former schools chancellor allowed some well-connected parents with political clout to bypass the lottery and enroll their children in popular D.C. public schools.

In the News: Trump’s First Full Education Budget: Deep Cuts to Public School Programs in Pursuit of School Choice

According to a leaked copy of an almost-final version of the education budget acquired by the Washington Post, the Trump administration plans to encourage states to embrace choice.

In the News: Reformers Sweep LAUSD School Board Elections

In a school board election held on Tuesday in Los Angeles, a reform candidate defeated the board president and reformers reached a majority on the school board.

EdNext Podcast: Indianapolis’ Unique Pursuit of Choice

Over the past decade, a growing number of urban school districts have responded to the presence of charter schools by providing some of their own schools the same flexibilities that charters enjoy. But few have gone as far as Indianapolis,

In the News: Four Things to Watch For at New Schools Venture Fund Summit

Last year’s summit sparked a big debate about the role of race in education reform.

What We’re Watching: Teaching Kids Controversy

This afternoon (Monday, May 15, 2017) at 4 pm, CATO hosts an event featuring Jonathan Zimmerman, coauthor of the new book The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools.

In the News: Private Schools Met With Rejection from Indiana State Board

In Indiana, three private schools with low grades from the state have been told that they can not accept new voucher students this fall.

In the News: Franklin & Marshall’s Mission to Make College More Equitable Is Changing the Face of Higher Ed

This weekend, 17 percent of graduates who receive their diplomas at Franklin and Marshall College’s commencement will be low-income Pell Grant recipients.

EdNext Podcast: How Charter Schools Can Avoid Financial Traps

One of the key advantages charter schools have is the flexibility to start from scratch financially. However, that advantage can quickly erode if charter schools make the same decisions as their district predecessors when it comes to spending on buildings, employees, and retirees. Marty West and Robin Lake discuss pitfalls that charter school entrepreneurs and those who support them need to avoid.

In the News: Why Secretary DeVos Must Champion Course Choice

Using the bully pulpit to encourage states to launch course choice programs could greatly expand academic opportunity.

EdNext Podcast: Can a Federal School Choice Program Work?

Should the federal government launch a federal tax credit scholarship program, or will they inevitably muck this up?

In the News: In China, Daydreaming Students Are Caught on Camera

Will students work harder in school if their parents–or complete strangers–are keeping an eye on them? In thousands of classrooms in China, webcams are being used to live-stream classrooms so that anyone can watch what is happening.

In the News: Arizona Charters Lead 2017 Best High Schools Rankings

BASIS Scottsdale, a charter school in Arizona, is the No. 1 public high school in the U.S. according to the new US News rankings.

What We’re Watching: Lessons Learned From the Common Core

What lessons can education reformers learn from the development and implementation of the Common Core? Rick Hess and Chris Minnich (of the Council of Chief State School Officers) discuss that question in this 20-minute video.

EdNext Podcast: Unmasking School Spending

As of December 2018, school districts nationwide will be required to report exactly what they spend on each of their schools. Will that information kick off a new wave of school finance research and reform? Could it become one of the law’s most important legacies? Marty West discusses the change with Marguerite Roza of Georgetown University.

In the News: In Church-State Playground Brawl, Justices Lean Toward The Church

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer and seemed troubled by a Missouri grant program that bars state money from going to religious schools for playground improvement.

EdNext Podcast: Should You Hold Your Child Back from Kindergarten?

Each year, millions of parents nationwide must make a seemingly life-altering decision for their soon-to-be kindergartener: to redshirt or not to redshirt. Many parents believe that so-called “academic redshirting,” or the act of delaying a student’s kindergarten entrance by one year, will give their children a leg up not only when they first enroll in school, but throughout their educational careers and later in life. But is redshirting preschoolers really advantageous? Could it do more harm than good?

In the News: An Unconventional Teacher-Prep Program on the Rise in Philly

Philadelphia tries a new kind of teacher training program that focuses on the how of teaching rather than the why.

In the News: How Vouchers Transformed Indiana

Writing for Chalkbeat, Dylan Peers McCoy describes how one of the nation’s largest school voucher programs has changed the private schools that participate, leading them to focus more intensely on student test scores.

In the News: Ready Or Not (For Kindergarten) Some Research Says, Enroll Anyway

An interview published this week with NPR asks education professor Diane Schanzenbach of Northwestern University about her motivation to gather the research on academic redshirting in her recent article for Education Next “Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten: ‘Redshirting’ may do more harm than good,” which challenges Malcolm Gladwell’s assertion that being among the oldest in one’s peer group is always an advantage.

EdNext Podcast: High School History Class with Broadway’s Hamilton

Could Hamilton have an impact on the teaching of U.S. History in American high schools? That’s the vision behind the Hamilton Project, a major new effort to get the musical in the hands of kids, first in New York City, and eventually nationwide.

What We’re Watching: What Do We Know About the Effects of Pre-K?

On Monday, April 17 at 9 am, Brookings will host a discussion of the state of knowledge on pre-K education.

What We’re Watching: Updating Accountability Systems for Urban Schools

On Monday, April 10 at 9 am, Andy Smarick will host an event at AEI to discuss his paper on how states might apply charter-style accountability to district-run schools.

In the News: A Look at Some States That Have Turned in Their ESSA Plans

This past Monday was the early deadline for states to submit their Every Student Succeeds Act plans to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos for approval.

What We’re Watching: Debating A Federal School-Choice Tax Credit Program

Is there a role for Uncle Sam here? If so, how should a federal tax credit scholarship program work? These two questions were debated on April 25, 2017.

What We’re Watching: The Problem of Big ‘R’ School Reform

Rick Hess explains why massive, top-down school reforms don’t work in this 60-second video.

EdNext Podcast: The Unintended Consequences of Lowering Class Size

It is hard to think of a more popular education policy proposal than reducing class size, but reducing class size on a large scale can have major unintended consequences.

In the News: Lawyer who highlighted Hillary Clinton’s role in defending rape suspect tapped for key federal civil rights post

Emma Brown of the Washington Post reports that Candice E. Jackson will serve as acting assistant secretary for civil rights in the Department of Education.