Education: New America Events

CA EVENT: Strengthening California’s Workforce through Education, Training, and Savings

Communications — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/20/2008 - 12:00pm

The California labor market has experienced drastic transformation and further change is expected as the workforce ages, immigration continues, and the gap between the earnings of skilled workers and those lacking education widens.

With an eye toward the future, Amy Sherman, Vice President for Policy and Strategic Alliances at the Council for Adult and Experimental Learning, will discuss how workforce development policy should evolve as our economy and workforce changes. Ms. Sherman will focus on policies that promote education and skills development to ensure that California's workforce remains highly-skilled, highly-trained and positioned to improve the state's economic vitality.

The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) is a national, non-profit organization founded in 1974 to expand learning opportunities for adults.

Lunch will be provided.

This event is sponsored by the New America Foundation, the Assets Policy Initiative of California, and the California Research Bureau.

Where Should the Dems Be on Education?

Communications — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
09/19/2008 - 11:00am

The forthcoming reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) will require political parties to define their positions on public education. In a recent article in the American Prospect, analyst Kevin Carey of Education Sector argues that the Democratic Party has lost its edge on education issues, allowing Republicans to narrow their historical disadvantage in the field. On September 19th, Carey joined Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL) and education consultant Bella Rosenberg for a lively discussion on Capitol Hill to consider whether Carey has provided a compelling case for Democrats to rethink their “politics of education.” Dana Goldstein, a staff writer at the American Prospect, moderated the discussion.

At the top of the discussion, Carey quickly reminded the audience that eight years ago when Democrats should have assumed leadership over education, it was George W. Bush who emerged as “the education President.” Beginning with the 2000 election, he argued, Democrats lost their opportunity to take control of education in the same way they assumed leadership over other issues such as climate change and health care reform. At a time when they were arguing for more education, he believes that Democrats should have been arguing for better education. Ultimately, Carey challenged Democrats to embrace teacher merit pay, standardized testing, and more support for charter schools as a means to reassert themselves in the education arena.

In her comments, education consultant Bella Rosenberg stressed that the achievement gaps cited in Carey’s article emerge well before children enter school and are related to factors outside schools’ control. To be successful, “we need to adopt reforms that embrace a schools plus approach,” she said. Rosenberg made the point that ultimately, schools cannot move forward alone and that for reforms to work they must be part of a comprehensive reform package across several arenas, including housing policy and children’s health.

When asked what he thought about current Democratic approaches to school reform, Rep. Davis noted that some members of his party are tempted to fixate on NCLB in a way that leads them to see solutions in terms of stark contrasts. He made the point that Democrats do not have to choose between accountability and other measures; Just as Democrats can vote for both increases in federal education funding and for increased funding for S-CHIP, Democrats can also “be for accountability and public schools.”

At the close of the discussion, all participants agreed that policymakers and political candidates need to put aside personal interests and take up the cause of school reform policy with renewed urgency. To do otherwise would be a great disservice to America’s most important constituents, our nation’s children and youth.

An Ounce of Prevention

Communications — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
09/09/2008 - 1:30pm

After peaking in 2002, child well-being in the United States has been stagnant for five years. Meanwhile, recent data from the Child Well-Being Index shows some disturbing upward trends in child obesity and youth violence, as well as a persistent academic achievement gap. To date, public policy has not sufficiently mobilized to combat these issues before they start to affect the nation’s children. The New America Foundation brought together key policy makers and experts involved in improving child well-being to discuss current trends in child well-being and the value of prevention-oriented policy. The Honorable Bobby Scott (D-VA) and the Honorable Mike Castle (R-DE) were joined by Jessica Donze Black, Executive Director of the Campaign to End Obesity; David Kass, President of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; and Sara Mead, a Senior Research Fellow in the Education Policy and Workforce and Family Programs at the New America Foundation. The event was moderated by the Director of New America’s Workforce and Family Program, David Gray.

Rep. Scott opened the discussion by describing the reactive nature of policy makers when it comes to policies affecting children. It exists, he said because, child advocates don’t always have a voice in the policy-making process. “Prevention never has a constituency,” Rep. Scott told the audience on Capitol Hill. “The only people lobbying are those that already have the problem.” Rep. Castle echoed his colleague’s sentiments and stressed the need to engage the media and draw more attention to the need for and effectiveness of preventative policy.

