Joining Harrison and Dougco, North Carolina Dumps Wasteful Masters Bumps
Colorado’s educator pay innovators — namely, Harrison and Douglas County — are further vindicated by commonsense actions from state leaders in North Carolina. Two years ago I brought readers’ attention to the massive blowout that is the research showing masters degrees for teachers don’t help students learn. Today, as EAG News reports, the Tarheel State […]
Two More Videos Remind Us that Dougco Innovation is Working (But I’m Not)
A couple weeks ago I offered up a post titled “Learning about Douglas County K-12 Innovation: Read. Watch. Share. Repeat.” Included in that post were links to a great op-ed and the first in an Americans for Prosperity Foundation video series titled “It’s Working.” Well, confession is good for the juvenile soul. So let me […]
Tax Hike Won’t Deliver on its Promise
Many Coloradans share a strong commitment to improving students’ educational opportunities and outcomes. However, Amendment 66 offers little hope of getting us there.
No Phony Guilt, No Forced Relocation: Colorado Kids Win with Tax Credits
I’m a little late to the game on this one. But Friday is the time for funnies. The crazed August 29 manifesto on Slate declaring that parents who send their kids to private schools are bad people received a lot of attention for the ignorant delivery of shock value it effected. I couldn’t begin to […]
Amy Oliver Show: America’s Low Test Scores Endanger Prosperity
Dr. Paul Peterson, director of Harvard University’s Program on Education Policy and Governance, makes the case that American schools and students are lagging in performance, with potentially harmful effects for the future economy.
Maybe Next Time Colorado Can Do Better than Lucky 13 in Parent Power
I don’t want to alarm any of my Education Policy Center friends, but I do have some reservations about getting behind the notion of “Parent Power.” Specifically when it comes to matters of enforcing vegetable-eating policies, cutting into my video game time, and limiting where I can and can’t ride my new bike. On the […]
New Study Touts Harm to Student Achievement from Teacher Union Impacts
A Friday quickie, with the Harvard Business Review‘s intriguing mention of a new study that merits a closer look: A 1-standard-deviation rise in teachers’ union dues per teacher is associated with a 4% fall in student proficiency rates, according to a study of 721 U.S. school districts in 42 states…. The study, by the University […]
Arizona’s #EdDebitCard Begins Opening Doors to Choice and Personal Learning
One thing I like to keep my eye on, peering to the southwest, is the progress of Arizona’s unique and intriguing Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. Last time we checked, the ESA was one of two Arizona school choice programs set for expansion (unfortunately, the Corporate Tax Credit program expansion was vetoed). The initial pool […]
Amy Oliver Show: Fighting Federal Overreach and Untangling the Knot
Marcia Neal from the State Board of Education takes on the tangled knot of Common Core standards, federal overreach, and state-level education reforms.
08/28/13
Education Policy Center Newsletter August 28, 2013
— As Debate Grows, New Report Breaks Down Amendment 66
— DeGrow Looks at State of Reform in Dougco, Greeley, and Beyond
— Benigno Begins to Educate Colorado about Tax Credits
— Kafer’s Blended Learning Report Attracting Interest
— Reform Issues Hit Raaki Garcia Show, Little Eddie’s Blog
Amendment 66: Unfair and Overpriced
Amendment 66 on the November 2013 Colorado ballot proposes a nearly $1 billion statewide income tax increase to pay for a new school finance formula and other education funding priorities. A majority vote at the polls would activate the policy changes in Senate Bill 213, approved by the legislature’s Democratic majority and Gov. John Hickenlooper. The policy package tied to approval of the tax increase proposal raises four primary concerns.
Asking What Parents Want from Schools, Fordham Offers Interesting Market Niches
Once upon a time, there was a boring chick flick called What Women Want (don’t ask me what it was about, but I needed an easy segue). Today the Fordham Institute has taken a slightly different tack, with the release of the paper What Parents Want. They worked with Harris Interactive to conduct an extensive […]
