Category: K12

2008, College Affordability, K12

And Education is… Forgotten

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO of Educational Policy Institute and EPI International Unless you’ve been holed up in your 1950s-era bomb shelter (or in Indiana Jones lead-lined refrigerator!), the last week has been non-stop politics, with a quick entertainment break called Hurricane Gustav. I can’t remember the last time two conventions were back-to-back, but I’m guessing that the media needs a break. Poor Wolfie. He … Continue reading And Education is… Forgotten

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2008, K12, Retention

School Reform and Money: Can the Former Work Without the Latter?

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO of Educational Policy Institute and EPI International One of our Australian articles posted in this week’s Week in Review discusses a new merit-pay program introduced in New South Wales. Just yesterday, I sat next to Reg Weaver, the President of the 3.2 million member National Education Association (NEA) at our Retention 2008 conference in San Diego, and the two of … Continue reading School Reform and Money: Can the Former Work Without the Latter?

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2007, K12

International Comparison not Kind to the US

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute Last week was not a good week for the United States, depending upon what one’s measure is. But if it happens to be mathematics and science—it wasn’t good. (EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are Canadian, it wasn’t a bad week at all!). This is because PISA came out last week. For those not in the know, … Continue reading International Comparison not Kind to the US

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2007, K12, Student Success

Foreign Affairs One School at a Time

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute Without getting too political, I’m not very happy about the war in Iraq. In total, 3,866 confirmed US deaths and 4,170 total “allied” deaths as of this morning. On top of this, over 28,000 US wounded. Not very pretty numbers. A few more targeted IEDs and we could hit 4,000 before the ball drops in … Continue reading Foreign Affairs One School at a Time

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2007, K12

A Potpourri of News

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute The more I write this weekly column, the more I feel like I’m shifting towards VH1’s “The Best Week Ever,” wanting to make fun of every lawmaker in the US and Canada (not that there aren’t many more lawmakers around the world we couldn’t make fun of). But I’ll try and behave myself and not … Continue reading A Potpourri of News

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