The discussion continued with detailed examples of innovative and effective policies for prevention. David Kass described his organization’s research-backed approach to combating youth crime, a comprehensive approach that includes home-visiting programs, strengthening early education and afterschool programs, and developing effecting intervention programs for youth offenders. Jessica Donze Black described a similarly comprehensive approach to combating childhood obesity, which has tripled since the CWI began in 1975. State and federal programs, she said have already helped promote breastfeeding through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, and help schools put more fruits and veggies, and few sugary beverages on the lunch menu. There is still work to be done to encourage less inactive “screen time” (TV, computer, video games) and to encourage teenagers to get adequate sleep. (Black's PowerPoint Presentation)

Sara Mead, an early education expert, spoke of the importance of focusing on early education programs through the critical grade three year. More and more states have developed public pre-k programs but, she said, policy makers also need to focus on program quality and the alignment of curriculum and standards through the first years of elementary school. According to Mead, this PK-3 approach can maximize the preventative benefits of high quality early childhood education.

To summarize the importance of preventative policy, Rep. Scott offered a memorable story of a town that faced two options to solve the problem of people falling off a cliff: build a fence around the cliff or station an ambulance down in the valley. The town first chose the ambulance, but then realized that more money and lives would be saved if they built the fence instead. The moral of the story: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

-Christina Satkowski, Research Associate for the Education Policy Program

Co-sponsored by the offices of Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Representative Mike Castle (R-DE).

Education Policy in the Next Administration

Communications — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:30:00 -0400

A New America Event
07/24/2008 - 10:30am

The pending reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act will provide the next president an opportunity to substantially reshape federal education policy. To provide a preview of what that change may look like, the New America Foundation invited ducation advisers to the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to speak about their candidates’ education policy agendas. Lisa Graham Keegan is a former Arizona superintendent of education who advises Sen. John McCain. John Schnur is former education adviser to President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Education Richard Riley, and an unofficial adviser to Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign. Richard Lee Covin, director of the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media at Teachers College, Columbia University, moderated the discussion. An MP3 audio recording can be downloaded below, while video is available at right.

The discussion focused on how federal policies could improve educational quality, and teacher quality in particular. Today’s schools of education, said John Schnur, are doing “a very inadequate job” of preparing tomorrow’s educators. He expressed his support for professional development programs that pair new teachers with experienced educators and policies to provide more common planning time for teachers. Keegan called for policies need to recruit top graduates of high schools and universities to teaching jobs. She added that schools should link teacher quality assessments to student performance and praised schools that implement regular assessments of student achievement, allowing for early interventions for struggling students.

This forum also featured the first in-depth discussion of early education issues by education advisers from both campaigns. Keegan indicated that Sen. McCain will have more to say about early education in the future, though she stressed the importance of early education in developing children’s linguistic capabilities and the imperative for the diverse array of early childhood education providers to work together. Schnur highlighted Sen. Obama’s zero to five initiatives, including pre-k for three- and four-year olds, increased funding for Head Start, and grants to help states and local agencies assess and improve their early childhood education systems. Schnur said it is important to help states continue their efforts to develop quality early education programs.

When asked about the Reading First program, a signature Bush administration initiative that Congress is seeking to eliminate funding for, Keegan said an “unfortunate circumstance” -- namely a poor assessment of the program -- that led to decisions by members of Congress not to fund the program next year. Schnur added that the program’s history underscores the need for high standards and accountability of reading initiatives, so that policymakers know what really works and what does not.

On higher education, Schnur spoke about Sen. Obama’s plan for an American Opportunity Tax Credit to help students pay for college if they agree to complete 100 hours of community service. Keegan admitted that her candidate has yet to produce a higher education platform, but spoke of the need to enhance the transition between the K-12 system and higher education.

Finally, an audience member asked the advisers to predict what their candidate’s biggest education achievement would be after four years in office. Schnur acknowledged that it is difficult to push through a major reform in that amount of time, but said he hopes the foundations of dramatic change would be in place. Keegan said she would hope to see a new culture in schools and among the teaching corps in particular, so that the brightest and most innovative young people in the country want to enter the teaching profession. Schnur added that he hopes that policymakers, educators and the public will have reached a solid consensus and will to work together on improving education in the United States. “We may have our disagreements on things, but we are all trying to figure out the best ways of accomplishing the same goals,” he said.

