Do the Nation’s Wealthiest Universities Live Up to their Tax-Exempt Promise?

By Konrad Mugglestone At the end of 2017, as the GOP tax reform bill was being debated, universities with multi-billion-dollar endowments, such as MIT and Harvard, were aggressively lobbying against taxation on their massive accounts. MIT’s president, Rafael Reif, lamented, “It will reduce MIT’s ability to undertake exactly the kind of activities that Congress wants

TOPS “Extra Effort”

by Michael Dannenberg There is an answer to Louisiana’s struggle with insufficient funding and rigid design of the popular Taylor Opportunity Program Scholarship (TOPS), but it requires a hard decision and compromise that politicians in Baton Rouge like Washington prefer to avoid. Unless Louisiana is going to increase or stabilize TOPS funding, which it should,

The “Earned Aid” Scholarship Formula, Explained

by Konrad Mugglestone and Michael Dannenberg While testifying before a special joint legislative commission in Louisiana this morning, Education Reform Now’s Michael Dannenberg recommended the state adopt an altered method of measuring merit in awarding state student financial aid. The method combines assessments of need and academic performance. We call it ‘earned aid’ much like

ESSA’s Financial “Sleeper Provision” Reminds Us ESSA is about Equity

By Dana Laurens   Round two of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan reviews is well underway at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), but one little known provision of the now not-so-new ESSA law has yet to be implemented. Beginning next school year, states are required to publicly report actual per-pupil spending

A Tax On Poor Schools

By Liam Kerr Three years ago, the Lawrence Massachusetts’ public school district welcomed President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Education to celebrate the impressive gains made in this largely state-funded school system. Now, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and their brethren are working to put a new tax on funding schools in property-poor districts like Lawrence.  

DFER National President Shavar Jeffries Statement on the Associated Press Study on Segregation and Charter Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   DFER National President Shavar Jeffries Statement on the Associated Press Study on Segregation and Charter Schools Washington, DC – Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) National President Shavar Jeffries released the following statement in response to a recently released story from the Associated Press on school segregation: “The Associated Press report on school

Education Reform Now to hold annual conference in Washington, D.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         Education Reform Now to hold annual conference in Washington, D.C. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to receive first ever ‘Change Agent Award’ NEW ORLEANS, LA – This week, Education Reform

Top 5 Points to Keep in Mind on Segregation in U.S. Schools

by Charles Barone   A civil rights summit kicks off tomorrow in Minneapolis featuring prominent national leaders and top officials from both national teachers’ unions. We agree with the premise of the summit, that segregation in America has “broad impacts and terrible costs.” The Government Accountability Office found a significant increase over the last decade

DFER-Louisiana Applauds Steady Gains in Louisiana Public Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          DFER-Louisiana Applauds Steady Gains in Louisiana Public Education  Early Childhood Education reaches historic milestones statewide   Department of Education launches Louisiana School Finder for students

The Betsy DeVos Tax Cut

by Michael Dannenberg  President Trump wants the pending tax bill to be called the “Cut, Cut, Cut” Act, but it’s better described as “The Betsy DeVos Tax Cut” Act. At its heart, this tax plan is a giant giveaway to the super wealthy coupled with a cut in support for public schools and other services