This is a translation of an article which appeared in September 2024 in Education Week. The original English version of the article also appears on this site. In English the title of the article is Federal Education Reform Has Largely Failed. Unfortunately, We Still...
School reform has faded as an issue, but must be revived. History will judge us not by the number of times we stumbled but by the number of times we picked ourselves up and tried again. An article for Education Week (PDF, 1397KB).
This article is about the characteristics of podcasts and their growing use. Jack Jennings was the author of this article which was published by The Clarion, Chicago, on November 15, 2023. Read more . . .
In the days ahead, friends will convene to honor the life and deeds of Marshall Smith. Popularly known as "Mike," he was a master in the area of education policy, leaving a lasting imprint on American school reform. Few people in the country have had a career as broad...
This link connects to the EdFix site of George Washington University, which contains podcasts on education produced and maintained by GW's Graduate School of Education. The following is a transcript of Edfix Episode 37: Political Perspectives and Possibilities, which...
In a new book, Jack Jennings reviews the history of American private education and weighs its worth in today’s society. These schools provide an alternative for parents with concerns about public schools. But, proponents of private education are claiming academic...
Many young American men of Irish descent created their job careers in three particular areas -- policeman; politician; priest -- the "Three Ps". Why was that? Vignettes are given of how a typical family affected by the "Three Ps" lived in Chicago from 1940 to 1980....
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed legislation to deal with the pandemic and the Nation’s economic problems. Included in this measure are provisions meant to reduce the number of children in poverty by one-third to one-half. Un-noted in this debate has been the...
The book, Fatigued by School Reform, has received a great review from a very prestigious publication. Choice Magazine, affiliated with the Association of College and Research Libraries, describes itself as "an authoritative source on the evaluation of scholarly...
Fatigued by School Reform, by Jack Jennings After a half-a-century of school reform, a majority of Americans consider the public schools as worse today than when they attended school. Those reforms missed the mark because they were not focused on the...
The only valid national assessment of the nation’s public schools must be improved.
The current federal education law rests on the same faulty foundation as the last law.
When I worked on Capitol Hill, the congressmen and congresswomen would say that they used a “smell test” to determine the real purpose of a proposal. This meant that they looked beyond the words used to justify an idea and considered such factors as the record of the proposing organization or individual.
State and national leaders were given a grade of D minus by Ed Week showing a lack of commitment to adequately fund the schools, despite rhetoric about education's importance. "Watch what someone does--not what they say," to see their real beliefs. Quality Counts...
Many children’s education will be jeopardized, the rich will pay less in taxes, and political revenge will be reaped. The new congressional tax bill is a disaster waiting to happen.
High school debaters learn about issues and also about democracy. For the school year 2017-18, two recommended topics are based on a book by Jack Jennings.
I am honored to be part of this celebration of the life of Tom Wolanin. Donna, Andrew, Peter and other members of the family, you have the sympathy of everyone in this room. All of us knew Tom during his long career. We admired his talents. And, today, we salute him...
“(A)n education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge.” President Trump broadcast this biting condemnation in his inaugural address. A short time later, Trump proposed cutting education spending by 13%....
If the U.S. were to value education as much as military activities, the schools would be better funded.
In this interview, Jack Jennings comments on the new U.S. Secretary of Education and the national role in education.
President Trump is violating his pledge to respect state and local control of education by proposing to shift funds from regular public schools to charter schools and private schools.
If competition is good for public education, shouldn’t it be beneficial for the U.S. Armed Forces?
During the last fifteen years, the reputation of the federal government in education has gone downhill.
Unfortunately, equitable funding is not going to happen.
Fifty Years of Federal Aid to Schools: Back into the Future? Jack Jennings* Excerpts from an article appearing in Volume 3 Education Law & Policy Review 2016 In 1965, the federal government began to provide major financial aid for education to states and local...