It isn’t NCLB’s Fault!

My summer reading thus far has included the book Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling (a novel about the painting of the Sistine Chapel) and Bounce, a story of “the science of success.” The first one was simply to impress (not true; great book!!). The second has significant meaning to what we do in education. Today’s commentary focuses on some of the tenets of Matthew Syed’s Bounce. Continue reading It isn’t NCLB’s Fault!

The Fight is on for Student Loans

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute Yesterday afternoon, The House Education and Labor Committee announced that it will include its legislative reform of the student loan system in the reconciliation bill containing the Health Care plan. If passed, on July 1, 2010 every Title IV institution in the United States will become part of the Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP). After … Continue reading The Fight is on for Student Loans

Weathering Education…

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute I have been burdened with a week in Southern California. Tough gig. First in Dana Point attending the College Board’s Annual Colloquium, followed by a Conference Sponsored by the University of Southern California. Just to put this in perspective, it was 22F when I left Virginia; 76 here. Tough gig. My key take-aways from both events, … Continue reading Weathering Education…

And So This is Christmas…

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all. This time of year always provides us with an opportunity to slow down (ok, not always) and take stock of what we’ve witnessed or accomplished during the past twelve months. In many ways, this has been a year less about education and more about nation building and politics. The … Continue reading And So This is Christmas…

The Accountability Dilemma

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO, Educational Policy Institute As I’ve often reported and discussed, the age of accountability has dawned in higher education. For literally centuries, higher education has been a self-audited society that has decided if it is good and accountable. But those days are gone. Stemming in part from the pressures from K-12’s No Child Left Behind legislation and part from the … Continue reading The Accountability Dilemma