Members in the News
School Boards’ Effect on Student Learning Gets New Attention
Education Week, Jan 7, 2008
Originally Published 9/24/2007
With prominent critics labeling them irrelevant and big-city mayors looking to take them over, the nation’s local school boards have seen better times. But what’s really the matter with the nearly 15,000 boards, scholars who met in December say, is that they are understudied.
Governors Cite Education Records
Education Week, Dec 19, 2007
The three current presidential hopefuls with experience as state governors have records on education that offer voters an unusually detailed preview of what the nation’s schools might expect if any of the three should win the White House next year.
Should the Mayor Be in Charge?
Education Week, Dec 12, 2007
One of the arguments du jour in the reform of ailing school systems is that handing over control of the system to the mayor will produce the needed improvements. Some may think this line of reasoning signals ominous times for school board governance.
The Democratic Take
Education Next, Dec 11, 2007
A Democratic political consultant outlines why the Democrats need a strong education strategy and what principles should guide them as they galvanize the American public behind education reform. The author highlights Teach For America as a program that could be expanded to get more high achieving teachers into the classroom.
Teach For America Corps Member Prepares for County Board Bid
Morris Daily Herald, Nov 1, 2007
Jeremy Ly, an elementary school teacher and life-long Minooka resident, has formally announced his candidacy for the Grundy County Board from District 2.
Campaign Coverage That Is Raw and Fresh
The New York Times, Oct 29, 2007
Every day, it seems, someone is trying to harness the power of the Web to cover the presidential campaign in a new way and give voice to people who are usually shut out of the process. We’ve seen all kinds of innovations this year, including debates using video questions from ordinary citizens.
Richardson to Unveil Education Plan
Forbes, Oct 10, 2007
Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson unveiled an education plan that would give college students access to $3.6 billion in free tuition in exchange for public service. Under the plan, recent graduates could join the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps or Teach For America to earn back their college tuition.
After Turbulent Year, Little Rock Board Could Lose Black Majority
Associated Press, Oct 8, 2007
The racially divided Little Rock school board may be on the verge of losing its black majority during a runoff election today. "I've never seen a school board runoff election that has so much at stake," said former school board president Skip Rutherford. "It's two completely different sets of philosophies. It's not just about race."
The YouTube-ification of politics: Candidates losing control
CNN.com, Oct 1, 2007
Gotcha moments on YouTube, unauthorized campaign videos and hard-hitting debate questions from YouTube users are changing the political landscape. The YouTube "Macaca moment" represents a broad new challenge for candidates, but speaks to the age-old problem of how to control the message.
Virginia Senate race will be Web battleground
CNN, Sep 30, 2007
George Allen's YouTube moment in 2006 spurred a growing realization among Republicans that the Web is crucial to modern campaigning. And the one Senate race where Republicans are hoping to overcome their reputation as a bunch of dial-up users takes place again in Virginia.
Edwards Unveils Plan to Revamp Education
The Boston Globe, Sep 21, 2007
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards rolled out a program for reforming primary education in the United States, proposing to pay teachers up to $15,000 more in high poverty areas and initiating universal preschool. Edwards detailed the proposals, which also include longer school years and overhauling the No Child Left Behind education law.
Neighborhoods' Effect On Grades Challenged
The Washington Post, Sep 14, 2007
Researchers looking at the impact of federal housing vouchers for (random) families to move out of low-income neighborhoods see little positive impact on academic gains for the children in those families when compared to those who stayed in the neighborhoods. This disputes the idea that neighborhoods are a significant factor in the achievement gap, but critics, and the researchers themselves, note that the families did not move into highly affluent communities, and thus the impact of the move may not have been significant enough to make a difference.
Gauging Growth: How to Judge No Child Left Behind?
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHER, Sep 11, 2007
Many policymakers feel pressure to claim that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is boosting student performance, as Congress reconsiders the federal government's role in school reform. But how should politicians and activists gauge NCLB's effects? The authors of this study offer evidence on three barometers of student performance. Their conclusion: achievement gains in the NCLB era have been slow.
The Blackboard Bungles
Newsweek, Sep 3, 2007
As a broader debate on school reform gains momentum, three authors have entered the classroom again -- two veteran journalists and a first-year teacher -- to provide us with fresh dispatches from inside the blackboard jungle.
Post-Katrina Students Still Displaced
Associated Press, Aug 29, 2007
Thousands of Gulf Coast students are still displaced two years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region.
Average SAT Scores Dip Again
Associated Press, Aug 28, 2007
Combined math and reading SAT scores for the high school class of 2007 were the lowest in eight years.
A Successful Plan for Racial Balance Now Finds Its Future Uncertain
New York Times, Aug 22, 2007
In June, the Supreme Court rejected school assignment plans in Louisville and Seattle that, like the one in White Plains, are also based explicitly on race.
Are We Failing Our Geniuses?
Time Magazine, Aug 16, 2007
We may be squandering a national resource: our best young minds.
K-12 Spending More Reliant on Federal Government Since No Child Left Behind Act
The Tax Foundation, Jul 30, 2007
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that the federal government has been commandeering a continually larger role in K-12 education in recent years, especially since 1999 and the January 2002 passage of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Where Will the 2008 Presidential Race Be Decided?
Newsweek, Jul 2, 2007
In 2008, the key "swing states" could well be a brace of four in the Southwest, each with a substantial Hispanic population: Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.
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