Opinion
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AltSchool Private School Network Expands to Chicago
Opinion -A network of small private schools called AltSchool, founded by a former Google executive, is expanding to Chicago in fall 2017. Illinois would become the third state with an AltSchool. -
Flagging Duncan’s Excessive Celebration Over ESSA
Opinion -Because Arne Duncan, the former secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, often engages his mouth before his brain, the case for abolishing the department may have just become stronger than ever. -
New Harvard Teacher Education Program Emphasizes Content, Practical Experience
Opinion -A new program at Harvard University, based in the university’s School of Education, is being characterized by its creators as establishing a practical, effective, and nationally replicable teacher preparation model that emphasizes content and gaining -
Heartland Institute Experts React to Obama’s Last State of the Union Address
Opinion -President Barack Obama on Tuesday night delivered his final State of the Union Address, touching on climate change, energy policy, education, health care, the economy, and his legacy after nearly two terms in the White House. -
New York State Superintendent Imposes Collective Bargaining Changes in Buffalo
Opinion -The head of the State of New York’s school system has taken action under a new state law allowing her to impose a superintendent’s proposed revisions to a collective bargaining contract, despite objections from the teachers union on the other side of the -
Heartland Institute Experts React to Injunction Stopping Education Savings Accounts in Nevada
Opinion -A state judge Monday put the brakes on Nevada’s education savings accounts (ESAs), granting an injunction sought by opponents who said the program would drain critical funding from Nevada’s public schools and is unconstitutional. -
Common Core Damage Will Last for Years to Come
Opinion -Common Core (CC) K–12 math and English standards are lingering, despite concerted efforts by concerned parents and taxpayers to remove them. -
Oklahoma Judges Consider School Funding Sales Tax Ballot Question
Opinion -The Oklahoma State Supreme Court is deciding the fate of a proposed ballot amendment that would hike the state’s sales tax to fund budget increases for government primary and secondary schools and state higher education. -
Heartland Institute Experts Comment on the 2015 Worst University President Rankings
Opinion -This week, Minding the Campus issued its 2015 rankings of the five worst college and university presidents in the country. -
Heartland Institute Education Experts React to Inspector General’s Report Revealing Major CPS Corruption
Opinion -The Inspector General of the Chicago Board of Education released its audit of findings for fiscal year 2015. -
West Virginia Education Chief Announces Common Core Repeal
Opinion -The West Virginia state superintendent of schools announced on November 13 his plan to repeal Common Core K–12 math and English standards and replace them with College and Career Ready (CCR) standards developed specifically for the state. -
School Choice Advocates Concerned New Louisiana Governor Will Roll Back Reforms
Opinion -School choice proponents say they have reservations about recently elected Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D). Edwards, a former state representative, defeated Republican U.S. Sen. -
New York City Mayor Files Amicus Brief in Teachers Union Case
Opinion -In an attempt to thwart what would be a devastating U.S. -
Massachusetts Reformers Collect Enough Signatures for Common Core Ballot Question
Opinion -A grassroots organization pressing for repeal of Common Core in Massachusetts announced it successfully collected enough signatures to have a question regarding the removal of the K–12 educational standards put on the 2016 ballot. -
‘Choosing Charters’ Website Launched by Michigan Think Tank
Opinion -The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a free-market think tank headquartered in Midland, Michigan, launched a new website in November promoting charter schools in the state. ChoosingCharters. -
Report: Online Charter Schools Lagging in Student Achievement
Opinion -A report released in October indicates online charter schools need greater monitoring for quality. -
Colleges Are Dropping Entrance Exam Requirements
Opinion -An increasing number of colleges and universities across the nation are dropping the requirement for entrance exams. -
Why America Is Behind Europe on Educational Freedom
Opinion -The United States ranks among the lowest of Western democracies in government support for educational freedom, and particularly for the right of parents to select schools that correspond to their own religious convictions. -
Poll: Education a High Voter Priority Neglected by Presidential Candidates
Opinion -Recent polling conducted by Public Opinion Strategies indicates most registered voters in U.S. swing states think education should be a top priority for the next president. -
Amicus Brief Filed to Overturn Blaine Amendments, Opens Door for Greater Choice
Opinion -Four education groups have filed an amicus brief in the hopes of convincing the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to consider a Colorado voucher case that would require examining the scope of the state’s Blaine Amendment. -
New York State Student Algebra Performance Drops Despite Lowered Standards
Opinion -The percentage of students passing the New York State Regents algebra test fell from 72 percent in 2014 to 63 percent in 2015, even after the New York Education Department (NYDE) used a process called “equating” in hopes of ensuring a similar pass rate. -
Michigan Gov. Proposes Bailout of Struggling Detroit Schools
Opinion -Two years after the City of Detroit went through a highly publicized bankruptcy, Michigan’s governor is proposing a $715 million bailout of the troubled Detroit Public Schools (DPS). Gov. -
Report: Mass Grade Inflation Found in NYC Public Schools
Opinion -Grade inflation is rampant in New York City’s (NYC) public schools, reports a new study by StudentsFirstNY. -
NCLB Replacement Bill Becomes Law
Opinion -After months of wrangling and then inaction by Congress, President Barack Obama on December 10 signed into law what some observers deemed a “behind-closed-doors” rewrite of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
