Federal K-12 Funding
Federal K-12 Funding
A relatively small slice of overall financing for K-12 schools – just about 10 percent, on average – comes from Washington, D.C. Schools across the country depend much more on state and local dollars. The federal share can range from more than 15 percent – in states including South Dakota and Louisiana – to less than 5 percent, in Connecticut and New Jersey.
The two largest federal programs for K-12 education target poor children and students with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Education provides about $15 billion annually to help educate low-income children through the Title I program, which gets its name from the first part – or “title” – of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. States receive about $12 billion each year in special education grants, through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, enacted in 1975.
Title I dollars flow from the U.S. Department of Education to states, based on a complicated formula that primarily takes into account census poverty data, as well as the cost of education in each state. State education agencies – typically the Title I director or a state finance official – set aside a small percentage of the money for administration and school improvement. The money flows to districts, which distribute it to schools based mostly on the number of children in poverty they serve. Schools can use the money for instructional programs for low-income kids, including hiring teachers, coaches or paraprofessionals to work with those students. If more than 40 percent of a school’s population is made up of kids in poverty, the school can use the money for programs that benefit all students.
Special education money is structured similarly. The money flows from the federal government to the state education agency. It is distributed to districts by either the state special education director or an education finance official. Schools use the money for the instructional needs of special education kids, such as hiring staff or buying educational equipment.
Title I and special education aren’t the only sources of federal K-12 funding. The U.S. Department of Education operates a diverse array of other programs, including aid for teacher quality, career and technical education, English language acquisition, homeless children, education research, charter schools, and magnet schools, among others. For an overview, visit the Education Department’s Budget Office page.
Meanwhile, other federal agencies also provide some K-12 aid, including the National Science Foundation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Sept. 14 – 20
Here's what we're reading by EWA members this week
One year after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, students and educators are still grappling with the physical and emotional damage left by the storm, reports Education Week’s Andrew Ujifusa.
In Memphis, a decision to halt an investigation into improper grade changing is raising questions about whether anyone will be held accountable, writes Chalkbeat’s Laura Faith Kebede.
How Puerto Rico’s Educators See Their Schools a Year After Hurricane Maria
One year ago, Hurricane Maria ripped through Puerto Rico. For the educators, students, and parents who remain on the island, nothing has been the same since.
In sheer practical terms, they are grappling with lingering storm damage, shifts in school assignments after hundreds of buildings were closed in the wake of the hurricane, and the implications of a system-wide reorganization.
Incorrect Data Drives Major Education Decisions
IT’S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR for education data – one that’s challenged the accuracy of federal databases, uncovered discrepancies that call into question major policy decisions and now, with another school year underway, one that will ask states, districts and schools to collect, report and use more data than ever before.
Sept. 7 – 13
Here's what we're reading by EWA members this week
In a new radio documentary, APM Reports’ Emily Hanford looks at why teaching reading has become so controversial — and ineffective — in many U.S. classrooms.
At a time of federal “zero tolerance” policies on immigration, students from immigrant families in the Washington, D.C., area are struggling to stay focused on their academics, reports Jenny Abamu of WAMU.
If Democrats Take the House, Here’s What Awaits Betsy DeVos, Civil Rights, and ESSA
If Democrats take control of the House of Representatives next year, expect civil rights to grab the spotlight and for congressional subpoenas in the name of education oversight to become more popular. But you may not see as much of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos as some might think.
The DNC Says ‘Education Is on the Ballot.’ Here’s What That Does and Doesn’t Mean.
Democrats think 2018 is their year, and they’re using education—and educators—to make their case.
On Wednesday, the Democratic National Committee highlighted teachers and others with education connections who are running for Congress and other elected offices. The committee said Dems are “running and winning by making education central to their campaigns” and that these candidates “want better pay for teachers and better schools for every child.”
August 31 – September 6
Here's what we're reading by EWA members this week
The National Education Association is hoping a crash course in campaigning will help educators running for public office, reports Education Week’s Sarah Schwartz.
For the Tampa Bay Times, Claire McNeill examines why some students of color feel isolated at Florida’s flagship university.
In Washington state, Katie Gillespie of The Columbian asks teachers on the picket lines what keeps them going despite frustrations with the job.
EXCLUSIVE: Senator Cory Booker Speaks Out About Newark School Reform, Equity, and Mark Zuckerberg’s Millions Ahead of a Possible Run for the Presidency
Rather than a quick question-and-answer session, the senator talked for nearly 90 minutes about his high-profile efforts to turn around Newark’s failing schools with a $100 million grant from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and its spectacular rollout on Oprah Winfrey’s TV show. He spoke about why he decided to tackle education reform and the difficult politics around reforming urban schools.
August 24 – August 30
Here's what we're reading by EWA members this week
To address chronic absenteeism, schools are experimenting with punishments and rewards, reports The Wall Street Journal’s Tawnell Hobbs.
As The Oregonian’s Bethany Barnes reports, the reopening of a historic middle school is shedding light on Portland’s complicated history of educating black children.
For the Associated Press, Sally Ho examines Bill Gates’ investments in education reform, new and old.
August 17 – August 23
Here's what we're reading by EWA members this week
As a new school year begins, The Oklahoman’s Ben Felder explores the impact of teacher walkouts and where Oklahoma schools go from here.
In Puerto Rico, students recently returned to schools where the effects of Hurricane Maria are still evident, reports Education Week’s Andrew Ujifusa.
Chalkbeat’s Caroline Bauman examines whether Tennessee has delivered on a promise to turn around its lowest-performing schools.
Education Secretary Considers Using Federal Funds to Arm Schools
The Education Department is considering whether to allow states to use federal funding to purchase guns for educators, according to multiple people with knowledge of the plan.
August 10 – August 16
Here's what we're reading by EWA members this week
In New Orleans, students who drink from a school water fountain may be exposed to lead, reports Marta Jewson of The Lens.
The Washington Post’s Moriah Balingit examines a new legal strategy to improve literacy instruction in resource-deprived schools.
For Parkland students, recovery comes in many forms, reports WLRN’s Jessica Bakeman.
Five Tips for Reporting on Infants and Toddlers
An award-winning journalist explains how, and why, to cover early childhood education
If you think about education reporting as covering schools and the students who attend them, you might be scratching your head as to why infants and toddlers are newsworthy subjects. But if education reporting is really about covering learning, then children under age 4 are some of the best subjects you could imagine.
