The Answer Sheet: education policy


Posted at 09:03 AM ET, 05/16/2013

What 'education influentials' think will -- and won't -- happen
By Valerie Strauss
Here's what Washington insiders are said to think about education policy.

By Valerie Strauss  |  09:03 AM ET, 05/16/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Education Policy

Posted at 11:44 AM ET, 04/30/2013

Not a word from Obama (or White House press corps) on education
By Valerie Strauss
What President Obama didn't talk about in his Tuesday news conference.

By Valerie Strauss  |  11:44 AM ET, 04/30/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Education Policy, Nada On Education, On Education, President Obama

Posted at 12:50 PM ET, 04/28/2013

Obama's big second-term education problem
By Valerie Strauss
President Obama has something of a problem in his second term in terms of education policy: His first term.

By Valerie Strauss  |  12:50 PM ET, 04/28/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Education Policy, Education Reform, It's Duncan's Problem Too, President Obama

Posted at 02:01 PM ET, 01/29/2013

National school boards group blasts U.S. Education Department
By Valerie Strauss
The National Schools Board Association today blasted the Obama administration's education policies, saying that the Education Department under Secretary Arne Duncan has pushed "unnecessary and counter-productive federal intrusion" onto local school districts.

By Valerie Strauss  |  02:01 PM ET, 01/29/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Education Policy, Hits 'Federal Intrusion', School Boards

Posted at 04:06 PM ET, 01/24/2013

California's Gov. Brown blasts state, federal education policy
By Valerie Strauss
"We seem to think," California Gov. Jerry Brown said in his State of the State Address today, "that education is a thing like a vaccine that can be designed from afar and simply injected into our children." Here are some of the other things he said in address on education.

By Valerie Strauss  |  04:06 PM ET, 01/24/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  California Gov. Brown, Calls for Trusting Teachers, Education Policy

Posted at 01:46 PM ET, 01/02/2013

House Republicans like Indiana for education panel (update)
By Valerie Strauss
The Republicans have chosen their lineup for the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce in the 113th Congress, and it turns out that Indiana took top honors in terms of number of seats. Here's the list.

By Valerie Strauss  |  01:46 PM ET, 01/02/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Congress, Education Policy, House committee members selected, The List

Posted at 04:04 PM ET, 11/07/2012

A call for President Obama to change course on education
By Arthur H. Camins
Here is a call to President Obama and other school reformers to reevaluate the reform initiatives they have undertaken in recent years, framed against the documentary "The Fog of War," in which former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara came to realize how he had ignored evidence in his prosecution of the Vietnam War.

By Arthur H. Camins  |  04:04 PM ET, 11/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Education Policy, School Reform, The Fog of Education War

Posted at 03:31 PM ET, 10/08/2012

Next on school reformers’ agenda
By Valerie Strauss
Principals can expect to be in the

By Valerie Strauss  |  03:31 PM ET, 10/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Education Policy, School Reform; School Choice, What's Coming

Posted at 05:35 PM ET, 10/04/2012

What would a President Romney really do in education?
By Valerie Strauss
A conservative says much would stay the same in ed policy under a President Romney -- but not everything.

By Valerie Strauss  |  05:35 PM ET, 10/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Divining the future, Looking into future, Mitt Romney; Education policy; School reform

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 02/01/2011

'It makes no sense:' A dissection of Obama's education view
By Valerie Strauss
Here is a dissection of what President Obama said about education in his State of the Union speech, plus more.

By Valerie Strauss  |  05:00 AM ET, 02/01/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers | Tags:  china and india and education, china education, chinese schools, education, education policy, education reform, indian schools, international competitiveness, obama speech, president obama, president obama school reform, public schools, race to the top, school reform, schools, state of the union, u.s. education

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 01/12/2011

The big 5: A teacher's translation guide for policymakers
By Valerie Strauss
Those hoping for educator buy-in on the next big education reform idea should first consult this translation guide , which explains some catchphrases and buzzwords that set off warning bells for teachers.

By Valerie Strauss  |  12:00 PM ET, 01/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers | Tags:  edu-speak, education buzzwords, education policy, educational rigor, failure is not an option, paradigm shift, research-based methods, rick hess, roxanna elden, teachers

Posted at 11:29 AM ET, 01/12/2011

Framing education as a business
By Valerie Strauss
If you have any doubt that business thinking has taken over the education policy debate, take a look at these invitations from two non-profit organizations in Washington D.C., the CATO Institute and the Center for American Progress.

By Valerie Strauss  |  11:29 AM ET, 01/12/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Education as Business | Tags:  bill clinton, cato institute, center for american progress, education as business, education buzzwords, education debate, education policy, john podesta, president clinton, public education, return on investment

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 01/05/2011

Resolutions someone should make for 2011
By Valerie Strauss
An educator offers some resolutions for the new year: That President Obama et al stop saying, "We are going to educate ourselves toward a 21st Century economy;" that people who really know about education appear on Oprah; that policy makers stop making standardized testing the gold standard of student achievement and teacher effectiveness; that we stop using corporate speak (game changer, incentivize) to talk about education. And more.

