According to two economic researchers in London, the answer is "Yes." Gabriel Sahlgren and Julian Le Grand took a unique approach to the question of how to boost school and student achievement - look at history.
The authors argue that while many Asian countries may be out performing other Western nations in the PISA examination, that does not mean we should simply copy the educational format provided by these Asian nations. There are many differences between Western and Asian schools and research has not positively identified what has contributed to the educational gains in nations…
Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan penned a strong argument today for increasing academic standards in a Washington Post Op Ed entitled, "Telling the truth on achievement gaps improves education."
Secretary Duncan warned that while PISA and NAEP scores showed modest progress for U.S. students, particularly for 4th and 8th graders, we cannot be satisfied with these results. Other nations are posting substantially higher educational gains and surpassing the U.S.
Not all of the news was concerning, however. Secretary Duncan highlighted Tennessee and the District of Columbia…
The Scientific American had a great article debating the increased reliance by the U.S. on foreign born STEM students entitled, "Why China and India Love U.S. Universities." An excerpt with important data follows:
Citizens of other countries now receive more than half the Ph.D.s awarded by U.S. universities in engineering, computer science and physics, on top of earning one third of all college degrees in science and engineering. In certain subfields, the disparity is much higher: in electrical…
The New York Times' Editorial Board posted a compelling and insightful Opinion Piece about the need to support gifted students.
"With money tight at all levels of government, schools have focused on the average and below-average students who make up the bulk of their enrollments, not on the smaller number of students at the top. It is vital that students in the middle get increased attention, as the new Common Core standards are designed to do, but when the brightest students are not challenged academically, they lose steam and check out."
For the full article visit:…
The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland recently completed an analysis conducted by Jonathan James of the impact of higher level mathematics courses on degree attainment and labor market outcomes such as unemployment and median wages. While higher level math has long been associated with educational advancement, it was surprising how closely these factors were linked.
The study found that advancing past Algebra II correlated strongly with finishing high school, graduating from college, and thriving in the workforce. Specifically the study argued, "Among students who have at least…
One of the key aspects of the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is the tougher demands for reading. The CCSS require students to read texts that are on grade level, even if students need assistance completing the assignment.
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute recently released a study by Tim Shanahan andAnn Duffett examinging the CCSS and new reading demands for secondary school students entitled, Common Core in the Schools: A…
Recently, New York Times columnist David Leonhardt sat down for a revealing conversation about school reform. His guests were Arnie Duncan, Secretary of Education, Mitch Daniels, President of Purdue University, and John Engler, President of the Business Roundtable.
The consensus among participants was that the U.S. has huge deficiencies in its secondary education system, but that we are also making real progress. The challenge is working to speed up the positive developments and progress.
Said Engler, 'We need to have a system where everybody who leaves high school can go…
Tim Loveless at The Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution recently released a new report entitled, "The Algebra Imperative: Assessing Algebra in a National and International Context." The report discusses how Algebra is a "gateway course" to prepare students for both college-level mathematics as well as technically-oriented employment.
A follow on discussion addressed a particularly poignant issue raised in the report: What does it mean that so many middle and high school students are now taking Algebra? At first glance, this appears to be a success story…
Joann DiGennaro, President, Center for Excellence in Education
In a competitive global economy, America’s future rests on nurturing its most talented, innovative thinkers. Yet on many levels—financially, legislatively, academically and socially—those who are most capable of providing new ideas are being ignored. This is in stark contrast to what many top students experience overseas.
As President of the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE), an organization that I founded with Admiral H.G. Rickover, I have traveled the globe speaking with…
By Doug Himberger, Ph.D., CEE Trustee
The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) has a noble and critical mission – to “nurture high school and university scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM], and to encourage collaboration between and among leaders in the global community.” But its mission is also unique and difficult – and that is the essence of my message. Why do the best and brightest in STEM need extraordinary help and support? Why are they not at the top of the list for…