Beginning in 2010, more than 40 states adopted the Common Core State Standards. In the years immediately following their adoption, educators, parents, and policymakers familiar with the standards strongly supported them. Both Republicans and Democrats heralded the Common Core as one of the most promising school reforms in decades. Fast forward to…

Where does education happen? In classrooms. Teachers can provide the ultimate reform of education and teachers can be the ultimate reformers of education. Still, teachers cannot create all of the needed improvements in education alone. Input from, involvement from, ideas from, and participation from many other people can combine with what only…

This paper examines the pattern of decision-making, lobbying, and influence that led to the landmark series of federal student assistance policies introduced by Jean Chretien's Liberal government in the late 1990s. The package of new initiatives--dubbed the Canada Opportunities Strategy--not only partially reversed an earlier period of fiscal…

The U.S. secretary of education's call to "turn around" the nation's 5,000 worst-performing schools has found a warm welcome among educators and policymakers who see that focus as long overdue. But it has also sparked debate about how--and whether--such an enormous leadership and management challenge can be accomplished. Secretary of…

The U.S. Senate will soon render its advice and consent to the nomination of Chicago Public Schools Chief Arne Duncan to be secretary of education. The word "education" is not mentioned in the Constitution, and the federal government has historically played a limited role in funding and regulating public education across the country. The…

Regardless of how voters cast their ballots in the 2010 elections, the nation will witness a sea change in state leadership--and, potentially, big changes in the direction of education policymaking. At least 20 governors will step down as of January 2011, based on those who are facing term limits or have decided to leave voluntarily. In all,…

The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program is a new, one-time appropriation of approximately $48.6 billion that the U.S. Department of Education will award to Governors to help stabilize State and local budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in education and other essential services, in exchange for a State's commitment to advance …

The author of this article states that, for more than 20 years, public educators have developed a professional inferiority complex and a strong sense of hopelessness. After all, he claims, the dominant message over those years, including from some within the profession, has been that educators have caused the declining quality in public schools.…

This paper describes the objectives of the research undertaken by the International Institute for Educational Planning and the model adopted for defining training needs for administrators in national departments of education. From the conceptual point of view, this model comprises three successive and complementary phases. The phases are the…

It is argued that William Bennett's criticism of American higher education as too costly shows a lack of knowledge about its history and traditions. (MSE)

Secretary of Education William Bennett's address criticizes colleges and universities in general for their inadequate contributions to student fulfillment and the betterment of society, and suggests that they scrutinize themselves as the academic establishment scrutinizes others. (MSE)

When the federal Commission on the Future of Higher Education delivered its final report to the secretary of education in September, accreditors and many higher-education leaders breathed a small sigh of relief. The document did not endorse an early recommendation that the current accreditation system be completely dismantled. Now, though, just a…

Retiring Secretary of Education William Bennett answers questions about his statements on the quality and costs of higher education, current administration attitudes about minority access, and the politics of education at the federal level. (MSE)

There is growing evidence that the need for cultural understanding and foreign language competence in the United States and in Illinois is not being met. This need must be addressed through state educational reform. The deterioration in foreign language capabilities affects national security and is a direct result of declining enrollment in…

This 1913 educational directory published by the United States Bureau of Education covers the following categories: (1) Officers of the United States Bureau of Education; (2) Principal State school officers; (3) Officers of State boards of education; (4) Executive officers of State library commissions; (5) Superintendents in cities and towns of…