Aliyya Swaby: Texas Tribune’s Public Education Reporter
Beat Reporting: General News Outlets, Print and Online (Medium Staff)
About the Entry
Highlights from Aliyya Swaby’s coverage of education in Texas include long-standing funding challenges, the school choice debate, as well as the educational fallout from the worst natural disaster to hit the state in recent memory.
Chemawa Indian School Is ‘Breaking Its Promise’ to Tribal Students
Investigative Reporting: Broadcast
About the Entry
A federally run boarding school intended to prepare Native American youth for college instead failed to provide adequate academic instruction even as some students suffered physical and mental health issues, according to the broadcasting team’s investigation.
Jenny Brundin of Colorado Public Radio
Single-Topic News or Feature: Broadcast
About the Entry
Jenny Brundin’s portfolio of work for Colorado Public Radio includes a close look at the growing push to arm teachers on campus, inequities in school funding, and the challenges facing Colorado’s rural schools.
Does Trump’s Education Budget Even Matter?
Big cuts to popular programs, boosting school choice proposed
President Trump’s proposed federal budget, unveiled Monday, calls for major cuts to existing education programs and a huge increase for school choice initiatives. The first question stemming from his blueprint is this: How seriously will Congress take his administration’s plan, even with Republicans controlling both chambers?
How Does Your State Fare on the Education Week Report Card?
Nation overall gets 'C' grade; State leadership a factor in slow improvement, experts say (EWA Radio: Episode 155)
Education Week’s annual “Quality Counts” report offers a wealth of state-level data on students and schools, from academic indicators to equity in funding formulas. But how can reporters make the most of these numbers — and the state rankings — to tell compelling stories about their own local schools? Assistant director Sterling Lloyd and reporter Daarel Burnette join EWA Radio to discuss the national and state-by-state results. Which states made gains, which slipped behind, and why?
Pedal to the Metal: Speeding Up Stalled Records Requests
You file a freedom of information request with your local school district concerning financial data or a personnel investigation, but months later, there’s still no answer. What are the next steps, especially if your newsroom’s budget can’t stretch to cover the costs of suing for access? A veteran journalist and an expert on records requests offer strategies for success in making inquiries at the federal, state and local levels.
‘Evergreen’ Education Stories for the Holiday Week
Wish lists, good deeds, and challenging realities for K-12 and higher ed students
Even when school is out for winter break, education reporters are still on the hunt for smart stories. Here are few “evergreen” ideas that will age even better than that fruitcake you scored in the office gift swap:
71st EWA National Seminar
Los Angeles • May 16-18, 2018
EWA’s National Seminar is the largest annual gathering of journalists on the education beat. This multiday conference provides participants with top-notch training delivered through dozens of interactive sessions on covering education from early childhood through graduate school. Featuring prominent speakers, engaging campus visits, and plentiful networking opportunities, this must-attend conference provides participants with deeper understanding of the latest developments in education, a lengthy list of story ideas, and a toolbox of sharpened journalistic skills.
The Tax Bill: What Education Reporters Need to Know
Public schools and universities on edge over Republican plan for overhaul
The tax legislation congressional Republicans are rushing to complete has potentially big stakes for education. Critics suggest it will translate into a big financial hit for public schools and universities, as the rules for education-related deductions, revenue-raising bond measures and more are potentially tightened. Andrew Ujifusa of Education Week and Eric Kelderman of The Chronicle of Higher Education offer a primer on the House and Senate versions of the tax-code overhaul, including key differences lawmakers still must hammer out.
How Investing in Early Childhood Education Could Help School Districts Save Big
The evidence base for early childhood education expanded last month with the release of two reports that, together, analyze the outcomes of more than 100 early childhood interventions.
The reports, from the Rand Corporation and the American Educational Research Association (AERA), find short- and long-term benefits for children and families, and identify potential cost-savings for schools and government.
Tight Budgets Force Hard Choices Among Child Care Providers
Funding constraints, high cost of quality leave early learning programs feeling squeezed
“An impossible equation.” That’s how Phil Acord describes the challenge of keeping afloat a high-quality early learning program that serves children from low-income families.
As the president of the Chambliss Center for Children, a nonprofit organization that provides around-the-clock care and education to young children in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Acord knows well how difficult it can be for child care providers to simply keep their doors open each month.
EWA’s Early Education Seminar in 14 Tweets
About 45 education reporters gathered in Chicago this week for EWA’s two-day seminar on covering early learning. They got a primer on early education research and the complex web of funding sources for zero-to-five education and care. Reporters visited highly recognized early learning centers in the Windy City and got tips on what to look for during visits.
After the Storms: Uncertain Futures for Puerto Rico’s Students
EWA Radio: Episode 144
The public education system in Puerto Rico was already struggling before two historic hurricanes — Irma and Maria — wreaked havoc on this U.S. territory. Reporter Andrew Ujifusa and photographer Swikar Patel of Education Week discuss their recent reporting trip to Puerto Rico, where they met students and teachers who have lost their homes — as well as their schools — and are now struggling to get the basic essentials, like food and shelter.
Minneapolis’ Black Families Lead Way in Fleeing to Other Schools
Once it was the biggest school district in the state. Now Minneapolis Public Schools is the biggest loser in Minnesota’s robust school-choice environment, surrendering more kids to charter schools and other public school options than any other district.
And unlike most other school districts in the state, most of the defections in Minneapolis are occurring among black families. The 9,000 departing black students make up more than half of the districtwide total, according to a Star Tribune analysis of state enrollment data.
School Choice Splits Twin Cities Suburbs Into Haves, Have-nots
The bus cruising through Eden Prairie neighborhoods in the morning looks like any other yellow school bus.
But some families in the community know it’s different. They’ve hired the driver to pick up their children and haul them to the adjoining school district in Minnetonka. For some, the trip is 30 minutes one way and requires a change of buses.
Eden Prairie schools are usually ranked among the best in the Minnesota, but parent Jane-Marie Bloomberg says it’s worth paying $700 a year to bus her children to Minnetonka, where class sizes are smaller.
Can Fresh Attention to Rural Schools Fix Old Problems?
Telling the stories of the nation’s rural schools means better understanding what they offer the roughly 8.9 million students enrolled.
