The AI Scare: Real Danger, Strategic Hype, or Both?

By Watson Scott Swail, President/CEO & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute AI deserves serious safeguards—but fear, corporate self-interest, and geopolitical competition make a simple slowdown far harder than it sounds. There is no shortage of anxiety about artificial intelligence. Industry leaders, former employees, lawmakers, and researchers are warning that AI is advancing faster than our ability to understand or govern it. Some are calling for stronger … Continue reading The AI Scare: Real Danger, Strategic Hype, or Both?

America’s International Student Reckoning: New Visa Restrictions and Enrollment Declines Threaten Higher Education

For decades, international students have been a cornerstone of American higher education, helping universities fill classrooms, sustain graduate programs, conduct cutting-edge research, and generate billions of dollars in tuition revenue. Today, however, a combination of restrictive immigration policies, declining student mobility, and growing uncertainty about studying in the United States is creating one of the most significant challenges the sector has faced in years. The cost of these losses will be in the tens of millions for individual institutions and hundreds of billions for the US economy as a whole. Continue reading America’s International Student Reckoning: New Visa Restrictions and Enrollment Declines Threaten Higher Education

The War Budget and the Choices We Refuse to Make, or… What $1.79 Trillion Could Have Bought

Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine will testify to secure an additional $87 billion for the Iraq conflict, which has cost the U.S. $1.79 trillion. This spending raises concerns about opportunity costs, as similar funds could significantly boost domestic programs like education, healthcare, and nutrition assistance. The war’s continued financial burden remains a pressing issue. Continue reading The War Budget and the Choices We Refuse to Make, or… What $1.79 Trillion Could Have Bought

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The Workforce Pell Grant—A Cautionary Tale

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist Last July, Congress passed a budget reconciliation bill that included Workforce Pell, which will provide—for the first time—Pell Grant funding to students who enroll in short-term, workforce-oriented training programs and certifications. These grants will be available to students starting July 1, 2026. Programs must be between 150 and 599 clock hours and last between 8 … Continue reading The Workforce Pell Grant—A Cautionary Tale

It’s All About the Math

by Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scientist There is an interesting article on the Washington Post website dated yesterday (November 18, 2025) about how race is aligned with who gets to take algebra in middle school. The thesis of the article is that early algebra is offered less to Black and Hispanic students than other students, including and especially White and Asian … Continue reading It’s All About the Math