-Christina Satkowski, Research Associate for the Education Policy Program

This work was supported by the Strategic Knowledge Fund, co-funded by the Foundation for Child Development and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and by the W. Clement and Jessie V. Stone Foundation.

Budgeting for the Future of Children

Communications — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:15:00 -0400

A New America Event
06/12/2008 - 11:15am

Funding is always a central issue in education policy debates, and education funding is often a bone of contention in federal budget and appropriations battles. Yet many of the people who are most affected by federal education budget decisions are unaware of how those decisions are made or where the money goes. On June 12 the New America Foundation launched the Federal Education Budget Project to lift the veil from the federal education budget process and provide policymakers, journalists, educators, and the general public new data and analysis on education funding issues. An MP3 audio recording can be downloaded below, while video is available at right.

New America’s Federal Education Budget Project is an independent, authoritative source of easily accessible information on the size, distribution, effectiveness, and efficiency of federal education funding. FEBP resources include:

Background and funding information for all federally funded K-12 and higher education programs, including No Child Left Behind Act programs, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, National School Lunch Program, and financial aid for college students;
Funding, demographic, and achievement data for every states and school district in the country;
Color-coded maps that show state rankings based on per-pupil expenditures, poverty, school finance equity, and achievement in fourth- and eighth grades; and
The EdMoneyWatch.org blog, featuring timely analysis, commentary, and reporting on education funding issues.

New America’s Michael Dannenberg, gave a brief overview of these resources at the June 12 event, which also featured a panel discussion with leading experts on federal education funding. David Rowe, Director of the Education Division at the Office of Management, described how his office helps formulate the administration’s policy goals and budget frameworks that are reflected in the president’s budget request each February. Ellen Murray, Staff Director of the U. S. Senate Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations, described the complicated and often contentious process of shepherding the budget through Congress. Tom Skelly, Director of the Budget Service at the Department of Education, spoke of the special budget challenges that arise during transition years, and drew historical lessons for how education funding might fare in the first year of a new administration.

Finally, Bob Greenstein, Director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, placed the education budget in the larger context of annual federal spending. Specifically, he noted that education spending has been declining relative to defense funding, particularly defense funding unrelated to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The panelists agreed that there are many challenges ahead on the road towards sustained and effective funding for the nation’s schools.

About the Federal Education Budget Project and EdBudgetProject.Org The Federal Education Budget Project is supported by generous grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and other charitable foundations. Posted now on Ed Budget Project.Org are the first fiscal year 2008 federal funding estimates for every school district in the nation. For further information about the Federal Education Budget Project, please visit: www.EdBudgetProject.Org.

-Christina Satkowski, Research Associate for the Education Policy Program

No Child Left Behind and Early Education: Prospects for 2008

Communications — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:15:00 -0500

A New America Event
11/29/2007 - 12:15pm

Congressional leaders recently announced that they will not finish reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act -- the major federal law authorizing elementary and secondary education programs -- this year, but will continue working on reauthorization in 2008. This gives Congress a chance to revisit an issue that was largely ignored in this year’s debate over NCLB reauthorization: early education for pre-school and early elementary aged youngsters.

Evidence shows that the foundations of children’s future academic success or failure are largely in place by the end of third grade, and as much as half of the achievement gap between white and African American students exists before children enter first grade. Yet public debate on NCLB has focused little attention on the preschool and early elementary years. A new issue brief from the New America Foundation, 10 New Ideas for Early Education in the NCLB Reauthorization, explains why Congress must not ignore early education in NCLB reauthorization, and offers recommendations for how the law could better support children’s learning in these critical years.

How can NCLB better support state and local efforts to improve preschool quality and access, as well as early elementary learning? What are the prospects for early education reforms, and No Child Left Behind reauthorization generally, when Congress takes these issues up again in 2008?

Video of this event is available at right, while an MP3 audio recording can be downloaded below. Click here for a copy of the issue brief, 10 New Ideas for Early Education in the NCLB Reauthorization.

Tested: School-level Perspectives on NCLB

Communications — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:15:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/25/2007 - 12:15pm

The No Child Left Behind Act, the major federal law supporting elementary and secondary education, is due for reauthorization by Congress. Teachers unions, business groups, civil rights leaders and researchers have all weighed in with recommendations to change the law’s provisions. But what do the people most impacted by NCLB -- educators working with kids on a day-to-day basis -- think about it?

