Improving College Readiness

How can we ensure that every child is prepared to enter college or the workforce? There is a widespread agreement among policymakers, business leaders, and educators that the U.S. needs to raise the educational achievement of all students. Yet, there is a disconnect between secondary education and higher education.

Today, the New America Foundation released a new report, Bridging the Gap. The report offers policy recommendations for improving the P-16 pipeline. Some of these recommendations include setting national college and work-readiness standards in math, science and language arts; strengthening college remedial courses; and leveraging federal dollars to identify and seed further growth of promising models currently being tested in states, in local school districts, and on college campuses. Other education groups have recommended strategies for improving college readiness such as: strengthening K-8 education standards; improving students' academic behaviors; and implementing intervention programs for students with academic deficiencies.

What policies need to be in place to ensure that every child is ready for a 21st workforce and higher education system?

DC Schools and Strategic Human Capital

Recently, Tom Carroll, president of NCTAF, testified before the D.C. City Council on strategic management of human capital in DCPS. Tom was among a broad section of education stakeholders that came to voice opinions - edwonks, teachers, community members, associations, researchers..etc. Chairman Vincent Gray spoke on changing the way we prepare teachers and transforming schools into 21st Century learning organizations. DCPS is receiving so much national attention for one thing - because they are failing. Is strategic management of human capital the answer to the failing schools? What strategies could DCPS put into place in order to meet the needs of today's learners?

Watch the hearing here! (Tom Carroll testifies at the 2hr15min mark)

The Future of NCLB

In his final days of office, President Bush has been touting No Child Left Behind as one of his biggest accomplishments. Many advocates of NCLB have said that the law holds teachers accountable of the success of students and raises standards. Yet many of NCLB's critics say the law is too focused on standardized testing.

At a recent press conference President Bush said,“I’ve heard every excuse in the book why we should not test—‘Oh, there’s too many tests; you teach the test; testing is intrusive; testing is not the role of government,’” the president said. “How can you possibly determine whether a child can read at grade level if you don’t test? And for those who claim we’re teaching the test, uh-uh. We’re teaching a child to read so he or she can pass the test.”

Will NCLB be Bush's education legacy? How should the administration handle the reauthorization? Share your thoughts on the future of NCLB here.

21st Century Skills: Wave of the Future or Fad?

There is a great debate among educators on the concept of teaching and measuring 21st Century skills. Some advocates see these skills as essential to preparing students for a knowledge-based economy, yet some are skeptical, citing that there is no support for educators in teaching this concept and that students are still struggling to grasp basic concepts. Are 21st Century skills the wave of the future or just a pipe dream? Below are some resources to get you thinking.

-The Washington Post; January 5, 2009: The Rush for '21st-Century Skills' & The Latest Doomed Pedagogical Fad: 21st-Century Skills

-Edutopia; December 2008: Real World, San Diego: Hands-On Learning at High Tech High

-The Partnership for 21st-Century Skills: P21 has emerged as the leading advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st Century skills into education. The Partnership encourages schools, districts and states to advocate for the infusion of 21st Century skills into education and provides tools and resources to help facilitate and drive change.