Within the much-debated continuing resolution—an appropriations bill to fund the federal government through September 2011—is a bit of hope for students in the nation’s capital. The spending bill would remove language inserted in 2009 by Senator Richard Durbin (D–IL) prohibiting new students from receiving scholarships through the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship …
After days of lost class time for Wisconsin students, teachers have returned to school. Yet Governor Scott Walker (R) is still faced with the demands of teachers unions who are pushing against reforms that would restructure teacher pension and benefit plans and reform unions’ collective bargaining power. While unions announced …
Today’s Washington Post highlights an important outcome of yesterday’s hearing on the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP): U.S. Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman and Susan Collins sternly told District officials Wednesday that Congress probably will cut funding for city schools if efforts to revive a federal voucher program for students are …
Wednesday, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP) was the subject of a hearing held by Senators Joe Lieberman (I–CT) and Susan Collins (R–ME). Although the program is boosting the graduation rates of students who use a scholarship to attend private school and is overwhelmingly popular among parents and D.C. residents, …
Parents across America who’d like to lift their children out of failing public schools can be grateful that the new leader of the House of Representatives gets it. Speaker John Boehner’s invited guests for tonight’s State of the Union address include students, teachers and other champions of vouchers that allow …
Today marks the beginning of National School Choice Week, a time when school choice advocates across the nation will hold events to highlight effective educational options for every child. Less than ten years ago there were only a few school choice programs serving the needs of US families. But by …
Technically, the District of Columbia offers school choice. However, as a Washington Post article pointed out this weekend, there is a difference between school choice and real school choice, the latter available to too few students in the nation’s capital. D.C. children who attend an underperforming school are allowed to …
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report last week on the fiscal accountability of D.C. Public Schools (DCPS). While their analysis suggests that DCPS has “enhanced internal controls over federal payments for school improvement,” it also clearly shows that the well-known inefficiencies of the school system persist. According to …
The results of Tuesday’s election sent a clear message about the direction voters want the federal government to take. The recently released 2010 Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll What Americans Said about the Public Schools is illustrative. Whether it’s paying the bills, setting standards, deciding what should be taught, or holding …
