Legislation introduced by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) would distribute $2,100 in Opportunity Scholarships for up to 11 million low-income children across the United States. Called the “Scholarships for Kids” Act, the bill would divert $24 billion in federal education dollars to provide these Opportunity Scholarships. A central intention of this bill is to encourage choice…

A Policy Perspective: Defining the Needs of Substantive Education Reform in Federal Program

Yesterday, the US House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce moved their version of ESEA reauthorization to the House floor on party lines, signaling a showdown with the US Senate.

News outlets and the blogosphere have been abuzz lately about the impact that President Obama's 2014 Budget plan will have on education. Of particular note is funding, or lack thereof, to the highly successful and popular D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP).

While accountability for traditional public schools is discussed in terms of school improvement grants and turn around models, proposals for charter school accountability are much more highly regulated, taking a movement born to welcome entrepreneurial enterprise and demonstrate performance-based accountability, and turning it into a new “system” that requires a heavy hand from federal policymakers.

Record spending on School Improvement Grants does not produce record results.

The federal Race to the Top competition is making school districts dole out far more money than they're receiving from the program, according to school officials and experts.

Reports of local teachers unions refusing to sign on to district Race to the Top plans are starting to gain media attention, but the real question is whether or not these federal grants are a truly a game changer when it comes to bringing about real reforms.

Unfortunately, jobs and the economy have overpowered the presidential campaign and debates, leaving little room for President Obama and Governor Romney to discuss education. But the opportunity to discuss this topic was created at an event where representatives from the Obama and Romney campaigns discussed differences between the candidates.

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