School Matters: Can Public Schools Really Do More With Less?, Vivian Po
By Vivian Po
New America Media
EDITOR’S NOTE: As the U.S. economy continues to falter and states struggle to balance their budgets, cuts in education funding have become ubiquitous. Yet students face new pressures to remain competitive in the global market. Once again, the big question for reformers is: “Can schools do more with less?”
To answer that question, NAM education reporter Vivian Po spoke with Ulrich Boser, author of a recent report by the Center for American Progress: “Return on Educational Investment: A district-by-district evaluation of US educational productivity.” The report, the first attempt to evaluate the productivity of almost every major school district in the country, found that some districts have spent their dollars more wisely than others—and most schools can improve their efficiency, if they try.
What does the report tell us?
Sober and Responsible Public Leadership: Is It Too Much to Ask?
By Peter Laarman
Hard times should, and sometimes do, bring out the best in us: shared sacrifice, creative solutions, and a sense that we’re all in this together. It’s very clear that people in our state and across the nation crave that kind of leadership as they struggle with the worst job market in