It also involves understanding the communities around those schools, the students attending them, and the challenges they face, a panel of educators and journalists explained recently during EWA’s National Seminar in Washington, D.C.
And one of the most important stories to tell about rural education involves inequality, said Alan Richard, a longtime education writer and editor.
Houston Schools Reporter: After Harvey, ‘Everyone’s in Survival Mode’
EWA Radio: Episode 137
Public school students in Houston — the nation’s seventh-largest district — had expected to start a new academic year this week. Instead, many of their campuses were converted into emergency shelters, and many students as well as educators are now homeless. Shelby Webb of The Houston Chronicle discusses the latest developments, and shares some personal perspectives on reporting under emotionally charged circumstances.
On the Menu: Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts and School Nutrition
EWA Radio: Episode 135
Tovin Lapan of The Hechinger Report visited Greenville, Miss., to examine how President Trump’s proposed budget cuts could impact rural school communities that depend heavily on federal aid for after-school and student nutrition programs. What does research show about the connections between connecting students’ eating habits and test scores?
Follow the Money: Digging Into School District Finances
When it comes to school district finances, the numbers aren’t easy to add up. But tracking and analyzing this information is a powerful tool to drive smart news coverage.
Veteran education journalist Tawnell Hobbs of The Wall Street Journal shares tips and tricks for digging into district operating budgets and actual expenditures, as well as salary databases, overtime requests, check registers and credit card accounts, purchase orders, and more. Learn how to evaluate fiscal data that’s readily available and make the most of open records requests.
Betsy DeVos: Many Questions, Few Answers
EWA Radio: Episode 133
Lisa Miller, an associate editor at New York magazine, discusses her new profile of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Miller discusses the unwillingness of people close to DeVos to discuss her on the record — including current Department of Education employees — made this one of the most challenging profiles she’s ever written. What do we know about DeVos’ vision for the nation’s public schools that we didn’t know six months ago?
Betsy DeVos Goes From Ideas to Action
EWA Radio: Episode 127
Alyson Klein of Education Week and Andrew Kreighbaum of Inside Higher Ed discuss recent developments on the federal policy front, and what’s been a busy month for U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. The Education Department has hit the “pause button” on regulations aimed at reining in for-profit colleges, announced plans to scale back civil rights investigations, and suggested federal scrutiny of state accountability plans for K-12 education could be more forceful than some people — particularly Republicans — were expecting.
After-School Programs Might Help English-Language Learners Improve Reading Skills
With President Trump’s proposed federal budget calling for cuts in after-school programing, the nonprofit advocacy group Afterschool Alliance released an issue brief this month highlighting several programs they say are helping students who are learning English.
Trump’s School Choice Plan Could Quickly Stall in Washington, Analysts Say
Plans to expand school choice from President Donald Trump may be generating a lot of attention — but they should be taken with a dose of political reality, and not obscure other key issues.
That was one of the main messages from a panel of K-12 advocates discussing the changing politics of education, part of the annual conference of the Education Writers Association in Washington, D.C., this week.
DeVos Won’t Be Speaking at EWA Seminar But Here’s What Other Education Secretaries Had to Say
When U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos declined EWA’s invitation to speak at its 70th National Seminar, it prompted coverage from The Associated Press, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, among others, in part because of her already limited press availability in the nearly four months since she was appointed to the cabinet post.
White, Wealthy Cities Setting Up Their Own School Districts
EWA Radio: Episode 121
Lauren Camera of U.S. News & World Report discusses a little-noticed, and potentially troubling, trend: Dozens of cities nationwide have broken off from their counties to create new school districts, increasing student segregation by race, ethnicity, and family income. What are the implications of a recent U.S. district court ruling in Alabama that allowed such a move?
Trump Eyes Tax Code to Tackle Child Care
The tax code is complicated, the child-care system is fragmented, and President Donald Trump’s policy proposals can seem to change on a whim. And so, making sense of how tax reform can make child care more “accessible and affordable,” as Trump has vowed, is no simple task.
The need to provide relief for families shouldering the high cost of child care has emerged as one of the few points of agreement between the White House and Democrats in Congress, but the two sides differ on just how to do that.
DC Vouchers Study: Will Shaky Results Carry Weight?
EWA Radio: Episode 120
Leah Askarinam of The Atlantic discusses a new study that raises questions about the value of the school voucher program for low-income families in the nation’s capital. On average, test scores were lower for students who used federal aid to attend private schools, when compared with those who attended D.C. public schools.
Advocates Fear Impact of Trump Budget on Arts Education
President Donald Trump’s plans to eliminate some big-tickets items in the federal education budget — such as aid for after-school and teacher quality programs – have sparked sharp criticism. At the same time, supporters of the arts are rallying against the president’s proposal to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts — which provides some grants for arts education.
Trump Begins to Flesh Out School Choice Agenda, But Questions Remain
There was no missing the symbolism in President Donald Trump’s first school visit since taking office — a stop at St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Florida, this month.
St. Andrew is “one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our most disadvantaged children,” Trump noted, and it’s been helped along by school choice policy.
The Education Secretaries Betsy DeVos Would Follow
A Senate committee is slated to vote tomorrow on President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. secretary of education — philanthropist and school choice advocate Betsy DeVos. The Education Department is one of the newer federal departments, created during President Jimmy Carter’s administration and beginning its work in May of 1980.
For Trump Pick DeVos, Confirmation Hearing Is a Bear
Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for billionaire school advocate Betsy DeVos — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. secretary of education — was a doozy.
DeVos sought to present herself as ready to oversee the federal agency, but some of her remarks suggested a lack of familiarity with the federal laws governing the nation’s schools.
In her opening statement before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, DeVos said:
‘Quality Counts’ – Rating the Nation’s Public Schools
EWA Radio: Episode 105
Education Week’s Mark Bomster (assistant managing editor) and Sterling Lloyd (senior research associate) discuss the 2017 “Quality Counts” report, which examines and rates state-level efforts to improve public education. This year’s edition features a special focus on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced No Child Left Behind as the backbone of the nation’s federal K-12 policy. How ready are states, districts, and schools for the policy shifts — and new flexibility — on school accountability, testing, and teacher evaluations under ESSA, among other issues? What are some story ideas for local reporters covering the implementation? Also, which states scored the highest on Education Week’s ratings when it comes to student achievement, equitable education spending, and the “Chance for Success” index? How can education writers use this data to inform their own reporting?
