Sarah Garland talks to PBS about Joel Klein’s departure
In the wake of Joel Klein’s resignation as head of the nation’s largest school system, Sarah Garland of The Hechinger Report spoke with Gwen Ifill of the PBS NewsHour on November 10th. Garland discussed the significance of Klein’s departure and what lies ahead for New York City, as well as what the research says about […]
Will Republicans reduce the federal ‘footprint’ in education?
Is it really a new day for education in the U.S.? There is no dearth of opinions — or questions — about what could change now that Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s elections. One conclusion is generally shared, though: Federal money will be scarce. The economy — and not […]
Assignment memo: Basic-skills programs
An estimated 20 percent of the American workforce is functionally illiterate. And a 2006 survey of 431 companies revealed that the vast majority of young adults entering the workforce lack basic skills. To remedy this problem, many companies turn to training programs tailored to the needs of specific jobs to get workers up to speed. […]
Assignment memo: Bridging middle school and high school
Wondering what we’re working on? Here’s a sneak peek at one story: Bridge programs It’s just a few weeks or even a few days over the summer, but educators hope it might be enough to change someone’s life. As part of a national movement to prevent dropouts, high schools around the country are paying attention […]
Tobacco-growing state tops list of smoke-free campuses
Go figure. North Carolina, deep in the heart of tobacco-growing country, appears to have the highest number of “100 percent tobacco-free” college and university campuses in the nation. A national list compiled by the American Lung Association and a smoke-free effort in Oregon shows North Carolina with 31 campuses considered “100 percent tobacco-free” and two […]
Assignment memo: Dual-enrollment programs spread
Here’s another story we’re working on. Share your thoughts. Twenty-five years ago, Minnesota’s Post Secondary Options program became the first state-funded effort allowing high-school students to earn credits at a college or university — at no charge to their families. More than 100,000 Minnesotans have saved a bundle of money on tuition over the years, […]
In tough economy, Illinois colleges turning down financial aid requests
A headline on an Associated Press story revealed what could become — and what in many cases already is — an extremely troubling situation for potentially hundreds of thousands of college students across the country: Illinois Turns Away 27,000 for Financial Aid. “The agency that distributes the payments (The Illinois Student Assistance Commission) says an […]
Who said or didn’t say what? A little tiff between the AFT and Steven Brill
Steven Brill’s New York Times Magazine piece entitled “The Teachers Unions’ Last Stand,” is creating a rift, naturally, between Brill and the American Federation of Teachers leader Randi Weingarten. The AFT issued a “talking points,” memo noting that the article unfairly labels teachers as “bad,” and “caricatures contract negotiations as an exercise in which administrators […]
Assignment memo: Is Massachusetts already at “The Top?”
Fairly regularly, The Hechinger Report will be posting quick summaries of stories we are working on to give you a sneak peek at what we are working on and what you’ll see in upcoming weeks. More importantly, it gives folks a chance to raise questions and make suggestions before the story is completed. Now is […]
From the heartland: A struggle to improve education for all
Sometimes it feels like the issues of large, urban school districts get all the attention. It’s one reason why The Hechinger Report was captivated by news of a study that appeared in the American Association of School Administrators journal, one that looked at how small towns are educating — and retaining — their high schoolers. […]
