News Archive

The Washington Post reported on Oct. 24 that 50 percent of eighth-graders performed better than the international average in math and science, according to a comparison between standardized test results. The study analyzed the 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores of American students and those of international students on Trends in International Mathematics…

A Dearth of Statehouse Mavericks Posted: 10/16/2013 6:37 pm Lack of gutsy governors stagnating real education reform Millions of children are now fully ensconced in another year at America’s schools. Unfortunately for most families, the schools, classrooms, teachers, and school leaders are functioning in much the same manner as they did last year — and…

Vol. 15, No. 38 NEW YORK, NEW YORK? No, that isn’t a reference to the wildly successful RatPack EdReformies last week, but rather the uncertain future of charter schools in New York City. The mayoral race between candidates Bill de Blasio (D) and Joe Lhota (R) is guaranteed to have a substantial impact on the…

Charter schools benefit communities (Santa Maria Times)…Third of CPS schools roll out longer days (Chicago Tribune)…Education debates continue (The Advertiser)…and more in Today’s Daily Headlines.

High school goes to college (Cincinnati Enquirer)…Let principals, not tests, rate teachers (Washington Post Blog)…Voters to decide charter school issue (Marietta Daily Journal)…and more in Today’s Daily Headlines.

A page exclusively for the media to get quick information about the Center for Education Reform

Alison Consoletti, vice president of research at The Center for Education Reform, released the following statement expressing concern over the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranking of Maine as the number one charter school law in the country.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) has released a new law report, one which scores of education pioneers denounce as damaging.

The Center for Education Reform released today an unprecedented analysis of and data documenting the high level of accountability that marks the nation’s charter schools. The report, The State of Charter Schools: What We Know – and What We Do Not – About Performance and Accountability, finds that charter schools historically have experienced a 15…

The New York Times posted an Op-Ed, “Why School Choice Fails,” by a reporter and parent that admittedly enjoys choices, yet blasts school choice for causing anxiety. The alternative, assigning students to schools, certainly causes anxiety for parents who have no other means of enrolling their struggling student in another institution. Edspresso fights back and…

This weekend The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Editorial Board posted an article on their blog, “Say What”, criticizing Governor Corbett and his education reform plans. The Inquirer’s Editorial Board suggests that Corbett should “stop acting like ‘competition’ from charters and vouchers will be enough to fix bad schools.” We of course responded, but The Inquirer has yet…

Race to the Top remains overrated in terms of impact. While there was a flurry of multi-state activity caused, it didn’t result in any real snow. Jeanne Allen explains how strong governors are vital in ed reform, not Washington’s carrot and stick.

One of several path-breaking movies to hit the mainstream theatres last year, Waiting for Superman educated thousands about the plight of U.S. schools. It conveyed the urgency of the problem, clarified the crisis, and sought to engage a nation …

The Louisiana Department of Education will lay out a plan for keeping a closer eye on independent charter schools today that includes restructuring the department’s charter office, an increase in funding and more clearly defined roles for the different state officials involved in the job.

Chicago Teachers Go On Strike: Over 350,000 Windy City students are being shortchanged on their education because the Chicago Teachers Union won’t come to terms with CPS on a new contract that involves new teacher evaluations based on student performance. Be sure to keep tabs on the Unions & Establishment page for the latest updates…

Growing participation in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program is being accompanied by modest academic improvement…

New Jersey has a dismal record when it comes to getting extra education money from Washington. Most people remember the state’s lost bid…

John Stossel focuses his attention to the rise in school spending and the continuous flat test scores in American education. Criticizing the monopoly and lack of competition, Stossel turns to CER’s Jeanne Allen to describe the Blob – the federations, alliances, councils, boards and the like that make up the education industry.

All presidents deserve a “C” until they made education a central issue in the campaign

“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts,” said the late great Daniel Patrick Moynihan. And indeed, the PDK/Gallup poll underscores the wisdom offered by the former Senior Senator from New York, no doubt in the larger public policy context of his day. While everyone has opinions, pollsters are supposed to…

The “Pulitzer of Education Innovation” returns to reward transformational education providers embodying the STOP PrinciplesPROVIDENCE, RI — Standing at the flagship school of 2024 finalist Big Picture Learning, the Center for Education Reform (CER) today announced the official launch of the 2025 Yass Prize competition — offering $1 million to the education provider that most…

The visit to Big Picture Learning’s (BPL) flagship campus showed us why this international nonprofit with a 30-year legacy boasts an impressive portfolio of 144 high schools across 28 states. Their secret sauce? High school reimaged with a one-of-a-kind internship program paired with a supportive advisory structure. As the third stop of the Yass Prize…

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Names AZ Autism Charter School Founder Diana Diaz-Harrison Deputy Assistant Secretary For Special Education PHOENIX, AZ. In a visit to Arizona Autism Charter School, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon named Diana Diaz-Harrison Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education & Rehabilitative Services, a post that will put her in charge of guiding policy for the more…

By Jeanne Allen Education has been in the news a lot lately and I’m delighted. It’s usually a one-day story — or tucked into a feel-good segment about one person, one place, not likely to spark real understanding. But this year, for the first time since I’ve been doing this work, education failure made the front pages.…

The Education Department’s imminent demise has wrought both ire and joy from many in and outside of Washington, D.C.CER For decades, advocates have waged lawsuits on behalf of students’ rights to a fair and successful education. These efforts to seek relief for students from failed education, however are continually rebuffed as courts argue that state constitutions…

Work with professional staff and consultants in support of all aspects of education policy including research, advocacy, legislative affairs, and public relations.

“On the field, we’re rivals. In the classroom, we’re teammates. And in life, we’re ready for whatever comes next.” South Texas Rural Schools Innovation Zone Building Careers & Community The Rural Schools Innovation Zone (RSIZ) is a unique partnership among five rural districts that provide career academies, which are like training camps, equipping students for graduation…

Diverse Group of Students, Parents & Activists Gather for Signing Ceremony The White House. Washington, DC. Representatives from every education sector and level of government from cities to states and were part of a ceremony to launch the effort directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon take all legal steps possible to narrow the scope of the…

Executive Order Signing is Exceptional News for Students & Families Tomorrow’s, March 20th, White House convening, as reported by USA Today, marks a historic moment for education in America. President Donald Trump will sign an Executive Order returning power over education to families and states, rather than federal bureaucracies. This long-overdue shift empowers parents, educators, and…