The Education Department kicked off its first ever “Bullying Summit” this week with a speech by Secretary Arne Duncan about the need “to break the cycle of bullying.” But if Duncan really wants to stop the biggest bully in America’s schools right now, he’ll have to confront his boss, President Obama.
March 29, 2010 by Meir Rinde The Trenton Times Trenton Central High principal Elizabeth Ramirez had to deal with a minor insurrection this week from a group of seniors who suddenly realized they might not graduate in June. They were blindsided, she said, by tougher testing the state instituted last year. Those who don’t pass [...]
March 7, 2010 by Elizabeth Green The New York Times ON A WINTER DAY five years ago, Doug Lemov realized he had a problem. After a successful career as a teacher, a principal and a charter-school founder, he was working as a consultant, hired by troubled schools eager — desperate, in some cases — for [...]
February 1, 2010 BY LESLIE BRODY The Record The Obama administration announced Monday it wants to set a higher bar for American students by revamping the controversial education law called No Child Left Behind. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the law was great for exposing the achievement gaps between students from different backgrounds but [...]
OCTOBER 1, 2009 By RICHARD WHITMIRE AND ANDREW J. ROTHERHAM The Wall Street Journal Quick: Which newspaper in recent editorials called teachers unions “indefensible” and a barrier to reform? You’d be excused for guessing one of the conservative outlets, but it was that bastion of liberalism, the New York Times. A month ago, The New [...]
SEPTEMBER 8, 2009 By PAUL E. PETERSON The Wall Street Journal High-school graduation rates are lower today than in 1970. Yesterday President Barack Obama delivered a pep talk to America’s schoolchildren. The president owes a separate speech to America’s parents. They deserve some straight talk on the state of our public schools.
By Nick Anderson Washington Post Staff Writer As the Obama administration considers new legislation to fix schools, House Republicans have chosen an education policy leader who is eager to turn the page on the No Child Left Behind era and roll back federal mandates for testing students.
June 8, 2009 The Press of Atlantic City Just a couple of years ago, the notion of national education standards was met with almost universal opposition. State officials didn’t want the federal government telling them what to teach. But last week, all but four states signed on to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, which [...]