Ideas to Make College “Fairer”

By Michael Dannenberg  In wake of the on-going national college admissions scandal, every candidate for state or national office should be asked a simple question: “How do you plan to make college cheaper, fairer, and better?” Not just cheaper, but fairer and better because we’ve got serious equity and quality challenges in higher education. A

Ideas to Make College “Cheaper”

by Michael Dannenberg Over the next several weeks, we’re regularly going to identify an education goal and put forth in brief at least one new idea and a short, pro-con analysis. Most of the time, we’ll put forth a series of ideas to consider. Batter up. Make College “Cheaper” for Families, Debtors, and Taxpayers. Almost

A Real College Promise for Maryland

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan will soon be taking a victory lap for signing into law a half-measure on college affordability: free tuition to any Maryland community college for state residents who enroll within two years of high school graduation or obtaining a GED. In all likelihood, Hogan also will pump his expansion proposal to provide an additional two years of

No Commencement in the Commonwealth

ERN Report Reveals Bay State’s White-Latinx College Graduation Gap Ranks as 37th Worst in the Country Research—Supported by Latinx Organizations in Massachusetts—Analyzes What’s Going Wrong for Latinx Students and Others & Makes Recommendations for How the Commonwealth Can Increase College Affordability and Close Graduation Gaps at the Same Time WASHINGTON, D.C. – Education Reform Now – a progressive think tank and advocacy organization

The Moral Imperative to Tackle Higher Ed Reform

by Michael Dannenberg and Konrad Mugglestone Education reform advocates should recognize that extending their work to higher ed is a moral imperative that also happens to present a political opportunity.   Here’s a summary of our argument: Education reform will fail to deliver on its goals if we do not improve the quality of higher education

No Commencement in the Commonwealth: Summary Presentation

By: Michael Dannenberg and Konrad Mugglestone In the midst of college graduation season, Education Reform Now recently released a new report, “No Commencement in the Commonwealth: How Massachusetts’ Higher Education System Undermines Economic Mobility for Latinos and Others – And What We Can Do About It” (available here) that analyzes public higher education in the Bay State and reveals that the

Interview: “Time to Degree” is Key

Michael Dannenberg sat down with Commonwealth Magazine’s Executive Editor Michael Jonas for an in-depth discussion on what makes for a quality, state or national college promise program. Jonas’ write up appears below. His full podcast interview and be accessed here. Michael Jonas, Commonwealth Magazine No one doubts the value of a college education. It is increasingly a

Progressive Higher Education Reform Now

by Michael Dannenberg When it comes to federal aid and accountability for results, progressive advocates should have three bottom line demands for the pending Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization: (1) A sizable federal-state partnership designed to support quality, “college promise” initiatives that leverages improvements in K-12 education, boosts on-time completion, and in turn, ensures sustained improvement in

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