Today’s technology means that education can be tailored to the specific needs of each child. Idaho is leading the way in adopting these types of innovations with its statewide initiative to integrate Khan Academy videos into the classroom. The Khan Academy is an online-based learning tool that creates a self-paced …
Indiana has just given every state that agreed to adopt Common Core national education standards and tests a lesson in prudent governance. On Saturday, Governor Mike Pence (R) signed the Common Core “Pause” bill into law, halting implementation of Common Core until state agencies, teachers, and taxpayers better understand the …
As commencement season winds down, it’s discomfiting to think that almost half of new graduates know exactly where they’re headed when school’s out: Back to their parents’ homes. The Pew Research Center reports that 45 percent of college grads younger than 25 are “living with family.” That percentage is almost …
This past weekend, Indiana legislators approved a proposal to halt the implementation of Common Core until after preliminary hearings and an in-depth analysis are conducted. The bill now rests on Governor Mike Pence’s (R) desk awaiting his signature. In February, the Indiana state senate voted 38–11 in favor of anti–Common …
President Obama’s budget proposes raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour. This would hurt the very workers the President wants to help. When the price of something rises, people—both consumers and employers—purchase less of it. Americans responded to the higher cost of gas by driving less. Businesses similarly respond …
School choice is making headlines in multiple states this spring. Several have approved or are considering proposals to expand educational opportunity for families. Texas is going bold by introducing multiple school choice proposals. Heritage’s Lindsey Burke explains that these include: an elimination of the cap on charter schools (only 215 …
What pain has sequester wrought at the federal Department of Education? Apparently, not much. The 4,200-person agency has just hired a new “executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans.” Fox News reports that the position apparently commands a six-figure salary, as the new director—a …
President Obama recently unveiled his plan for expanding early education, which includes expanding federal funding for public preschool and boosting Head Start funding. According to the President, government-funded preschool is the way for students to achieve academic success. Sadly, Obama’s claims are founded on weak evidence. Government-funded preschool programs show …
In a surprising and historic move, the Alabama state legislature passed the state’s first private-school choice plan Thursday evening. Governor Robert Bentley (R), who is expected to sign the bill next week, called it “the most significant piece of legislation that’s been passed in this Legislature in years,” and Senate …
As the Obama Administration attempts to move toward universal, taxpayer-funded preschool, policymakers should examine the experiences of states that have offered such programs for more than a decade. Both Georgia and Oklahoma have done so, but there is little evidence that taxpayers and children are benefiting. Universal Preschool in Georgia. …
