Climbing the “College Ladder”

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute I have a pet peeve. And it involves all those state and provincial coalitions or organizations or strategies that use the term “K-20.” The “K-20” partnerships, like those found in GEAR UP and other programs, which are supposed to engage practitioners at the secondary and postsecondary levels to provide a seamless transition and opportunity for … Continue reading Climbing the “College Ladder”

Getting What We Asked For…

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute The National Assessment Governing Board, or NAGB, released test results yesterday on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), better known as the Nation’s Report Card. NAEP has become well known over the years because, outside of the SAT and ACT college admissions tests, it is the only true national test that allows us to … Continue reading Getting What We Asked For…

The Problem with Pell

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute This week there has been much talk about increased funding for the Pell Grant program in the United States. For those new to this discussion, the Pell Grant, named after former Senator Claiborne Pell, is the federal government’s “foundation” program for student aid, providing need-based aid to low-income students. That roughly equates to those students … Continue reading The Problem with Pell

Counseling as a Reform Agent

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute This past Monday, the American Council on Education, in partnership with a number of other organizations, hosted a summit titled “Advancing College Readiness: Higher Education’s Role in Improving America’s High Schools.” According to the InsideHigherEd article reference in this week’s news below, the summit ‘outlined the role higher education leaders should plan in ensuring that … Continue reading Counseling as a Reform Agent

The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute It seems appropriate, as we prepare to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States, that today I focus on issues of access and opportunity. It was almost 44 years ago. August 28, 1963, to be exact, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the infamous march on Washington. The March followed years … Continue reading The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.