By Valerie Strauss  |  12:30 PM ET, 01/05/2011 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers | Tags:  2011 resolutions, ian hacking, mike rose, new year's resolutions, obama and education policy, oprah, oprah winfrey, president obama, standardized tests, stephen jay gould, student achievement, teacher effectiveness

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 12/28/2010

Ravitch takes stock of education in 2010
By Valerie Strauss
Education historian Diane Ravitch looks back at the education world of 2010.

By Valerie Strauss  |  05:00 AM ET, 12/28/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Diane Ravitch, Diane Ravitch, Diane Ravitch | Tags:  diane ravitch, education policy, teacher assessment, teachers

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 12/27/2010

Who in education says 'oops'?
By Valerie Strauss
A former school superintendent explains why virtually nobody in education policy ever admits that they "either goofed or would reconsider their decision."

By Valerie Strauss  |  05:00 AM ET, 12/27/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Charter schools, Charter schools, Charter schools, Charter schools | Tags:  charter schools, education policy, education policymakers, gates foundation, larry cuban, research on charter schools, technology in education

Posted at 09:30 AM ET, 12/12/2010

What international test scores really tell us: Lessons buried in PISA report
By Valerie Strauss
Buried in the data report about the latest international results of PISA are lessons that show how U.S. education policy is failing.

By Valerie Strauss  |  09:30 AM ET, 12/12/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers | Tags:  PISA, PISA scores, U.S. PISA scores, arne duncan, education policy, how u.s. fares in international rankings, international rankings, international test scores, obama education policy, pisa, the american dream

Posted at 11:39 AM ET, 12/07/2010

Ravitch to Gates: Let's talk
By Valerie Strauss
Education historian Diane Ravitch invites Bill Gates to a public discussion on education reform, and explains why public schools must remain public.

By Valerie Strauss  |  11:39 AM ET, 12/07/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Guest Bloggers, Guest Bloggers | Tags:  bill gates, checker finn, diane ravitch, education policy, federal control of schools, local control of schools, obama and school reform, republicans in congress, school reform, school reform policies, wall street journal

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 11/04/2010

Where Kline stands on education policy
By Valerie Strauss
The man expected to be the new chairman of the House's education committee has some strong opinions about policy: He immensely dislikes No Child Left Behindy, but wants the Disabilities Education Act fully funded.

By Valerie Strauss  |  06:00 AM ET, 11/04/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Congress | Tags:  112th congress, IDEA, arne duncan, charter schools, congress, education committee, education policy, gop takeover, gop victory, house education and labor committee, john kline, midterm elections, nclb, no child left behind, president obama, race to the top, rep. john kline, republican victory, special ed, special education

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 11/03/2010

Education policy: What will happen now
By Valerie Strauss
If you think things have been unexpectedly bad in the world of education under President Obama, the Republican takeover of the House could just make things even worse.

By Valerie Strauss  |  05:00 AM ET, 11/03/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Congress | Tags:  boehner, boehner speaker of the house, congress, democrats, education department, education policy, gops takes house, john boehner, nclb, no child left behind, obama, obama democrats, president obama, rand paul, republican takeover, republicans, speaker of the house

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 09/13/2010

Obama ed policy lacks scientific support -- Willingham
By Valerie Strauss
Cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham calls into question President Obama's judgment on the administration's education policy, saying that it has no scientific support.

By Valerie Strauss  |  03:00 PM ET, 09/13/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham | Tags:  common core standards, daniel willingham, duncan and policy, duncan and reforms, naep, national assessment of educational progress, obama and education policy, obama and inaugural address, obama and school reform, president obama and education, race to the top, race to the top requirements, science and obama administration, teacher assessment

Posted at 11:42 AM ET, 06/27/2010

Obama policy blamed for popular principal's reassignment
By Valerie Strauss
A popular principal is being reassigned in Lincoln, Neb., and district officials say that the U.S. Education Department is to blame.

By Valerie Strauss  |  11:42 AM ET, 06/27/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Education Secretary Duncan | Tags:  de ann currin, duncan and obama and school reform, elliott elementary school, lincoln public schools, obama administration and education policy, obama's education policy, replacing the principal, restructuring and school, restructuring models, schools and federal intervention, stimulus money for education, title 1 money, title 1 schools

Posted at 11:30 AM ET, 04/12/2010

Willingham: Obama should stop coercing teachers and start persuading
By Valerie Strauss
Cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham writes about how President Obama seems to trying to coerce teachers to do what he wants rather than use his formidable powers of persuasion. Experients in psychology, he says, show that coercion gets compliance, while persuasion breeds enthusiasm and innovation.

By Valerie Strauss  |  11:30 AM ET, 04/12/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham, Daniel Willingham | Tags:  Daniel Willingham, Obama and teachers, Obama education policy, President Obama and teachers, guest bloggers

Posted at 08:30 AM ET, 01/08/2010

Top 10 education issues for 2010
By Valerie Strauss
Here is a list of the 10 most important education policy issues with which we all will wrestle in 2010. It comes courtesy of the non-profit American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The list includes fiscal crises facing the states, student readiness, teacher effectiveness, and education for veterans.

By Valerie Strauss  |  08:30 AM ET, 01/08/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  education policy