2017: Big Education Stories to Watch
EWA Radio: Episode 104
Kate Zernike, The New York Times’ national education reporter, discusses what’s ahead on the beat in 2017. How will President-elect Donald Trump translate his slim set of campaign promises on education into a larger and more detailed agenda? What do we know about the direction Trump’s nominee for U.S. secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, will seek to take federal policy if she’s confirmed? Zernike also offers story ideas and suggestions for local and regional education reporters to consider in the new year.
What’s Next for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics?
A Q&A With Outgoing Executive Director Alejandra Ceja
Alejandra Ceja has been the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics since 2013 — a position she’ll give up at noon on Jan. 19, the day before the presidential inauguration. I recently sat down with her at the U.S. Department of Education to talk about the state of Latino education, the Initiative’s first 25 years, and what we can expect from the Initiative under the next administration.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length.
How Will Education Fare Under President Trump?
The long, strange election cycle came to an end Tuesday with the election of Donald Trump as the next president. And while his campaign platform was scarce on education policy details, there’s no question his administration will have a significant impact, from early childhood to K-12 and higher education.
Pre-K-12 Education in the 2016 Race
The U.S. Elections & Education: Part 1
Experts and advocates assess how early childhood and K-12 education issues are factoring into the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. They offer analysis of the candidates’ campaign positions and explore the complex politics of education policy. They also discuss other key elections around the nation with big stakes for education.
Back-to-School: You Need Stories, We’ve Got Ideas
The boys (and girls) are back in town. For class, that is.
See how forced that lede was? Back-to-school reporting can take on a similar tinge of predictability, with journalists wondering how an occasion as locked in as the changing of the seasons can be written about with the freshness of spring.
Recently some of the beat’s heavy hitters dished with EWA’s Emily Richmond about ways newsrooms can take advantage of the first week of school to tell important stories and cover overlooked issues.
Revisiting “Savage Inequalities” of School Funding
EWA Radio: Episode 85
For more than two decades, “Savage Inequalities” — a close look at school funding disparities nationwide — has been required reading at many colleges and universities. And with a growing number of states facing legal challenges to how they fund their local schools, author Jonathan Kozol’s work has fresh relevance. Education journalists Lauren Camera (US News & World Report) and Christine Sampson (East Hampton Star) talk with EWA public editor Emily Richmond about how Kozol’s book has influenced their own reporting.
As Convention Dust Settles, Where Do Clinton and Trump Stand on Education?
When compared to Donald Trump’s single education policy-related sentence in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention, Hillary Clinton’s remarks on the subject Thursday night were certainly more extensive, as she sought to emphasize a track record of making schools, teachers, families, and students her political — and personal — priorities.
The ABCs of ESSA: Smart Questions, Better Stories
Chicago • October 6–7, 2016
What will be the impact of the new Every Student Succeeds Act on states and schools, both in policy and practice? EWA will examine an array of issues with the federal law, including testing and accountability, Title I funding, teachers, stakeholder engagement, and curriculum.
Election 2016: The Stakes for Pre-K-12 Education
Video Resources from the 69th EWA National Seminar
What implications does the presidential election hold for the future of pre-K -12 policy? What direction would the leading candidates pursue? How might a shift in Congress’s political balance complicate matters? Meanwhile, a dozen governors’ seats are in play, from Oregon to Indiana and North Carolina, setting the stage for state-policy shifts.
Election 2016: New President, New Education Agenda
Washington, D.C. • November 14, 2016
The election of Republican Donald Trump is sure to reshape federal policy for education in significant ways, from prekindergarten to college, especially coupled with the GOP’s retaining control of Congress.
Although Trump spent relatively little time on education in his campaign, he did highlight the issue from time to time, from his sharp criticism of the Common Core and high student debt loads to proposing a plan to significantly expand school choice. And Congress has a long to-do list, including reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
The U.S. Elections & Education: Part 1
Washington, D.C. • August 30, 2016
Now that the White House race has narrowed to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, how is education playing out as an issue in the campaign? Will it prove an important fault line between the Democratic and Republican candidates? Will Trump offer any details to contrast with Clinton’s extensive set of proposals from early childhood to higher education? What are the potential implications for schools and colleges depending on who wins the White House? Also, what other races this fall should be on the radar of journalists, whether elections for Congress, state legislatures, or governor?
By the Book: Dale Russakoff, The Prize
Video Resources from the 69th EWA National Seminar
When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced his $100 million pledge to transform the downtrodden schools of Newark, New Jersey, then-mayor Cory Booker and Governor Chris Christie were beside him, vowing to help make Newark “a symbol of educational excellence for the whole nation.” Dale Russakoff’s book tells the story of what happened next.
On Target? Following Federal K-12 Aid for Poor Students
As part of its effort to help close the achievement gap for disadvantaged students, the U.S. government spends more than $14 billion annually through the Title I program. But a sizable share of those billions go to affluent school systems. Why do some high-poverty districts receive less federal Title I aid than those that serve a far smaller proportion of low-income students? This week, U.S. News & World Report released an exclusive investigation on the federal funding stream.
Trump’s Education Agenda, in 52 Seconds
With Donald Trump now seen as the presumptive Republican nominee for president, after his strong victory in the Indiana primary, attention surely will grow to what he would actually do if elected.
If you want to know where Trump stands on education, you might think the first place to go would be his campaign website.
‘Private’ Charter Schools? Fact-Checking Bernie Sanders
At the Democratic Town Hall Sunday night in Columbus, Ohio, Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked whether he supported charter schools. The Democratic presidential candidate’s answer — imprecise at best — set off a flurry of responses in the Twittersphere, if not the audience at the CNN broadcast.
Iowa Is First: The Presidential Candidates – and Their Education Plans
EWA Radio: Episode 57
Iowa prides itself on holding the first caucuses of the presidential election year. EWA public editor Emily Richmond talks with statewide education reporter Mackenzie Ryan of the Des Moines Register about what it’s like to be at the epicenter of the presidential race insanity, her coverage of Republican hopeful Marco Rubio, and the big concerns for Iowa voters when it comes to public schools.
State of the Union: Here’s Your Education Buzzword Bingo Card
By popular demand, we’ll be playing EWA Buzzword Bingo tonight on Twitter during President Obama’s State of the Union address. You can join in with the online versionof the game (click the box when you hear the buzzword). The hashtag is #EWABingo.
