Delaware and Race to the Top
As a nation, we are all standing at a crossroads when it comes to our schools. President Obama has challenged every state to raise the bar and to define new paths to world-class schools. As the head of a foundation that is committed to improving Delaware’s schools and our nation’s standing internationally, I want to share a...
New Year, New Decade, New Opportunities?
The National Journal recently put out the call to education experts around the country, “What should the education priorities be for 2010?” There are lots of interesting ideas here, the reauthorization of ESEA, new school models, refining standards and assessment, keeping up reforms, etc. While Delaware’s focus may...
Early Childhood Opportunities
The US Senate is sitting on a huge opportunity for Early Childhood Education, and it looks like it may be ready to move shortly (once they figure out this health care thing). The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, if passed, may create a $10 Billion Early Learning Challenge Grant fund to help states significantly advance their work...
How do you more than quadruple the number of students meeting proficiency standards in only three years?
Ask Mastery Charter School in Philadelphia. Mastery has been turning around schools in Philly since 2005 – they’ve taken some of the worst city schools and changed the leadership and the culture, and – working with the same kids as before the turn-around—made huge gains in proficiency on the state student...