In a new book, Jack Jennings reviews the history of American private education and weighs its worth in today’s society. These schools provide an alternative for parents with concerns about public schools. But, proponents of private education are claiming academic...
Many young American men of Irish descent created their job careers in three particular areas -- policeman; politician; priest -- the "Three Ps". Why was that? Vignettes are given of how a typical family affected by the "Three Ps" lived in Chicago from 1940 to 1980....
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed legislation to deal with the pandemic and the Nation’s economic problems. Included in this measure are provisions meant to reduce the number of children in poverty by one-third to one-half. Un-noted in this debate has been the...
The book, Fatigued by School Reform, has received a great review from a very prestigious publication. Choice Magazine, affiliated with the Association of College and Research Libraries, describes itself as "an authoritative source on the evaluation of scholarly...
Fatigued by School Reform, by Jack Jennings After a half-a-century of school reform, a majority of Americans consider the public schools as worse today than when they attended school. Those reforms missed the mark because they were not focused on the...
The only valid national assessment of the nation’s public schools must be improved.
The current federal education law rests on the same faulty foundation as the last law.
When I worked on Capitol Hill, the congressmen and congresswomen would say that they used a “smell test” to determine the real purpose of a proposal. This meant that they looked beyond the words used to justify an idea and considered such factors as the record of the proposing organization or individual.
State and national leaders were given a grade of D minus by Ed Week showing a lack of commitment to adequately fund the schools, despite rhetoric about education's importance. "Watch what someone does--not what they say," to see their real beliefs. Quality Counts...
Many children’s education will be jeopardized, the rich will pay less in taxes, and political revenge will be reaped. The new congressional tax bill is a disaster waiting to happen.
High school debaters learn about issues and also about democracy. For the school year 2017-18, two recommended topics are based on a book by Jack Jennings.
I am honored to be part of this celebration of the life of Tom Wolanin. Donna, Andrew, Peter and other members of the family, you have the sympathy of everyone in this room. All of us knew Tom during his long career. We admired his talents. And, today, we salute him...
“(A)n education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge.” President Trump broadcast this biting condemnation in his inaugural address. A short time later, Trump proposed cutting education spending by 13%....
If the U.S. were to value education as much as military activities, the schools would be better funded.
In this interview, Jack Jennings comments on the new U.S. Secretary of Education and the national role in education.
President Trump is violating his pledge to respect state and local control of education by proposing to shift funds from regular public schools to charter schools and private schools.
If competition is good for public education, shouldn’t it be beneficial for the U.S. Armed Forces?
During the last fifteen years, the reputation of the federal government in education has gone downhill.
Unfortunately, equitable funding is not going to happen.
Fifty Years of Federal Aid to Schools: Back into the Future? Jack Jennings* Excerpts from an article appearing in Volume 3 Education Law & Policy Review 2016 In 1965, the federal government began to provide major financial aid for education to states and local...
Public schools would be better if two major obstacles were removed. Teachers’ unions have injected too much partisanship into schooling, and conservatives have undercut the promise of a good education for all students. These two issues are interconnected. The more the...
“College costs too much!” “My college loans are killing me!” The candidates for the presidency are hearing these complaints as they race around the country. Affordability of a college education is among the few education issues to attract attention in this election...
John Thompson is a truth-teller. A Teacher’s Tale, his new book, honestly addresses the toughest issue in American education—how to improve urban schools impacted by concentrations of poor children. Thompson worked in higher education and then did legislative lobbying...
No other federal law has generated more hostility from teachers and other educators than the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). That statute has been denounced for causing too much testing of school children, making teachers “teach to the test” to avoid penalties, and...
The American public has given its grade to national elected leaders for their attempts to improve the country’s public schools. The verdict is an “F” for failure. But, the public’s alternative to the present policies is also lacking according to the American public’s...