School Choices for Rural America
School choice leaves many small town denizens and suburbanites cold. So here’s an idea for what rural school reform should look like.
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.
Florida’s New School Voucher Law Will Revive 20-Year-Old Legal Battle
Opportunity Scholarship Program was small but stakes were huge
Making Sense of the Lousy Test Results in Louisiana’s Voucher Program
Recent Louisiana Scholarship Program test scores look pretty grim. But there are three important caveats to keep in mind.
You Might Be Surprised Which States Prioritize Higher Teacher Salaries
The U.S. is spending dramatically more per pupil than in decades past, yet teacher salaries have barely kept pace with inflation.
To Improve Rural Schools, Focus on Their Strengths
Facilitate real school choice, charter conversions, and individual solutions for specific regions
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.
Resilience, Hope, and the Power of the Collective: What Puerto Rico Can Teach the States about Education Reform
People don’t talk about “scaling” solutions in Puerto Rico. They create solutions and hope that others will do the same.
Some Regulations Deter Private Schools from Participating in Voucher Programs
Rules preventing participating schools from having specific admissions policies and requirements that schools take state standardized tests both reduce the likelihood that private schools say they will participate in voucher programs.
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.
The Risks Exceed the Rewards: A Nationwide Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program
The administration’s support of school choice is praiseworthy, but a federal tax credit scholarship program poses a threat to education choice in the states and undermines conservative efforts to streamline the federal tax code.
Health Benefit Costs Represent a Serious Threat to Charter School Success
Rising health benefit costs are eroding total teacher compensation and eating into budgets reserved for other mission-critical areas at charter schools across the country.
Four Things to Know about Tax Credit Scholarships for School Choice
For a tax credit scholarship program to be successful, states will need to begin with a thorough review of the evidence.
Let’s Hear It for Educational Freedom!
The Trump administration’s new school-choice initiative is adaptable to the contours of education needs, priorities, and politics of individual states.
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.
Private School Choice Helps Students Avoid Prison and Unplanned Pregnancies
New evidence from America’s longest-running voucher program
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.
Dear Districts: These Are the Glory Days. Are You Ready for Tomorrow’s Financial Pain?
Just like the years leading up to 2008, the last few years have yielded stronger growth in funds for schooling. And just like in 2008, there are signs of trouble ahead.
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.
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.