The Higher Ed Beat: Are You Ready for 2016?
EWA Radio: Episode 54
Scott Jaschik, editor and co-founder of Inside Higher Ed, shares his thoughts on the coming year with EWA Radio. Among the topics he and public editor Emily Richmond tackle in this episode: Will 2015’s widespread campus protests over racial issues carry over into the New Year? How will community college factor into state funding formulas for higher education? Why are younger U.S. military veterans an ever-growing market for universities? And what should reporters watch out for when reporting on the intersection of politics and education policy?
Happy New Year: What Education Reporters Need To Know
EWA Radio: Episode 53
With school back in session and a new federal education law on the books, K-12 reporter Motoko Rich of the New York Times shares her predictions for the hot topics on the education beat in 2016, as well as some of her favorite stories of the past year produced by other journalists. She also offers some smart tips for reporters looking to localize national issues for their own audiences.
Exclusive Access: Education Week’s ‘Quality Counts’ 2016
EWA journalist members received an early opportunity to review Education Week’s newest Quality Counts report, which includes a special focus on school accountability.
As part of its annual Quality Counts report, Education Week grades states on a wide range of indicators, including the Chance-for-Success Index, K-12 Achievement Index, and school finance.
Why Did the Feds’ School Improvement Grant Program Fall Short?
EWA Radio: Episode 48
Education reporter Caitlin Emma (Politico Pro) spoke with EWA Radio about her deep dive into the federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) program, which invested more than $4 billion into efforts to turn around some of the nation’s lowest achieving schools.
State Capacity to Support School Turnaround
Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance
More than 80 percent of states made turning around low-performing schools a high priority, but at least 50 percent found it very difficult to turn around low-performing schools. 38 states (76 percent) reported significant gaps in expertise for supporting school turnaround in 2012, and that number increased to 40 (80 percent) in 2013.
Higher Ed. Gets Brief Spotlight During Democratic Debate
It took nearly two hours, but education — more specifically college affordability and some differences in how to address it — came to the fore in the first Democratic presidential debate after CNN co-moderator Dana Bush asked both Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about their plans.
Arne Duncan’s Departure: Education Reporters Dig In
A good test of reporters’ skills is how they handle breaking news – and last week’s surprise announcement that Arne Duncan would step down as U.S. Secretary of Education was a prime example.
Mixed Reviews for Stricter School Lunch Menus
Long mocked for its inedibility, campus cafeteria food is undergoing a federally mandated transformation, and schools are realizing it’s going to take more than sprinkling kale on pizza to really change the way students eat.
On the Bus: Arne Duncan’s Back-to-School Tour
EWA Radio: Episode 39
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is on the road this week for his sixth annual back-to-school bus tour.
Secretary Duncan’s Bus Tour: Preschool, Higher Ed. Top List
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan launches his sixth annual back-to-school bus tour this week, and the chosen locations offer some insights into the department’s priorities in the waning days of the Obama administration.
69th EWA National Seminar
The Education Writers Association, the national professional organization for journalists who cover education, is thrilled to announce that its annual conference will take place from Sunday, May 1, through Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in the historic city of Boston.
Co-hosted by Boston University’s College of Communication and School of Education, EWA’s 69th National Seminar will examine a wide array of timely topics in education — from early childhood through career — while expanding and sharpening participants’ skills in reporting and storytelling.
National Education Polls Tell Two Stories, Impact on Elections Tough to Gauge
Getting a read on the American public’s views on education is no easy task, made more complicated by just how much local schools vary. In a country with more than 13,000 school districts that enroll nearly 50 million students, a range of experiences and perspectives are to be expected.
Is It Bon Voyage For No Child Left Behind?
Webinar on Federal Policy
Education Week reporter Lauren Camera, David DeSchryver, senior vice president of Whiteboard Advisors, and Bethany Little, principal at Education Counsel, break down the future of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for journalists.
Now that both the Senate and the House of Representatives have passed bills renewing the act, journalists can examine the potential impact of the new provisions. Learn how you can cover these in your state and district and find out questions you should be asking.
Speakers
Congress Wants Data on Military-Connected Students
In the flurry of media coverage of the political fight to replace No Child Left Behind, one issue hasn’t gotten much attention: a proposal to require states and districts to track the academic progress of children from military-connected families.
Beyond NCLB: New Era in Federal Education Policy?
Fifty years ago, the federal government enacted the landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s war on poverty. The newest version of the ESEA, the No Child Left Behind Act, became law 13 years ago and has stayed in place ever since. On Thursday, a new version of the federal government’s most far-reaching K-12 education law moved closer to adoption. The U.S. Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act, one week after the U.S. House of Representatives passed its own version, the Student Success Act.
NCLB Rewrite Survives Senate Vote
It’s been a hugely busy week for education reporters on Capitol Hill, as the Senate plowed its way through the Every Child Achieves Act, one of the leading contenders to replace No Child Left Behind as the nation’s framework for funding public schools.
The Senate approved passage of the bill Thursday with 81-17 vote.
Tougher Tests May Be New Norm in Common Core Era
In an early glimpse of how much tougher state tests could be in the Common Core era, a new federal report released in July shows that early adopters of the controversial standards are assessing their students with a far higher degree of difficulty.
Senate to Debate Replacement for No Child Left Behind
After countless false starts and protracted negotiations, a bill to reauthorize the main federal law for K-12 education is slated for consideration by the U.S. Senate this week.
This is the closest the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act has come to reality since the law was last updated in 2002 under President George W. Bush. The law, also known as the No Child Left Behind Act, was slated for renewal in 2007.
Trends in Charter School Finance
2015 EWA National Seminar
Funding for charter schools is a complex and divisive issue. Do charters get an equitable share of public dollars? How do school facilities fit into the equation, as well as private sources of support for the charter sector? What are recent evolutions in policy concerning charter finance and facilities, and what’s on the horizon?
White House School Arts Program Expands to D.C., New York
A program that pairs celebrities with struggling schools to develop their arts education is expanding to more large cities, The U.S. Department of Education announced today.
Known as the Turnaround Arts initiative, the $10-million effort pools public and private funds to teach music, dance and other arts disciplines at schools that are considered among the worst in their respective states.
Texas School Funding: An Unfair Formula?
