A weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else — spiced with a dash of irreverence — from the nation’s leading voice on education innovation and opportunity.
KEEPIN’ IT REAL! Tired of conversation/confrontation/conflict over education-related issues that quickly escape the gravitational pull of reality? The Center for Education Reform proudly presents Reality Check with Jeanne Allen, a podcast hosted by CER Founder & CEO Jeanne Allen and is a production of National Review Online. The program debuts today with fearless civil rights leader and school opportunity advocate, Howard Fuller. The topic: dissecting the recent AP “analysis” of a report that claims “US charter schools put growing numbers in racial isolation” For education matters that matter to you – get a Reality Check!
THIS JUST IN. A great guy and education reform pioneer has just been nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education at USDoEd. Frank Brogan is most well known for his leadership in helping then Governor Jeb Bush enact the A+ Accountability bill as Florida’s Education Commissioner, and then became Lieutenant Governor after a successful career as an educator and district leader. Since then he’s been a University president and chancellor of Pennsylvania’s state higher education system and retired earlier this year. Welcome back to the fray, Mr. Assistant Secretary (pending confirmation, of course).
PROSPERity IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. Amidst the doom and gloom analyses of just how the proposed tax overhaul is going to crush higher ed students, comes the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform Act (HR 4508). Ed & Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx says “No Americans—no matter their walk of life—can afford for us to simply reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA). They need us to reform it.”
SEGREGATION? WE DON’T THINK SO. Hundreds have accurately and forcefully pushed back on the Associated Press “analysis” of charter school data and the errant conclusion that they constitute a re-segregation of American schools. The latest is a compelling piece titled “Charters Didn’t Cause Segregation. They’re a Solution for Its Victims.” Here’s the lead: “Of all the injustices in contemporary American society, perhaps the most grotesque is the system that ties education to neighborhoods that are segregated by race and class.” It’s a compelling, well written piece. Take the time to read it.
PIRLS OF WISDOM…OR NOT SO MUCH. The latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) came out last week and as is often – much too often – the case with such assessments, U.S. performance is found lacking. What do Moscow City, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Hong Kong and Ireland have in common? They ALL have higher reading proficiency than the U.S.! This should be a wake-up call, but sadly, the nation just keeps hitting the snooze button and pulling the covers up over its head.
LAST CALL! NY EdTech Week fires up next Tuesday with a cast of thousands, including Basis Founders Olga and Michael Block, Success Academy’s Eva Moskowitz, College Board chief David Colemand and more. Hosted by NYU Steinhardt and produced by StartEd, the conference is an unparalleled gathering of entrepreneurs, education leaders, investors, industry executives, learners, and researchers – all driven by the ideas, innovation and technology that advance learning outcomes. This is one Tech conference not to be missed!
PS: National School Choice Week - The countdown is on. Only 40 days until NSCW 2018! Get your SCW scarves out and shine a spotlight on effective education options for every child.
PPS: Don’t forget CER in your end of year giving plans!
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education.
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Just Released: "Putting Career and Technical Education to Work for Students: A Playbook for State Policymakers"
The “skills gap” in today’s workforce is real. The Department of Labor released the statistic this summer of 6.2 million job openings nationwide—yet at the same time, 7 million Americans were unemployed. This disconnect takes a tremendous toll on individuals and our nation’s economy.
Preparing students for entry and advancement in today’s workforce has become a top priority in some states. In other states, however, career and technical education (CTE) is languishing as a “dead end” pathway for students not bound for college.
To assist states in improving the relevance and value of their CTE programs, ExcelinEd has published Putting Career and Technical Education to Work for Students: A Playbook for State Policymakers. The playbook examines challenges to improving CTE program quality and puts forth a practical process states can use to align their programs with regional and state labor data and industry demands.
“The workplace never stops evolving, so states must continually meet the challenge of preparing students for job success by creating education pathways that align with the needs of employers,” said Patricia Levesque, CEO of ExcelinEd. “This playbook outlines how to create 21st-century career and technical education programs and also highlights how some states are successfully preparing their students for the workplace of tomorrow.”
To guide CTE program improvement, the playbook puts forward a set of “non-negotiables” that state policymakers can adopt, and commit to, when evaluating and revitalizing their programs. For example, all programs of study should align with state and/or regional industry and labor market data; programs should incorporate experiential learning; and educators should receive ongoing, progressive training and professional development to ensure their instruction reflects current industry work environments.
“It’s equally critical that CTE programs are high-quality in terms of rigorous academic preparation,” said ExcelinEd Director Quentin Suffren. “In fact, they should incorporate courses and exams eligible for postsecondary credit or hours, wherever appropriate.”
Recommendations in the playbook assume no additional funding, a bonus for states struggling to fund educational improvements. Furthermore, most state education or workforce agencies are able to implement the recommendations immediately, without the additional step of legislative action.
ExcelinEd’s resources are designed to support states as they navigate improvements to their CTE programs, with the goal of providing students across the nation opportunities for lifelong advancement and success. For more information, visit http://www.excelined.org/innovation/
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With winter break around the corner, I'm writing to suggest a story idea on why it's time to finally have the "talk" with your kids... about college, that is.
You've dreaded this moment for years, happy to avoid awkwardness and uncomfortable explanations. But recently, your child has been asking the hard questions, like "How long can I really live at home after high school?" and "Why can’t I just attend Hogwarts?" You know you can't dodge the talk forever.
According to the education experts at Magoosh [https://magoosh.com]—an online solution that gives everyone access to enjoyable, affordable, and quality test prep—the perfect time to map out the road to college is winter break, when you and your child both have excess time. Here are 4 steps to having a successful (and not stressful) talk:
>> STEP 1: SET GOAL SCHOOLS
Start the conversation by asking your child about their dream schools. Always get excited and encourage their choices—they don't need any negativity coming from their own family.
>> STEP 2: LET'S TALK ABOUT TESTS, BABY
Look up the test scores your child needs to get into their dream schools and set a goal score. Then, gently tell them the way to meet their goals is to start studying for the ACT and SAT early instead of trying to go into the test blind.
>> STEP 3: LET YOUR CHILD SET THE TONE
Ask your child what would best help them prepare for the test instead of trying to force resources on them—and then help them choose some low-cost, fun options they can get started with after the break.
>> STEP 4: TALK BEFORE THE PRESENTS
Don't try to force a stressful talk on your child right before an exciting holiday like Christmas—make a detailed college plan at the beginning of the break and use holiday fun as a reward for getting it done!
On a mission to make test prep fun and affordable for all, Magoosh offers quality SAT and ACT prep materials for hundreds of dollars less than their competitors.
