by Jack Jennings | Feb 27, 2020 | academic standards, charter schools, common state standards, education research, Fatigued by School Reform: articles, interviews, and more, federal education policy, federal funding, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), private schools / vouchers / and other choice, school funding, teachers, tests / assessments
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...
by Jack Jennings | Sep 4, 2018 | academic standards, accountability, education research, federal education policy, federal funding, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), politics, school funding, teachers, tests / assessments
In December 2015, when President Barack Obama signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) — replacing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 — congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle breathed a deep sigh of relief. Not only had NCLB grown...
by Jack Jennings | Nov 10, 2017 | children with disabilities, federal funding, school funding
Future leaders often seem to come from high school debate teams. Students participate in these debates because they are interested in current affairs and want to hone their public speaking skills. The National Federation of State High School Associations has announced...
by Jack Jennings | Apr 16, 2017 | charter schools, education research, federal education policy, federal funding, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), private schools / vouchers / and other choice
“(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%....
by Jack Jennings | Feb 1, 2017 | advocating, charter schools, federal education policy, federal funding, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), private schools / vouchers / and other choice
During the campaign, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump promised to respect state and local control of public education. With his nomination of Betsy DeVos for U.S. secretary of education, President-elect Trump has tossed that promise aside, saying that she will...
by Jack Jennings | Jul 23, 2016 | federal education policy, federal funding, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), teachers
Should schools with student bodies primarily from low-income families spend less on the education of those children than is spent on the education of other students in the same school district? Of course not! That practice violates common sense norms of justice and...
by Jack Jennings | Jun 16, 2016 | accountability, federal education policy, federal funding, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), teachers, tests / assessments
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...
by Jack Jennings | May 17, 2016 | federal funding, post-secondary education, post-secondary education loans and debts
“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...
by Jack Jennings | Aug 24, 2015 | academic standards, accountability, common state standards, federal education policy, federal funding
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...
by Jack Jennings | Jul 15, 2015 | academic standards, accountability, common state standards, education research, federal education policy, federal funding, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), private schools / vouchers / and other choice, teachers, tests / assessments
Today, attention is on the Congress as it addresses changes to the No Child Left Behind Act. That action is overdue since the law expired eight years ago. But, it must be understood that congressional amendments are merely removing unpopular requirements, not creating...