“College costs too much!” “My college loans are killing me!” The candidates for the presidency are hearing these complaints as they race around the country. Affordability of a college education is among the few education issues to attract attention in this election season. Colleges and universities are blamed for the
Higher education has a bone to pick with public schools. Too many high school graduates entering colleges and universities are not prepared for post-secondary education. That complaint is true enough, but the missing element is that lower education cannot improve unless higher education gets much more involved in helping. The
John Thompson is a truth-teller. A Teacher’s Tale, his new book, honestly addresses the toughest issue in American education—how to improve urban schools impacted by concentrations of poor children. Thompson worked in higher education and then did legislative lobbying until at the age of 39 he decided to become a
No other federal law has generated more hostility from teachers and other educators than the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). That statute has been denounced for causing too much testing of school children, making teachers “teach to the test” to avoid penalties, and mandating the use of unproven improvement
The U.S. has a cookie-cutter approach to secondary education: Stay in school; go to college; and we’ll be happy. Those who don’t go along are considered “victims.” They must be helped to see the benefits of college. This is the judgement of Harold L. Sirkin, a business consultant and professor
The United States has a great strength: people in our country understand the languages of nearly every nation in the world. Large scale immigration–almost 30 million people during the past three decades–has brought us that advantage. The ability to speak other languages is sorely needed for our national security and
The American public has given its grade to national elected leaders for their attempts to improve the country’s public schools. The verdict is an “F” for failure. But, the public’s alternative to the present policies is also lacking according to the American public’s own views. These conclusions can be drawn
Today, attention is on the Congress as it addresses changes to the No Child Left Behind Act. That action is overdue since the law expired eight years ago. But, it must be understood that congressional amendments are merely removing unpopular requirements, not creating a new agenda to improve the nation’s
Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson launched a campaign to improve education, especially of children from low-income families. An unprecedented billion dollars of new aid was sent to the schools under the first part or “title” of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. In subsequent years, Title I
Congress is finally grappling with which parts of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) ought to be repealed or retained. Various officials, and the president who must sign the final agreement, have different lists. After the squabbling, a shadow of a national school improvement policy will remain with nothing
In the last six months, there have been four radio and webinar interviews with Jack Jennings about Presidents, Congress, and the Public Schools. This list of the interviews contains the working web connections as of May 23, 2015. At times, those web addresses change or the material is removed from
