A year ago I played prognosticator and offered “educated guesses” about what 2011 would bring. So how did I do? I report, you decide.
1. Cathie Black will be gone by Easter.
Right!
This was perhaps my proudest moment of the year. (I even got some shout-outs from the mainstream media.) In hindsight,...
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This post, by Fordham's Mike Petrilli and AEI's Rick Hess, was originally published in the Washington Post.
President Obama’s remarks on inequality, stoking populist anger at “the rich,” suggest that the theme for his reelection bid will be not hope and change but focus on reducing class disparity with government help....
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Whether you consider today’s New York Times article on K12.com a “hit piece” (Tom Vander Ark) or a “blockbuster” (Dana Goldstein), there’s little doubt that it will have a long-term impact on the debate around digital learning. Polls show that the public and parents are leery of cyber schools, and...
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Last week, the Departments of Education and Justice released new guidance for school districts and institutions of higher education on constitutionally-sound ways to encourage racial diversity and avoid racial isolation. As I've written before, I'm a fan of well-conceived efforts (like “controlled choice” a la Kahlenberg) to promote school integration,...
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This post originally appeared on the National Review Online.
Parents’ perspectives on education reform are often missing from the education policy debate, with technocrats typically arguing with one another about what parents want or what’s best for them. So I was heartened to see the New York Times...
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As everyone knows, Kevin Carey has a long essay in The New Republic about Diane Ravitch's apostasy of the education reform movement, much of it fair and on point. But I'm friendly with Kevin, and I'm friends with Diane, so I was disappointed that, respectful tone aside, Carey nonetheless pursues...
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Last week, 11 states applied for waivers from many of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act's most onerous provisions. Their applications are now online, ready to be sliced and diced by any willing wonk. (Anne Hyslop of Education Sector has already taken a cut.) We at Fordham have tried to...
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Monday's post, “Dealing with disingenuous teachers unions: There are no shortcuts,” sparked a wave of discussion and criticism—which, let’s face it, is every writer’s hope. But I wasn’t just trying to be provocative; we at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute strongly believe that issues of governance and politics have been...
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After its big referendum victory last week, Ohio teachers union vice president Bill Leibensperger said “There has always been room to talk. That’s what collective bargaining is about. You bring adults around a table to talk about serious issues.” He voiced an argument made by union supporters through the fight...
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I glimpsed a quote from Kati Haycock yesterday, kicking off the Education Trust annual conference, saying that we can't let "bad parenting" be an excuse for poor educational results. She's absolutely right, of course. It's not like our schools are running on all cylinders (especially schools serving poor kids), and...
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