Former Washington Post education writer Linda Perlstein spent a year with educators and students at Tyler Heights, an Annapolis, Md., elementary school that manages to ace state tests despite the many challenges facing its predominantly low-income, minority students. Perlstein will discuss her new book, Tested, which looks at the consequences of NCLB for Tyler Heights and the children and adults who work there. Tracy Wright, former principal of J.C. Nalle Elementary in southeast Washington, D.C., will join Perlstein to offer a separate perspective on NCLB’s school-level effects.

Join the New America Foundation for a panel discussion on what NCLB really means in practice for children, teachers and principals working in America’s most challenging schools.

Education and the Federal Budget Showdown

Communications — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/04/2007 - 11:00am

The White House and Congress are engaged in a major budget debate that threatens a government shutdown and could markedly influence federal education funding. Congressional Democrats have proposed significant increases in education spending for Fiscal Year 2008, while the President has proposed to cut Education Department funding and threatened to veto relevant spending bills.

The panelists at this New America event discussed the current budget debate and its implications for federal education funding; lessons from past budget negotiations; and possible scenarios for resolution of the current conflict. Peter Cohn of Congress Daily explored the major factors underlying this year’s appropriations fight. Barbara Chow, a former Clinton White House liaison and budget negotiator, shared her insights from past negotiations. And New America’s Heather Rieman presented new research on federal education funding.

New America also released an issue brief: The 2007 Budget Showdown: The Facts Behind Education Funding. Video of this event is available at right, while an MP3 audio recording can be downloaded below.

Tough Liberal

Communications — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:58:00 -0400

A New America Event
09/20/2007 - 5:30pm

Richard D. Kahlenberg's latest book, Tough Liberal, is the first book-length treatment of the life of Albert Shanker, one of the most influential figures in American education in recent history. Shanker was the father of teacher unionism and a leading voice in nearly every major education and labor debate for nearly four decades.

Richard D. Kahlenberg is a Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation, where he writes about education, equal opportunity, and civil rights. Previously, Kahlenberg was a Fellow at the Center for National Policy, a visiting associate professor of constitutional law at George Washington University, and a legislative assistant to Senator Charles S. Robb (D-VA). He is also a nonresident senior fellow at Education Sector. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1985 and cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1989.

Please join the New America Foundation, in cooperation with Education Sector, for a discussion on the life and achievements of Albert Shanker.

Reviews of the Book

Diane Ravitch, Historian, New York University:
"An insightful, brilliant analysis of the life and times of one of the most influential figures in American education in the twentieth century. It should be read by everyone who cares about the future of public education and our democratic institutions."

James B. Hunt, Jr., former Governor of North Carolina:
"…I was privileged to work closely with Al on state and national reform issues and the success of the standards-based accountability movement is in no small way attributable to his courageous leadership. I was proud to consider Al Shanker a good friend and highly recommend this truly excellent biography which captures the essence of an inspiring individual who did what he thought was right despite the opposition he often confronted from friends as well as foes."

Tough Liberal will be available for purchase from Politics & Prose Book Store at this event. Cash, check, and credit cards will be accepted for book purchases.

Child Well-Being in America and Abroad

Communications — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:59:00 -0400

A New America Event
07/17/2007 - 10:30am

The Foundation for Child Development Child Well-Being Index (CWI) provides a research-based look at the status of children in the United States over the last 30 years. Now, for the first time, the CWI examines the status of American children in relation to that of children in other countries. The CWI uses English-speaking democracies with strong market-based systems to provide a more meaningful “apples to apples” portrait of the relative well-being of American children. The study contrasts the well-being of children in the United States with that of children in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

At the New America event, hosted by the Workforce and Family Program, Duke University researcher Dr. Kenneth Land presented the results of this new international comparison. Among the key findings:

The percent of households without an employed adult is lower in the United States than in all comparison countries. However, poverty rates are higher in the United States than in all comparison countries.
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have better outcomes than the United States in the Health domain. Relatively high rates of infant mortality and children who are overweight and obese disadvantage the United States in this domain.
Teen birth rates in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand are lower than in the United States. This indicator is a key figure in the Safety/Behavioral Concerns domain.
The United States has a relatively high proportion of young adults who complete high school and obtain baccalaureate degrees. However, the proportion of children who attend preschool is lower in the United States than in all countries except the United Kingdom.
15-year old American students scored lower in mathematics and reading than their counterparts in all comparison countries on internationally administered standardized tests, leading to a last place finish in the Educational Attainment domain.

