Corporate donations to public education are common place in today's struggling financial climate. Last fall, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg pledged an unprecedented $100 million to the ailing Newark, New Jersey's school system. Today, in an effort to spur additional private donations, President Obama held a roundtable discussion at the White House with like-minded CEOs to raise private funds for American K-12 education. Following today's closed door meeting, three companies including Bank of America, Microsoft, and Nike announced new pledges totaling $66 million toward education programs.   Continue Reading...

One of our country's largest school systems is experiencing the scandal of a generation. Based upon the findings of a July report commissioned by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, it was revealed that nearly 80 percent of Atlanta's schools showed signs of cheating by teachers on statewide performance tests. As new revelations surface daily, blame is shifting from teachers to administrators, and everyone else in between, raising even larger questions about the intense pressure teachers are facing over state and federal testing mandates.   Continue Reading...

With the movement toward healthy eating gaining steam among national advocates like First Lady Michelle Obama, the prospect of serving locally grown produce to students is making headway in districts across the country. This practice, known as "farm-to-school," is even winning acclaim from the Department of Agriculture, the agency responsible for school lunches among American students.   Continue Reading...

Third Education Reform Bill Introduced in House Committee

Last week, U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) introduced the third in the committee's series of education reform bills designed to overhaul the current elementary and secondary education law, or No Child Left Behind.  H.R. 1891, otherwise known as "The State and Local Funding Flexibility Act," is designed to allow states and local school districts maximum flexibility in their use of federal education dollars.

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Summer 2011 was supposed to mark the end of the road for No Child Left Behind as we have come to know it. Last year, the Obama administration set a deadline for Congress to overhaul the controversial law. Despite the clearing of two bills meant to amend the law from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Department of Education is not happy with the limited progress and is letting congressional leaders know it. In response, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has proposed blanket waivers to the law to certain states in hopes of speeding up the process, leaving many questioning whether he has the authority to do so.   Continue Reading...

According to a new report issued by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, history test scores have risen slowly since 1994, yet large majorities of students still fall well below proficiency, particularly high school seniors.   Continue Reading...

As the 2014 NCLB deadline for states to get their students to proficiency on state math and reading standards rapidly approaches, many states are hitting the panic button and seeking regulatory relief from the Department of Education. However, despite the looming mandates and deadlines, the idea of blanket waivers faces strong opposition from states that argue the relief could be more than they bargained for, forcing states to adopt Obama-backed reforms in exchange for waivers.   Continue Reading...

As the Obama administration counts down toward the summer deadline to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly referred to as No Child Left Behind, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is preparing to grant states regulatory relief from key provisions of the federal school accountability law in exchange for what he calls, "commitments to key reforms." While Duncan gave few details about what "relief" would actually entail, key congressional insiders warn that without action, Secretary Duncan could issue blanket waivers to states with no resolutions in sight.   Continue Reading...

Congressional Subcommittee Explores the Role of Charters

The Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, chaired by Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), last week held a hearing to examine the expanding role of charter schools in the nation's education system. The hearing comes on the heels of recently released statistics highlighting increased charter enrollment and decreased private school enrollment.   Continue Reading...

On the heels of last fall's federal Race to the Top competitive grant program, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced last week that the program will resume this year with new funding. Comprised of $200 million earmarked for former runner-ups and $500 million for new early education state initiatives, the newly revived program has yielded both praise and criticism from policymakers and state education chiefs.   Continue Reading...

Last week, the "Chiefs for Change" education advocacy coalition released their roadmap for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind. In their proposal, the chiefs advocate for student-centered reforms that they claim are necessary changes to the heavily debated law.   Continue Reading...

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the data arm of the Department of Education, today released their annual report entitled, The Condition of Education, meant to summarize important developments and trends in education using the latest available state and federal statistics. The congressionally mandated report is considered a snapshot of education trends across the country and is used by policymakers to determine current patterns and understand educational populations.   Continue Reading...

Last year, President Obama and his administration set a goal for Congress to overhaul the long-debated No Child Left Behind law by this summer. The 9-year-old law has seen its share of debate since the Department of Education issued their blueprint for change last spring. While the House has begun the process with a series of targeted bills, a bipartisan, comprehensive reform of the nation's most important federal education legislation still seems far from wrapping up, according to congressional insiders.   Continue Reading...

President Obama Gives High School Commencement Address

President Obama stopped in Memphis, Tennessee yesterday to deliver Booker T. Washington High School's key note graduation address as part of the Department of Education's Commencement Challenge for 2011. Washington High secured the historic address from the President by illustrating how it overcame a history of disciplinary problems and high dropout rates by implementing reforms and turning the school into a sanctuary for troubled kids in inner city Memphis.

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President Obama stopped in Memphis, Tennessee yesterday to deliver Booker T. Washington High School's key note graduation address as part of the Department of Education's Commencement Challenge for 2011. Washington High secured the historic address from the President by illustrating how it overcame a history of disciplinary problems and high dropout rates by implementing reforms and turning the school into a sanctuary for troubled kids in inner city Memphis.   Continue Reading...

The following statement can be attributed to the Association of American Educators Executive Director Gary Beckner.The Association of American Educators has joined a coalition of other influential groups and individuals from across the political and education spectrum in opposition to a nationalized curriculum. In conjunction with opposing a national curriculum, AAE also opposes the ongoing effort by the U.S. Department of Education to have two federally-funded testing consortia develop national curriculum guidelines, national curriculum models, national instructional materials, and national assessments using Common Core's national standards as a basis for these efforts.   Continue Reading...

House Reauthorizes SOAR Act   Continue Reading...

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that ordinary taxpayers cannot challenge government programs that use tax breaks to direct money to religious activities and schools, providing a huge victory for school choice advocates nationwide.   Continue Reading...

International Summit on Teaching Profession Convenes in New YorkLast week, the Department of Education hosted a two-day conference focusing on best practices in building a world-class teaching force. Held in New York City, the conference brought American teachers and administrators together with several foreign high-performing countries.   Continue Reading...

Last week President Obama unveiled his federal budget to mixed reviews from both parties. Among the proposals was the administration's commitment to increasing investments in new education technology. Thursday evening President Obama met with some of the biggest Silicon Valley names to discuss his plans and gain support for his technology agenda.   Continue Reading...