Education Policy & School Reform News

As the fall semester begins, parents, students, taxpayers, and donors should be made aware of official college practices that should disgust us all. Hampshire College will offer some of its students what the school euphemistically calls “identity-based housing.” That’s segregated housing for students who—because of their race, culture, gender, or sexual orientation—have “historically experienced oppression.”…

For much of American history, education was decentralized, seen as a responsibility of families, communities, churches, and local governments. Parents in the mid-17th century, for example, were not just seen as critical partners in their children’s education, but were expected to be their children’s primary teachers, creating a symbiotic relationship between parent and community values….

Did DePaul University just admit that it can’t keep its students safe from fellow students who are protesting? Sure seems that way. Hiding behind student protesters, however, might just be a smoke screen for advancing the school’s own political agenda. Last week, DePaul informed members of a conservative student organization, Young Americans for Freedom, that…

How many non-teachers does a school district need? Since 1950, public schools all across America have added staff at a rapid rate—much faster than their increases in students. Sure, there have been some increases in lead teachers that resulted in large declines in class sizes. However, there were even greater increases in the hiring of…

Despite the geographic differences, Brazil and the United States have much in common: both are continental, diverse countries organized in federations with relatively autonomous states. This is why the failure of centralized education system in Brazil is a cautionary tale for American policymakers. Twelve years ago, when his daughters’ eighth grade teacher compared St. Francis of…

The House Education and Workforce Committee recently marked up a number of proposals concerning higher education. Instead of using the opportunity to address the drivers of tuition inflation or encourage innovation in the higher education sphere, the proposed reforms maintain an open spigot of federal college subsidies. The package of proposals includes: 1. Simplifying the Application…

On Tuesday, the Senate considered a proposal that would expand Pell Grants (federal aid meant to help low-income students attend college) to cover year-round tuition. In theory, part-time and full-time students who have increased access to Pell Grants would be encouraged to finish their degrees faster and graduate with less debt. Unfortunately, the proposal to expand Pell…

Back in March 2014, Stanford University’s Graduate Student Council revoked funding and demanded exorbitant security fees (over $5,000!) from the Student Anscombe Society related to its event on traditional marriage, which featured Heritage fellow Ryan T. Anderson. Selectively charging outrageous security fees in order to make student leaders “voluntarily” shut down events that college administrations…

This week, the House is expected to markup its child nutrition bill, which covers programs such as school meals. The last child nutrition bill–the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010–made it possible for many children from middle-class and wealthy families to receive free school meals. The House should end this wasteful policy, known as the…

The House of Representatives will consider the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act (SOAR Reauthorization Act) on Friday, which would reauthorize the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP). The OSP has allowed thousands of low-income and minority students in Washington, D.C., to thrive at schools of choice in the district, despite the Obama administration’s multiple…