Following Land's presentation, Rev. David Gray, director of the Workforce and Family Program, moderated a distinguished panel of experts in a discussion that explored the survey results and their implications.

Dr. Ruby Takanishi, President of the Foundation for Child Development, gave introductory remarks for the event. Dr. Takanishi remarked that the Child Well-Being Index provides a starting point for deeper debates among policymakers and the public about how best to serve the children of this country. The treatment and care for our children are an essential part of the negotiation of the social contract between individual and social responsibility. According to Dr. Takanishi, we are in a period of transition within our social contract, and our efforts to shape the life prospects of all children are a critical part of that conversation.

Dr. Janet Gornick, Director of the Luxembourg Income Study, presented an in-depth look at cross-national employment policies and explored the links between those policies, parental and child well-being. Dr. Gornick’s research shows that the United States, and the Anglophone countries involved in the international comparison, generally takes a different approach to employment policy than do their continental European counterparts.

Doug Steiger gave an in-depth policy and political analysis of the program to eliminate child poverty in the United Kingdom. Mr. Steiger contrasted the differing approaches of the United States and the United Kingdom to measuring and combating poverty, as well as highlighting instances in which the two countries have learned from and emulated one another. Mr. Steiger concluded that much the United Kingdom’s recent success in reducing childhood poverty comes from tactics used in the United States in the 1990’s but that the United States has allowed its effort in those areas to lag.

Adam Carasso of the New America Foundation drew highlights from his work on the Urban Institute’s “2007 Kid’s Share” report. Mr. Carasso presented research on the historic and projected future share of the federal budget dedicated to children’s programs. Mr. Carasso highlighted the decline of tax code contributions and the rise of in-kind programs. Mr. Carasso also highlighted the rising proportion of the federal budget that is dedicated to programs that primarily serve the elderly and predicted that rising cost would push aside the possibility of new investments in children’s programs.

Also released at this latest event was a new Workforce and Family Issue Brief, entitled "Why Not More Focus on Children?" Video of the complete presentation and discussion is available at right; an MP3 audio recording will be available in the near future.

About the Child Well-Being Index

The CWI is commissioned by the Foundation for Child Development and provides policymakers and the public with a tool to monitor the well-being of children. The new international comparison tracks quantifiable indicators including childhood obesity, the poverty rate, suicide rates, and violent crime rates. Its release is intended to spark public discussion about the lives of American children and youth and the factors that contribute to their quality of life; including where American children are advantaged and disadvantaged on comparisons of international outcomes in physical health, educational attainment, social relationships and spiritual and emotional well-being. For more on the CWI's findings in the United States, please see the April 17, 2007, event the Workforce and Family Program hosted on that topic.

The Next No Child Left Behind Act

Communications — Mon, 21 May 2007 05:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
05/21/2007 - 12:00pm

The upcoming reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) presents an opportunity for the federal government to expand access to high-quality, early education programs. At present, quality standards vary widely among federal, state, local, and private early care and education programs, and relatively few programs align their curricular and teacher standards with early elementary school grades. There is a role for the federal government to play in both expanding access and harmonizing decentralized early education programs horizontally across jurisdictions and vertically across grade levels.

At this New America event, panelists discussed how early education currently fits in NCLB, and where it might fit in the next, reauthorized NCLB. Ruth Friedman will discuss the federal role in early education. Isabel Sawhill discussed the ideas of her and her co-author, Jens Ludwig of Georgetown University, for an expanded federal role in early education as articulated in their recent paper, “Success By Ten: Intervening Early, Often, and Effectively in the Education of Young Children.” Sara Mead presented a plan for developing a targeted, high-quality universal pre-kindergarten system with federal support.

The New America Foundation also released an issue brief on early education, “The Key to NCLB Success: Getting it Right From the Start,” that discusses how the federal government can support the expansion of high-quality, pre-kindergarten through grade three (PK-3) programs that align pre-kindergarten teacher and quality standards with K-3 education. The paper proposes using the NCLB reauthorization to leverage state change to expand and improve pre-kindergarten, specifically through a grant program that would help states phase-in universal PK-3 access.

Video of this event is available at right, and an MP3 audio recording can be downloaded below.