EWA Radio: Episode 25
Laura Isensee of Houston Public Media talks with EWA public editor Emily Richmond about her five-part series examining school funding inequities in the Lone Star State.
A former reporter with the Miami Herald, Isensee also discusses making the transition from print to broadcast, how reporters can take advantage of multimedia opportunities, and the challenge of turning “numbers heavy” pieces into stories that listeners can relate to—and want to hear.
How to Get Dollars to Schools That Need Them
At a speech in December, Janet Yellen, the chair of the Federal Reserve, took the United States to task for the way it funds schools.
“Public education spending is often lower for students in lower-income households than for students in higher-income households,” she told the audience at the Conference on Economic Opportunity and Inequality, in Boston.
Story Lab: Making Federal Data a Gold Mine for Your Reporting
Need a state or national statistic? There’s likely a federal data set for that. From fairly intuitive and interactive widgets to dense spreadsheets — and hundreds of data summaries in between — the U.S. Department of Education’s various research programs are a gold mine for reporters on the hunt for facts and figures.
Arne Duncan: Education Is ‘Great Equalizer’ But Not Yet National Priority
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan subjected himself to what might have been the ultimate edu-press conference in Chicago Tuesday, allowing hundreds of reporters to grill him on testing, No Child Left Behind, college ratings (and yes, White Suburban moms) at the Education Writers Association’s 68th National Seminar.
RIP NCLB?: A New Role for Uncle Sam
2015 EWA National Seminar
Speakers, including U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, R-IN, offer reporters the lay of the land and discuss how rewriting the No Child Left Behind Act may affect their school districts and states. Some speakers say NCLB is already dead, but they’re still not certain what will take its place, other than policies handed down through the U.S. Department of Education’s waivers from NCLB provisions.
National Seminar: EWA in Chicago
EWA’s 68th National Seminar kicks off today in Chicago, and it’s going to be a fantastic three days of discussions, workshops, and site visits. The theme this year is Costs and Benefits: The Economics of Education. Be sure to keep tabs on all the action via the #EWA15 hashtag on Twitter.
Race to the Top: Education Could Better Support Grantees and Help Them Address Capacity Challenges
The Department of Education’s (Education) Race to the Top (RTT) program encouraged states to reform their K-12 educational systems, but states and districts faced various capacity challenges in implementing the reforms. RTT accelerated education reforms underway and spurred new reforms in all 19 RTT states and in an estimated 81 percent of districts, according to GAO’s surveys of RTT grantees and districts that received RTT funds. At the same time, states and districts noted various challenges to their capacity to successfully support, oversee, and implement these reform efforts.
Congress Moves a (Big) Step Closer to Rewriting No Child Left Behind
A congressional compromise is at hand to rewrite No Child Left Behind, removing many of the more onerous provisions of the federal education law while giving states greater flexibility in accountability.
While the “Every Student Achieves” bipartisan bill announced Tuesday still has significant hurdles to clear before passage, it’s certainly the closest Congress has come to an agreement on revising the education law in nearly a decade.
How the United States Spent $600 Billion on Schools
The United States spent $600 billion to fund public education in the nation’s K-12 schools in 2011, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Education that captures the latest figures on national public education spending.
State of the Union: Where’s the K-12?
EWA Radio, Episode 18, Part 2
President Obama’s address to Congress laid out ambitious plans for higher education reform. But there was scant mention of initiatives for elementary and secondary students.
The Education Words President Obama Didn’t Say
For the policy wonks and advocates hoping for more than a passing mention of K-12 education in President Obama’s State of the Union, it was a long 59 minutes.
State of the Union: Play EWA Buzzword Bingo
By popular demand, we’ll be playing EWA Buzzword Bingo tonight on Twitter during President Obama’s State of the Union address. Look for the hashtag #EWABingo.
More Than Minutes: Building a Better School Day
In a union vote Wednesday, Boston teachers approved the school district’s plan to add 40 minutes to the K-8 instructional day at more than 50 campuses, a move experts say could help improve the quality of classroom instruction, boost student learning, and yield long-term benefits to the wider community.
The 2015 Education Beat: Common Core, Testing, School Choice
There’s a busy year ahead on the schools beat – I talked to reporters, policy analysts and educators to put together a cheat sheet to a few of the stories you can expect to be on the front burner in the coming months:
Revamping No Child Left Behind
White House Proposes Tougher Accountability Standards for Teacher Colleges
In 2011, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called it “laughable” that in the prior decade the majority of states had failed to rate even one teaching preparation program as inferior. On Tuesday, the White House released draft accountability regulations that are no joke for the nation’s teacher colleges, and could result in a loss of federal funding if their graduates fail to do well on the job.
Report: Funding for Dual-Language Programs Inconsistent and Inequitable
Nearly 10 percent of K-12 students in the United States are not native English speakers. That’s 4.4 million children enrolled in school who have been identified as English language learners.
Education and the Election: What Happened and What It Means
The midterm election results have big implications for education, from Republicans’ success in retaking the U.S. Senate to new governors coming in and a slew of education ballot measures, most of which were defeated.
The widely watched race for California’s schools superintendent came down to the wire, with incumbent Tom Torlakson edging out challenger Marshall Tuck — a former charter schools administrator:
Are Students Learning Lessons of Midterm Elections?
Today is a day off from school for millions of students as campuses in some districts and states — including Michigan and New York — are converted into polling stations for the midterm elections. To Peter Levine, the director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, that’s a missed opportunity to demonstrate democracy in action.
Reporter Guide: Campaign Finance
Campaign finance might seem like the exclusive province of political reporters, but there are many good reasons why you should be paying attention – both in races for education positions and in other key races at the local, state, and federal levels with implications for education. You’ll need basic math and it helps to have familiarity with a spreadsheet, but you’ll find that once you’ve mastered the basics, a good campaign finance story can take on the fun of light detective work.
Expanded Learning Time, Kindergarten Among Proposed Federal Rules for Turnaround Schools
After spending more than $3.5 billion on a program to improve chronically low-performing schools — only to see mixed results — the Obama administration is proposing major revisions to the menu of turnaround efforts that low-performing schools can undertake to qualify for funding under the program.
Battles Over Teaching History, Then and Now
A new round of opposition to planned changes in how high schools teach U.S. history is conjuring up its own echoes of the past.
