Author: Educational Policy Institute

The Educational Policy Institute (EPI) is a Virginia-based, not-for-profit think tank on education and the social sciences. EPI conducts evaluation and policy studies on various educational issues from Pre-K to workforce outcomes in the United States, Canada, and beyond. Visit us at www.educationalpolicy.org.
2009, College Access, Research/Policy, Retention

Facing Global Challenges… A European University Perspective

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute PRAGUE, CZ —  I write this morning from beautiful Prague, or Praha by local standards, one of my favorite cities in the world. By the time most of you get this in your mailbox this Friday morning, I will have delivered my plenary address at the European University Association’s Annual Convention. The theme of this year’s … Continue reading Facing Global Challenges… A European University Perspective

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2009, Research/Policy

Arrogance, Ignorance, and Evaluation

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute After 25 years as an educator and 15 as an evaluator, data geek, and policy wonk, I’m forever fascinated and amazed at the arrogance and ignorance people have toward evaluation of educational programs. Maybe I’ve been hanging out with the wrong crowd for too long, but I don’t think so. I’ve worked for a variety of … Continue reading Arrogance, Ignorance, and Evaluation

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2009, Politics

More Lipstick, More Pig

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute “A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe.” –President Barack Obama, February 4, 2009 Two weeks ago in my Commentary, I wrote about the state of the economy and the stimulus package. Today I will go at it again because I am so dismayed at the way Congress and the Obama … Continue reading More Lipstick, More Pig

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2009, Financial Aid, Politics, Research/Policy

A Place Called Hope?

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute Tuesday was a special day. Every four years we have a wonderful opportunity to put aside partisan bickering and heal for a moment in an event so uniquely American, but also so important and consequential that the world stops to take notice. This, of course, was not the typical inauguration. It was the inauguration of the … Continue reading A Place Called Hope?

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2009, Financial Aid, Politics, Research/Policy

Farewell to a Giant — Senator Pell

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute Last week, Claiborne Pell, a six-term US Senator from Rhode Island, passed away at his home in Newport, Rhode Island. Senator Pell was an extraordinary man whose passing signals the end of an era, in many ways. Most people know Pell because of the namesake grant named after him. According to accounts, the Pell Grant, which … Continue reading Farewell to a Giant — Senator Pell

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