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

Recommendations for the Louisiana TOPS Commission

On February 7, 2018, Michael Dannenberg, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Policy testified to the Louisiana TOPS Commission as they considered changes to their state financial aid program. His opening statement is included below, and you can read the full testimony here.                   “Chairman Morrish, Representative Carter, and

Five Questions for Any Free College Plan

Nearly every Democrat — and likely a number of Republicans — running for statewide office this cycle will propose some sort of free college plan. Those plans need to be well-designed and in particular recognize the relationship between college affordability and college completion. Otherwise they are apt at best to under deliver, and at worst,

Trickle-Down Cuts to Education

Washington, D.C. — With the stage set for tax reform following passage of the Congressional Republican budget, the Center for American Progress and Education Reform Now have prepared a joint issue brief outlining the cumulative damage proposed spending cuts and tax breaks for the wealthy portend for students, families, and schools nationwide. Analyzed and discussed are:

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.

A Democratic Guide to Public Charter Schools

By Charles Barone and Marianne Lombardo From their origins in the 1980’s all the way up until present day, public charter schools have enjoyed support from elected officials, thought leaders, and constituencies across the political spectrum. Recently, however, we’ve seen a split emerge on charter schools among individuals and organizations on the left. This issue brief,

Resources and Reform: The Obama Administration’s Higher Education Legacy and the 45th President’s Challenge

President Obama invested more in student financial aid than any American President in history. The deeper story though is Obama extended the federal higher education policy paradigm beyond financial aid into areas of college quality and degree completion. There have been successes and disappointments. The Obama administration cracked down on shoddy for-profit trade schools, moved to hold teacher

School Interventions in New York State: Abandoning Students in the Worst-Performing Schools

  By Nicole Brisbane, Marianne Lombardo, and Charles Barone This past Spring, State Commissioner of Education MaryEllen Elia raised the quality ratings of almost half of New York State’s previously identified failing and persistently failing public schools. That sounds like good news, but it’s not. Of 145 ‘struggling’ or ‘persistently struggling’ schools in New York State, 70 were assigned

Out of Pocket: The High Cost of Inadequate High Schools and High School Student Achievement on College Affordability

  By Mary Nguyen Barry and Michael Dannenberg    Academic under-preparation at the high school level is seen across income groups and reflected in widespread remedial education at a broad cross-section of colleges.  It’s hurting students’ chances for success in college, costing families a sizable amount out of pocket, and making college a poor value proposition for

College Ratings and Higher Ed Accountability: Recommendations for Action

Linked below are recommendations from Education Reform Now to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan regarding the President’s proposed college ratings system. Overall, we are broadly supportive of the general concept and need for a federal college ratings system. We applaud the Secretary’s leadership and careful effort in establishing a system that will provide critical