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

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

CAP & ERN Team Up

  by Michael Dannenberg The Center for American Progress (CAP) and Education Reform Now (ERN) have teamed up on a take down of the Trump-DeVos-Congressional Republican education budget plan. The main points are there’s a not-so-stealth agenda to wind down federal support for public education via proposed direct cuts to federal education programs, cuts to

Tax Reform Implications for School Finance

By Michael Dannenberg Under reported are the education implications attached to President Trump’s latest tax reform proposal released yesterday. Included is proposed elimination of the state and local tax deduction that would deeply affect public education funding. The overall Trump tax plan is getting attention insofar it’s nine times more detailed than his previous release.

New Colleges of Education-A Path for Going from Concept to Reality

by Michael Dannenberg There are at least two phenomena on which most progressive education reformers and teacher union leaders agree: our school system is inadequately and inequitably funded and our system of teacher education and training does not adequately prepare new and continuing teachers for the emerging demands of an increasingly modern and diverse classroom.