Education News
Reports on education reform, school choice, and classroom policies. The Daily Signal provides conservative commentary and opinion alongside education news.
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- News
State Puts Schools on Notice: Undocumented Children Entitled to Free Public Education
When school starts in September, Virginia taxpayers will find themselves footing the bill for some of the thousands of undocumented school-age children who have come here in recent months. The Virginia Department of Education is echoing the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education in saying that schools “may not deny a free…Kathryn Watson -
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Are Public Schools Collecting Too Much Data on Your Kids?
Parents are increasingly voicing concern that public schools are collecting massive amounts of personal data on students, storing it and distributing it to third parties without their consent. Dawn Sweeney, a Pennsylvania mother, has two children in public schools and home-schools her younger three. She had planned to enroll them in public schools when they reached seventh…Mary Tillotson -
- Opinion
Should State Funding Go to School Books or Orange Jumpsuits?
Most people would agree education and public safety should be among states’ top spending priorities. But few realize we actually invest more in criminals than children. New data shows nearly all states spend more on corrections than K-12 education—much more in some cases. New York, for instance, spent $60,076 per prison inmate but only $20,639…Charlyce Bozzello -
- Opinion
The Legacy of Milton Friedman: Educational Opportunity Continues to Expand
Thursday marked 102nd birthday of the late, great Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedman. It is both fitting and proper we remember his legacy of freedom crossed many disciplines—including education. Milton Friedman once remarked that there are “two alternative ways of organizing an economy: top-down verses bottom-up; central planning and control versus private markets; more colloquially,…Brittany Corona -
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Did New Jersey School’s Anti-Bullying Policy Go Too Far?
Education officials in New Jersey are being sued for allegedly infringing on a student’s free-speech rights when he was accused of bullying another student. According to a lawsuit filed by the Rutherford Institute, a school nurse sent a letter to parents informing them a student had head lice. While fourth-grade students were working in small groups, one student…Mary Tillotson -
- Opinion
Rise of School Choice Could Place Education on the ‘Right Track’
The growth of educational opportunity through school choice over the last ten years suggests American education is moving in the right direction. Last week, The Heritage Foundation’s Institute for Family, Community, and Opportunity released the first annual “Index for Culture and Opportunity,” tracking 31 leading social and economic indicators that reveal the state of America’s…Brittany Corona -
- Opinion
Chile’s New Education Reforms: Less for All
Chile’s new president, Michele Bachelet, is out with her promised education reforms, which are paid for by increased taxes on the corporate sector. But they’re not very smart. In the 1980s, the Chilean government introduced a voucher system to encourage competition in the school system. This system gives students the option to pay a small…Ashley Wright -
- Opinion
These Bills Could Affect American Higher Education. Here’s How.
Several bills have advanced in Congress as part of a piecemeal approach that signifies the beginning of a process to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, which covers federal student aid and accreditation among other areas. One bill, the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act introduced by Reps. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz.,, Susan Brooks, R-Ind.,, and Jared Polis,…Lindsey Burke -
- Opinion
Court Rules Against Woman Challenging University’s Race-Based Admissions Standards
On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled against Abigail Fisher in her ongoing battle against the University of Texas at Austin for discriminating against her based on race. The court upheld the university’s admissions policy which uses racial and ethnic preferences to achieve “diversity” on campus. Texas adopted a plan…Elizabeth Slattery -
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This School District Just Banned Cupcakes. And Candy.
A school district in Washington state is determined to make school more healthy and less fun. Edmonds School District, in the suburbs south of Seattle, has approved a ban on cupcakes, candy and other sweet treats children typically bring to school to celebrate their birthdays. Instead, district officials say kids should distribute pencils to their…Eric Boehm -
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Education Department Imposes Teacher Equity Mandate on States
Effective teachers are less likely to teach low-income and minority students. Now, the federal government wants states to address it. The U.S. Department of Education asked states to submit plans—by April 2015—describing how they intend to fix the situation in the wake of a recent court ruling in California. A lawsuit, Vergara v. California, challenged…Mary Tillotson -
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School Choice Popular … When Parents Know About It
In Florida, one school choice program got 75,000 applications for 68,000 spots. In North Carolina, 5,558 students applied for a program with 2,400 seats. But in Arizona, the education savings accounts program is capped at 5,500 students. Still, just 700 students took part in the programs last year. What makes the difference? Advocates of school…Mary Tillotson -
- Opinion
In D.C., Public Schools Struggle to Woo Students
Principals in Washington, D.C.’s public schools are taking on a new role this summer: neighborhood canvasser. They have been going door-to-door in an effort to retain and recruit students amid a growing charter and choice sector in the nation’s capital. As the Washington Post reported last week: “The District’s traditional public school system is sending…Lindsey Burke -
- Opinion
University President Calls Law Requiring Study of Constitution ‘Archaic’
University of South Carolina president Harris Pastides is refusing to comply with a state law that requires all public universities to teach students about America’s founding documents, including the Constitution, calling it “archaic.” In a bit of irony that is apparently lost on Pastides, USC claims the state law is itself unconstitutional. Section 59-29-120 of…Hans von Spakovsky -
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Americans Think Education Is on the ‘Wrong Track’—but Support for School Choice Is on the Rise
Support for school choice is on the rise, but Americans hold a “dim view of the federal government’s performance in K-12 education,” found the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice in its newly released “2014 Schooling in America Survey.” The survey found 58 percent of Americans think that K-12 education has gotten off on the “wrong…Brittany Corona -
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Watch Out: This School Bus Camera Could Get You a Ticket
Better be extra cautious when passing a school bus. Redflex Traffic Systems is partnering with 19 Virginia school districts to install cameras on buses to catch drivers who ignore their stop signs. The cameras would be installed about six feet behind the bus’ stop-arm to monitor traffic in both directions. The system activates when the…Kaitlyn Speer -
- Opinion
California Diminishes Union Power in Schools
Teachers unions—already experiencing a drop in membership and public sentiment— took another large blow last week when Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rolf M. Treu struck down five California laws that govern the hiring and firing of teachers. The decision, Vergara v. State of California, will significantly diminish the influence of unions over personnel decisions…Brittany Corona -
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Nearly 50 Years of Growing Federal Intervention in Education, Explained in One Picture
America has seen a half-century of growing federal intervention in education. This centralization, however, has not led to improved educational outcomes. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress long-term-trend assessment, 17-year-old students today perform no better in reading and math than 17-year-olds did in the 1970s. According to the main NAEP assessment, often referred…Brittany Corona -
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Conservatives: Obama’s Approach to Student Loans Hurts Millennials
The job market and student loan debt had lawmakers waxing philosophical at today’s Conversations with Conservatives event on Capitol Hill. “When I graduated from undergrad, I had a degree in Spanish literature and a minor in philosophy. I knew I wasn’t going to get a job,” Rep. Raúl Labrador, R-Idaho, said. In fact, he joked,…Kelsey Bolar -
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Obama Calls Out ‘Millionaires’ to Pay for Student Loans
Using his pen again in “this year of action,” President Obama today took executive actions to ease the burden of student debt at the expense of “millionaires.” The program, “Pay as You Earn,” expands an existing federal loan option available to undergrad and graduate students. It issues caps on monthly loan payments at 10 percent…Kelsey Bolar