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
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… -
news
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… -
news
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… -
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… -
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… -
opinion
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… -
news
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… -
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… -
news
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… -
news
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,… -
news
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… -
news
Virginia University Appointees Gave Generously To Gov. McAuliffe’s Campaign
Some of Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s latest appointments to posts at Virginia’s prestigious public universities also have donated generously to his gubernatorial campaign — up to $130,000 in one case. Of McAuliffe’s 65 appointees to university and college governing boards, about 17 percent had contributed a substantial sum to his campaign, and two more —…