Federal Funding for Students with Disabilities
In Federal Funding for Students with Disabilities: The Evolution of Federal Special Education Finance in the U.S., New America provides a history of special education financing in the U.S., and highlights the latest shift in the mission of the IDEA funding formula: a change from providing dollars directly based on the number of special education students, to ensuring the federal government provides sufficient resources for those students without encouraging the over-identification of children as requiring special education–mainly by cutting out financial incentives to do so.
Federal Funding for Students with Disabilities
The Evolution of Federal Special Education Finance in the U.S.
In Federal Funding for Students with Disabilities: The Evolution of Federal Special Education Finance in the U.S., New America provides a history of special education financing in the U.S., and highlights the latest shift in the mission of the IDEA funding formula: a change from providing dollars directly based on the number of special education students, to ensuring the federal government provides sufficient resources for those students without encouraging the over-identification of children as requiring special education–mainly by cutting out financial incentives to do so.
Federal Government Gets Tougher on States Receiving Special Education Funds
The number of states in compliance with federal special education rules dropped from 38 to 15 after implementation of tougher regulations today, according to a U.S. Department of Education report. The findings are part of a renewed push to help special ed students, who comprise roughly 13 percent of all public school kids in the U.S., in the form of new state regulations that take into account the achievement of students with disabilities.
Common Core a Tainted Brand?
Tennessee joins a phalanx of other states in ending its relationship with one of the two Common Core-aligned assessment groups.
The state’s top three education leaders sent a letter to Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) announcing that Tennessee will be seeking a new set of tests and leaving the consortium. Education Week has more.
Live From Nashville: EWA’s 67th National Seminar
I’ve often made the case that there’s no reporting beat where the reporters are more collegial – or more committed to their work – than education. EWA’s 67th National Seminar, hosted by Vanderbilt University, helped to prove that point.
Still Separate and Unequal? Brown v. Board of Education at 60
Our April 28th webinar looked at education disparities along racial lines as we approach the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.
Early Childhood Education: Does the Research Justify the Cost?
EWA recently hosted a seminar in New Orleans on early childhood education. We asked some of the journalists who attended to contribute posts from the sessions. Today’s guest blogger is Alexander Russo of Scholastic’s This Week in Education. You can also find out more about early childhood education on EWA’s Topics page.
After-School Learning Advocates Hope Research Leads to More Federal Dollars
Learning doesn’t stop when the last bell of the day rings, but for most communities, money to support after-school activities is tight.
The largest federal grant program dedicated to learning outside of class – after school, before school and during summers – is roughly only $1.15 billion for the entire nation, for instance. The AfterSchool Alliance, an advocacy group, notes that of all the money spent on education outside of normal school hours, Uncle Sam only kicks in about a tenth. Parents, meanwhile, contribute three-quarters of the dollars spent in total.
Recession’s Over: Why Aren’t Public Services Coming Back?
Conservative legislators committed to the idea that smaller government works best are passing tax cuts that they say help stimulate the economy. They are moving to make recession-era budget cuts permanent.
San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro: Preschool Initiative `a Model for the Nation’
A few years ago, San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro – the Democratic Party’s first Hispanic keynote convention speaker – decided his city needed to expand its preschool opportunities for young children. To pay for it, Castro built a coalition of public-private partnerships and bipartisan support and convinced voters in 2012 to approve a new tax that would fund expanded preschool opportunities throughout the city. Known as “Pre-K 4 San Antonio,” the program launched in the fall and is expected to expand in the coming years. Castro was the keynote speaker at EWA’s recent seminar for journalists on early childhood education, held at Tulane University in New Orleans.
State of the Union: What Education Analysts Expect to Hear
The annual State of the Union address to Congress – and the nation – is President Obama’s opportunity to outline his administration’s goals for the coming months, but it’s also an opportunity to look back at the education priorities outlined in last year’s address – and what progress, if any, has been made on them.
Among the big buzzwords in the 2013 State of the Union: college affordability, universal access to early childhood education, and workforce development.
Sequestration Rollback? Federal Funding Bill Gains Traction
A new federal spending bill was introduced by Congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle, and it would provide $1 billion in new money for Head Start programs and restore much of the forced budget cuts of last year’s sequestration.
The Council of Great City Schools
The Council of Great City Schools works on behalf of the nation’s urban public school districts, providing research and support on issues ranging from the challenges of educating diverse student populations to tracking superintendent hiring, tenure, and benefits.
The National Association of State Budget Officers
The National Association of State Budget Officers uses research, policy analysis and education to advance state budget practices.
The Council of Chief State School Officers is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing state-level education leaders from across the country.
The American Association of School Administrators
The American Association of School Administrators counts more than 13,000 educational leaders from across the United States and the world in its membership. These members include chief executive officers, superintendents and senior level school administrators along with cabinet members, some professors and others who manage schools and school systems. AASA was founded in 1865. Regarding NCLB, AASA has asserted that “The accountability system should be made up of measures of growth that differentiate levels of success.
The Committee for Education Funding
The Committee for Education Funding is a nonpartisan lobbying group representing more than 100 00 organizations including K-12 school districts, colleges and universities, nonprofits, professional associations, research firms, and coalitions of educators, parents, and public employees.
New Polls Show Americans Frustrated With State of Education
At 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, EWA’s Emily Richmond talks with Phi Delta Kappa’s Bill Bushaw about a new Gallup/PDK poll on attitudes toward public education. Watch it here!
The PDK/Gallup poll generated some media buzz, and when viewed alongside two other education polls released this week, reveals a populace that has an ambivalent view on the state of U.S. schools.
Catch up with news coverage of the polls’ results and responses from stakeholders below:
As Poverty Spreads, So Do the Challenges for Schools
A new report highlighting the growing rate of poverty among suburban residents warns that traditional policies aimed at combating indigence aren’t designed to address the problem adequately.
Follow-Up Friday: Sequester Hits Defense Department Campuses, New Algorithm Might Help Schools ID Potential Dropouts
Remember sequestration?
Background Reading for “Mine the Gap: Working with Data on Access to Opportunity”
K-12 Opportunity Gaps and Out-of-School Factors, The Educated Reporter:
Education at a Glance 2013: EWA/OECD Webinar
55 minutes
How much of the U.S. gross domestic product is spent on education? How does that education spending break down for early childhood education, K-12 education and higher education? How much private spending is dedicated to education, compared to public spending? What is the link between higher education degrees and unemployment rates in the U.S. and other countries?
