While still big on inputs and spending to rank states (giving New York inflated scores over Florida despite achievement gains of the latter over the former) Education Week’s Quality Counts is a welcome and informative tool in the area of student achievement. If you break out the results from the inputs, the story of American…

“We trust the teachers!” “Stand with Rebecca!” “Do it for the kids!” These were the overwhelming chants heard from the small but mighty forces of the rally on the steps of the Supreme Court this morning. These supporters came out and bared the freezing temperatures to stand by Rebecca Friedrichs, the public face of the…

Who Is Rebecca Friedrichs? You keep seeing the name in regards to the #SCOTUS case being heard January 11, now get to know the veteran school teacher fighting for individual rights.  (Thanks to ReasonTV's video!) In a nutshell… she is: A veteran teacher whose cause is for all teachers to have the right to decide for…

At a major EdReform.com event, former U.S. Education Secretary, once CER board member and now radio personality William J. Bennett asked the big question that's at the heart of what we do every day: "WHO GETS TO TEACH THE CHILDREN AND WHAT DO WE TEACH THEM?"(Plato) The answer might seem complicated to many but for us…

Three months ago I walked into the 7th floor office of the Center for Education with wide eyes and butterflies in my stomach. At that time I thought I knew a good bit about education policy, I am an Ed Wonk, I told myself as I embarked on my semester in Washington. My time at…

On Tuesday, December 15th, the Fordham Institute and the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) teamed up to host a panel discussion entitled The Future of Parent Choice in Washington DC. The panelists covered a wide range of education topics, from choice to collaboration to school rankings and reports. Scott Pearson, Executive Director of the…

I can’t believe this semester is coming to an end! I have truly learned a great deal through my experiences at CER. Whether it was attending events with other leaders in the education reform movement from various organizations, or simply reading articles discussing various happenings in the education sector across the US, I have not…

A Message from CER Chairman Jon Hage Dear Friend, I’m excited to be attached to this amazing organization, which since 1993 has been demanding and ensuring the proliferation of freedom, flexibility and innovation in U.S. schools. After having written Florida’s first charter school law, I put policy into practice. My first charter school was a municipal…

I have been an intern at The Center for Education Reform (CER) for six months and I am very excited to be ending my first semester of senior year with a job offer through Teach for America (TFA). Though controversial in the media, I believe Teach for America is the best place for me to…

On October 15th, I attended an event regarding education reform in our city, Washington D.C. This event was hosted by the Progressive Policy Institute and featured speakers who work and advocate for education reform, including former mayor Vincent Gray, Richard Whitmire, David Osborne, Jennifer Niles and Scott Pearson. The speakers laughed, joked with each other,…