Ten Big Ideas for a New America

Communications — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:00:00 -0500

A New America Event
01/31/2007 - 11:00am

The recent turnover in Congress, combined with a wide open presidential election cycle, creates a rare opportunity to bring new ideas into the political process. The spirit of this new era will be captured by those -- from either party or no party -- who embrace innovative yet pragmatic solutions to the foremost challenges facing our nation.

At this event, the New America Foundation released a major new report outlining Ten Big Ideas for a New America, and offered brief presentations on nine of the 10 ideas. (Senior Fellow Jacob Hacker, author of the Universal Risk Insurance proposal, was testifying on Capitol Hill and was unable to attend.)

In addition, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) offered kenote addresses that explored their respective takes on the need for big ideas in American politics.

Video of the complete event is available at right, while MP3 audio recordings can be dowloaded at the bottom of this page. To jump directly to video of a particular keynote address or Big Idea presentation, please use the links below.

Every Baby a Trust Fund Baby

Closing the $700 Billion Tax Loophole

Instant Runoff Voting

Mandatory, Affordable Health Insurance

Tax Consumption, Not Work

A College Access Contract

A Capital Budget for Public Investment

A Universal 401(k) Plan

An Energy Efficiency Trading System

Preparing U.S. Students for the Global Economy

Communications — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:42:00 -0500

A New America Event
01/08/2007 - 2:30pm

Monday, Jan. 8, marks the fifth anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the beginning of a comprehensive congressional examination of standards-based school reform. How has it succeeded? How has it not? Why? And how can it be improved?

While the most significant accomplishment of the standards-based school reform movement that began in the 1980s is improved national student achievement in mathematics, international comparisons of mathematics and science achievement continue to indicate sub-par American student performance. Reports suggest that high school graduates are underprepared for college: Many lack basic computational skills, much less those needed to participate in post-secondary education without remediation. Further, because of our mish-mash of state standards and accountability measures, similarly performing schools and school districts are designated either as making "adequate yearly progress" or in "need of improvement" based solely on state of residence.

On this fifth anniversary, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT) presented the plan he has developed with Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) to upgrade math and science education as part of the next NCLB. The Standards to Provide Educational Achievement for All Kids (SPEAK) Act places special emphasis on raising and reconciling state academic standards with more rigorous national standards.

Distinguished guests, including John Engler, Bob Wise, Michael Casserly and Michael Petrilli, commented on the question of why American education standards need to be raised and harmonized, and took audience questions in a session moderated by the New America Foundation's Education Policy Director Michael Dannenberg.

Video of the event can be viewed at right, while an MP3 audio recording of this event is available below. The full text of the proposed Dodd-Ehlers bill and a one-page summary of the legislation are also available in PDF format.

Ready to Teach? PK-3 and NCLB

Communications — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 06:54:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/19/2006 - 3:00pm

As Congress prepares for reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, policymakers will be forced to answer difficult questions about the relationship between teacher quality and student outcomes at all levels of education. What should teachers of young children know and what skills do they need? How can colleges of education improve the PK-3 workforce? How can the federal government improve the quality of PK-3 teachers through NCLB?

This event, hosted jointly by the New America Foundation and the Foundation for Child Development, featured a robust panel discussion that touched on the future of the No Child Left Behind Act, teacher quality and early childhood education, among other topics. The New America Foundation also released a new Issue Brief: "Teacher Quality in Grades PK-3: Challenges and Options."

Video of the event is available at right.

Student Loan Scandals

Communications — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 06:48:00 -0400

A New America Event
09/18/2006 - 12:15pm

Within the next two weeks, the U.S. Department of Education’s Inspector General is expected to release an audit of the Nelnet Corporation, a major student loan provider, recommending that it be ordered to repay hundreds millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidy payments to the U.S. Treasury and halt additional, future subsidy billings estimated to exceed $1.3 billion.

At issue are subsidy payments guaranteeing Nelnet and other student loan companies a 9.5 percent rate of return for student loans originally issued at interest rates as low as 3.5 percent. Congress thought it got rid of the 9.5 percent guarantee in 1993, but due to a legislative loophole and lax federal oversight, the subsidy continued and grew exponentially over the last several years.

At this New America event, the Bush Administration whistleblower who originally reported the 9.5 percent loan scandal to Congress and the media told his side of the story in his first-ever public appearance.

