EducationNews.org

Learning Matters, a Peabody Award-winning production company covering education issues, has posted scores of online interviews as part of its series, Education Advice for the Next President.

by George Wood
It’s mid-October, and with the Presidential Election less than a month away public education is still not playing a major part in the campaign, or in voters’ decisions. The crumbling financial situation, concerns over health care, and the war in Iraq are all more important to the voters and the candidates. And yet, come January, our new President will appoint a Secretary of Education and begin to influence, if not direct, federal education policy.

by Executive Director George Wood
On June 16th and 17th Conveners of The Forum will brief House and Senate staffers on our report, “Democracy At Risk.” Released in April, the report was praised by Representative George Miller as a good place to start in rethinking the federal role in supporting our public schools. Indeed, when I think about federal policy and education I always begin by thinking about how what Washington does effects the 500 or so kids for whom I am responsible every day.

The Forum’s work is that of a ‘reality based’ policy think tank concerned with educational policy that will support strong public schools. We have many friends in that work, and one of them is Mike Rose. In case you haven’t met him, we thought we would introduce you to his work in this week’s newsletter.

Today in Washington, DC, The Forum released its report "Democracy At Risk" at the National Press Club. The report was outlined by Forum Conveners Linda Darling-Hammond, Wendy Puriefoy, Deborah Meier, Sharon Robinson and George Wood. Responding to the report were Representative George Miller (Chair of the House Education Committee), Peter McWalters (Rhode Island Commissioner of Education), and John Deasy (Superintendent of Schools, Prince George's County, MD, Schools) on a panel moderated by PBS reporter John Merrow.

by Executive Director George Wood
Do we have an "achievement gap" in schools in the United States or an "educational debt" that we owe many of our children and communities?

by Forum Convener Deborah Meier
The question of how best to "inform their discretion" while retaining control by "the people" is the task facing democratic-minded school reformers. If democracy be our ends, noted another famed educator, John Dewey, then it must also be our means.

by George Wood
For the past two years we have traveled the nation holding town hall meetings, visiting schools, speaking on college campuses, meeting with federal and state legislators. Our goal has been to see both how federal policy plays out in schools and what is really necessary if such policy is going to support the democratic purposes of public education.

George Wood
At my high school we run a ‘semester schedule’ with students taking four different courses each term. Thus, after the upcoming holiday break, all teachers and students will have new courses, new classmates, along with renewed optimism and opportunity. We always like the ‘bounce’ we get with this fresh start.