EducationNews.org

By Dan Lips and Lindsey Burke
Columnist EducationNews.org
In 2009, more American children than ever are benefiting from school choice. According to a new report from the Alliance for School Choice, approximately 171,000 children in 10 states and D.C. are benefiting from private school scholarship programs-an 8 percent increase over last year and an 89 percent growth since 2004.

By Dan Lips
Columnist EducationNews.org
Here is a question for President Obama's next press conference: How much taxpayer funding for public schools would be enough to improve American education? Campaigning for the $800 billion "stimulus" legislation in Florida, President Obama criticized those who are questioning the wisdom of large spending increases on social programs like education:

By Matthew Ladner and Dan Lips
For years, education reformers have struggled to find strategies to improve opportunities for disadvantaged children and eliminate the achievement gap between minority students and their peers. On Capitol Hill, decades of new programs and increased government spending on education have failed to achieve significant improvement.

By Dan Lips and Lindsey Burke
Guest Columnists EducationNews.org
Congress is expected to vote this week on the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 (COAA)-a massive expansion of government, which includes the creation of dozens of new federal programs and, if the conference report reflects the House-passed figures, $169 billion in new federal spending over the next five years.

By Dan Lips
Guest Columnist EdNews.org
Congress is preparing to take up the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, but parents and taxpayers shouldn't get their hopes up. An early draft of the new NCLB bill suggests that congressional leaders are working to make the already flawed program worse.

By Dan Lips
Guest Columnist EdNews.org
As students head back to school, Congress is preparing for its own schoolwork assignment due this fall: debating and voting on the future of No Child Left Behind.

By Evan Feinberg and Dan Lips
Guest Columnists EdNews.org
Before No Child Left Behind, President Clinton had his own plan for education reform. While it is not surprising that many Republicans opposed the Clinton plan, what is striking are the similarities between the Clinton plan and the (often) Republican-backed No Child Left Behind.

By Dan Lips and Evan Feinberg
Guest Columnist EdNews.org
Last week Republican Senators Judd Gregg (NH) and Richard Burr (NC) introduced the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2007," the first full reauthorization bill proposed in the 110th Congress. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings applauded the move.

By Dan Lips and Evan Feinberg
Guest Columnist EdNews.org
As Congress prepares to debate No Child Left Behind's reauthorization, conservatives and liberals alike are calling for greater state and local control of schools. Whether they join together in a common legislative initiative could shape the outcome of the reauthorization debate and the future of American education.