In addition, Raza Khan, President and Co-Founder of student loan provider MyRichUncle, discussed additional taxpayer subsidies in the federal student loan program and how lenders use the extra money in ways that might or might not be in the best interests of students and families. Doug Lederman, editor of Inside Higher Ed, responded to the remarks of both speakers.

In addition to the video at right, an MP3 audio recording of this event is available for download.

Answers to an Age of Uncertainty

Communications — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 15:51:00 -0400

A New America Event
07/27/2006 - 12:00pm

Paycheck paralysis, rising cost of living, out of control student loans, credit card debt... many young workers, even those with college degrees, are facing hard economic realities. Is it just perception, or is it really tougher being a 20- or 30-something today than it was 30 years ago? Americans of all ages face an era of economic insecurity. This uncertainty is now so common that younger generations know it as part of the experience of being American. But it hasn't always been this way, and we have the ability to change course. In the face of new realities and challenges, our old social contract -- the complex, largely unwritten agreement between workers, employers and government that defines and provides for an individual's security among the larger society-- is no longer working as we face a dynamic new economy.

Join the New America Foundation for an event about the growing economic insecurity facing America's Generations X and Y as we explore the roles of wage stagnation, credit card debt, and spiraling student loan costs in creating this problem and discuss what we can do to change course and negotiate a new social contract that will better provide for America's future.

Closing the Achievement Gap

Communications — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:30:00 -0400

A New America Event
07/25/2006 - 11:00am

Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia presented a half-hour speech to over a hundred guests at the New America Foundation on Tuesday, July 25, 2006. Kaine described his views on the importance of early childhood education, which studies show can reduce the number of unprepared students entering kindergarten each year and reduce the number of elementary school children who fail to advance to the next grade at the end of the school year. Kaine noted that, in Virginia, 10,000 children in grades K-3 repeat a grade each year, and the state spends four times as much on remediation for repeaters as it does on early education and preventative services. Kaine’s top goal as Governor is to phase-in universal access to pre-school. Kaine outlined a process that Virginia is pursuing which is consistent with recommendations advanced by the New America Foundation.

After his introductory remarks, Michael Dannenberg, Director of New America's Education Policy Program, moderated a panel discussion that included early education experts Dr. William Gormley of Georgetown University, Dr. Michael Lopez of the National Center for Latino Child and Family Research, and Justin King, Senior Policy Analyst at the New America Foundation. Their discussion covered issues ranging from funding sources to the value of universalizing early education. New America’s Justin King gave an overview of the recently released Issue Brief entitled, “Closing the Achievement Gap Through Expanded Access to Quality Early Education in Grades PK-3.” Dr. Gormley commented on lessons that Virginia and other states might draw from his extensive research of Oklahoma’s universal pre-kindergarten program. Dr. Lopez commented on the recommendations presented in New America’s latest Issue Brief and the challenges facing programs attempting to serve Latino children and their families.

Sharpening Our Competitive Edge Through Investment in Advanced Technology Tools for Learning

Communications — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 23:30:00 -0400

A New America Event
06/14/2006 - 10:00am

In its recent report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, the National Academies concluded what many have long feared to be true -- that the nation's outdated K-12 educational system is inadequately preparing America's youth for the jobs and global competition of the 21st Century. One of the most promising ways to remedy this is by investing in the research and development of advanced learning technologies, a.k.a. “Serious Games.” To commemorate House Innovation Week, the New America Foundation and Digital Promise, in cooperation with Congressman Ralph Regula (R-OH), invite you to a briefing and demonstration on advanced learning technologies.

This is the complement to our popular Senate briefing in May, so if you missed it, here's another opportunity to learn about the importance of R&D into advanced technology tools for teaching and training -- an essential investment to maintain America's innovative potential and competitive edge.

Please join us and see for yourself how we can harness the power of virtual reality, high-tech gaming platforms, intelligent computer tutors and other cutting-edge technology for teaching, learning and workforce training. You will be able to see and "play" prototypes of advanced learning games created under the leadership of the Federation of American Scientists, including:

Immune Attack! -- an advanced video game teaching human immunology from the 9th grade to the college level;
Discover Babylon -- a cultural, educational and historical virtual reality of ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq);
Mass Casualty Incident Responder -- a high-stress, interactive real-time decision-making training simulation to teach firefighters and serve as a model for other first responder training.