Forced Federal Budget Cuts Means Fewer Students Tested in Social Studies
I was interested to read over on the Politics K-12 blog about plans to scale back national exams in social studies as a result of sequestration, a move that might save money in the short term but educators say could do long-term damage to efforts to cultivate a more informed citizenry.
Arne Duncan at the 2013 EWA National Seminar: Part 4
As the Q&A comes to a close, Sec. Duncan responds to questions about SIG funding for ‘parent trigger’ schools, whether federal policies invite cheating, and negotiating with states on common core standards.
Arne Duncan at the 2013 EWA National Seminar: Part 3
As the Q&A portion of his talk continues, Sec. Duncan fields questions on transparency at the Department of Education, erasure scandals, and the ongoing battle against rising college costs.
Arne Duncan at the 2013 EWA National Seminar: Part 1
At EWA’s 66th National Seminar, the Secretary of Education talks about the value of early education, the importance of professional development for teachers and challenges facing turnaround schools.
Arne Duncan at the 2013 EWA National Seminar: Part 2
In part 2 of his talk, Sec. Duncan talks common core waivers, battling poverty and the the “staggering” impacts of violence on schools and communities. He also begins the Q & A portion by addressing his perception of a lack of diversity in the school reform movement.
Fiscal Year 2013 Recap and Fiscal Year 2014 Early Analysis
Making sense of the annual appropriations process and the federal education budget can be a frustrating task for education advocates, state and local policymakers, the media, and the public. With the fiscal year 2013 budget and appropriations process now complete and the 2014 process just beginning, now is an opportune time to assess how federal education programs have been, and are likely to be, affected by these developments.
Federal Sequester Causing Confusion, Headaches For States and Schools
Remember the sequester? It’s still causing confusion for educators across the country as they deal with massive cuts in federal funding for core programs and services.
School Districts Have Used Title I Funds Primarily to Support Instruction
GAO found that 12 selected districts in Louisiana, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Washington used Title I funds primarily for instructional purposes, consistent with findings from other research.
In Montana, an Indian Reservation’s Children Feel the Impact of Sequester’s Cuts
The public schools on the isolated, windswept Fort Peck Indian reservation in Poplar, Mont. are at the frontier of the federal sequester, among the first to struggle with budget cuts sweeping west from Washington.
Reading a District Budget
Every school budget tells a story—about a district’s spending plan, its priorities, goals, and financial health. The challenge is to wade through the jargon and numbers to unlock that story.
‘Sequester’ Adds to Districts’ Budget Uncertainties
Even as they seek to quantify the impact of across-the-board federal budget cuts on K-12 programs, some of the nation’s neediest school districts are bracing for tough choices.
Sequestration and Education: Frequently Asked Questions
The arrival of the March 1 deadline for automatic federal spending cuts known as sequestration had policymakers and administrators from Washington to local school districts bracing for the possible effects.
The Federal Education Budget—2013
The complete federal budget for the current fiscal year.
Sequester Spin Gets Ahead of Reality
The descriptions of the post-sequester landscape coming from the Obama administration have been alarming, specific — and, in at least some cases, hyped.
Advocates Raise Concerns on Looming ‘Sequester’ Cuts
Education advocates and the Obama administration are anxiously eyeing a series of across-the-board cuts set to hit a broad swath of federal domestic and military spending programs early next year, unless a sharply divided Congress can agree on a long-term plan to put the nation’s fiscal house in order
Under Threat: Sequestration’s Impact on Nondefense Jobs and Services
So far, we’ve heard a great deal about sequestration’s effects on Pentagon spending. But sequestration wouldn’t apply only to defense. It would also have destructive impacts on the whole array of Federal activities that promote and protect the middle class
in this country — everything from education to job training, medical research, child care, worker safety, food safety, national parks, border security and safe air travel.
Should Funding and Facilities Follow the Child?
Charter advocates are pushing for greater access to facilities and more equitable funding. At the same time, some school districts are seeing steep budget cuts, and in some cases facing bankruptcy, in part because of a shift of students and funding to charter schools. We explore a range of perspectives on this complicated issue.
Should Funding and Facilities Follow the Child?
Charter advocates are pushing for greater access to facilities and more equitable funding. At the same time, some school districts are seeing steep budget cuts, and in some cases facing bankruptcy, in part because of a shift of students and funding to charter schools. We explore a range of perspectives on this complicated issue.
In the Trenches: Teachers’ Take on Turnarounds
Anthony Cody, a longtime teacher and blogger who is now a consultant and expert on teacher leadership, and Lisa Goncalves Lavin, a first grade teacher and member of the Turnaround Teacher Team (T3) at Blackstone Elementary School in Boston, Mass., share their views of how teachers are experiencing turnaround efforts.
The Unions’ Engagement in School Turnarounds
Ellen Holmes (NEA) and Judy Hale (AFT-West Virginia) discuss the unions’ programs developed in response to the national push to turn around low-performing schools.
Charter Schools’ Role in Turnaround and Transformation
How does the charter school model factor into efforts to turn around low-achieving campuses? Why haven’t more charter management organizations signed on for school turnarounds? What questions should reporters be asking when faced with conflicting data on charter school performance?
Lessons Learned: What We Know About School Turnarounds
In this excerpt from his presentation at EWA’s March 24 conference in Chicago, Professor Daniel Duke of the University of Virginia reviews the history of recent school turnaround efforts, lessons that can be drawn from successes and setbacks, and issues and concerns that persist as the reform effort moves forward.
Turnaround Schools: Federal Priorities and Research Findings
Deputy Assistant Secretary Jason Snyder of the U.S. Department of Education provides an overview of federal reform efforts and the Obama administration’s goals for the SIG program.
Timothy Knowles, director of the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute, talks about key findings from studies of Chicago’s turnaround initiative.
Recorded at EWA’s March 24, 2012 conference on school turnarounds at the University of Chicago
How Successful Turnarounds Leverage Resources
William Guenther, president and chief executive of Mass Insight, discusses his organization’s role in facilitating “Partnership Zones” in numerous districts nationwide.
Change in the Windy City: A Chicago Perspective
What lessons can be learned from the push to turn around schools in the nation’s third-largest school district? What is the union’s role in the efforts? Are classroom teachers noticing a chance in their school environment or in student achievement?