The briefing and demonstration will highlight the potential impact of the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DO IT) legislation (HR.2512, S.1023) sponsored by Representatives Regula (R-OH), Markey (D-MA), Gillmor (R-OH), Holt (D-NJ), Boucher (D-VA) and Wolf (R-VA) in the House, and Senators Dodd (D-CT), Snowe (R-ME), Durbin (D-IL), and Burns (R-MT) in the Senate. DO IT is a proposal for increased federal leadership and investment in R&D for advanced learning technologies to ensure innovation and competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy. Industry representatives will also speak to the need for federal leadership in investing in research for new technologies for teaching and training.

Serious Games

Communications — Wed, 03 May 2006 21:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
05/03/2006 - 12:05pm

In its recent report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, the National Academies concluded what many have long feared to be true — that the nation's outdated K-12 educational system is inadequately preparing America's youth for the jobs and global competition of the 21st Century. One of the most promising ways to remedy this is by investing in the research and development of advanced learning technologies, a.k.a. “Serious Games.” We all know of the power of video games to captivate and engross. Please join us and see for yourself how we could harness the power of virtual reality, advanced gaming platforms, intelligent computer tutors and other cutting-edge technology for teaching, learning and workforce training. You will be able to see and "play" prototypes of advanced learning games created under the leadership of the Federation of American Scientists, including:

Immune Attack! — an advanced video game teaching human immunology from the 9th grade to the college level;
Discover Babylon — a cultural, educational and historical virtual reality of ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq);
Mass Casualty Incident Responder — a high-stress, interactive real-time decision-making training simulation to teach firefighters and serve as a model for other first responder training.

The briefing and demonstration will highlight the potential impact of the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DO IT) legislation (S.1023) sponsored by Senators Dodd, Snowe, Durbin and Burns. DO IT is a proposal for increased federal leadership and investment in R&D for advanced learning technologies to ensure innovation and competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy. In addition to the demonstrations, we will present recent research findings on the effectiveness of technology for education and training.

The educational innovation emerging from this Serious Games movement is also very relevant to other pending legislation aimed at enhancing U.S. math and science education. One is the National Innovation Act (S.2109), introduced by Sens. Ensign and Lieberman; the others are a trio of related bills, collectively titled the Protecting America's Competitive Edge (PACE) Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Domenici, Alexander, Bingaman and Mikulski.

Fighting Fade-Out in Education

Communications — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 11:00:00 -0500

A New America Event
01/19/2006 - 12:00pm

The New America Foundation's second event under the Early Education Initiative gathered a distinguished panel of speakers from academia and both sides of the political aisle to discuss the newly released issue brief, "Ladders of Learning: Fighting Fade-Out by Advancing PK-3 Alignment." Michael Dannenberg, the Director of New America's Education Program, set the stage with his remark that the education system was progressing on a continuum with regards to standards-based reform, a concept that is here to stay.

Kristie Kauerz, the author of the issue brief accompanying the event, commented on how the No Child Left Behind Act focuses on students in the third through eighth grades, while neglecting to impose adequate standards on the younger grade levels. "Waiting until third grade is waiting too long," Kauerz said. Ultimately, the paper sheds light on the concept of academic fade-out, whereby early cognitive gains observed following pre-kindergarten (PK) and full day kindergarten may not be sustained from one grade to the next. Instead of dismissing these programs as ineffective, Kauerz explained how this phenomenon indicates precisely why we need more investment in these early years. She explained the concepts of horizontal, vertical, and temporal alignment and called for an increased focus on the quality of early childhood learning environments. (Her detailed recommendations are included in the paper.)

One of the leading education experts in the country, Diane Ravitch spoke about the need to include national cognitive development standards in early education. She agreed with the global competition argument often given to prompt education reform. Citing our consistently mediocre performance on international comparison studies, Ravitch called our "50 states, 50 standards" education system "a mile wide and an inch deep," where much of what you learn depends on where you attend school.

Andrew Rotherham offered a political backdrop for the conversation. He disagreed with Kauerz' recommendation to form a PK-3 commission, predicting it would only create more politics, and called for more flexibility for school districts in lieu of rededicating Title I funds to PK . In response to a question about getting states to upgrade their standards, he suggested states should be encouraged to work together for both cost and quality problems, and ultimately, generate economies of scale. Rotherham also declared the No Child Left Behind Act a political revolution in that it changed the playing field afterwards, allowing new players to emerge and participate.

-Soumya Bhat