Predicting Graduation

Last week, Craig Jerald, our former Policy Director here at ED in '08, was part of an interesting presentation by the American Youth Policy Forum on improving the transition from middle grades through high schools. He, along with education researchers Robert Balfanz and Elaine Allensworth, pointed out some key findings that should inform both educators and policy makers as they develop strategies to address America's dropout crisis.

New Video from ED in '08 and GOOD Magazine

Yesterday, ED in '08, in partnership with GOOD Magazine, released a new video comparing students in America to students in other industrialized countries.  The video demonstrates how America has fallen behind in international assessment rankings, that our students are unprepared to compete in a global workforce, and how our economy is suffering as a result.

Vote for ED Questions in the LA Debates

Later this week, as the presidential campaigns shift focus to new territory in anticipation of Super Tuesday, both parties will debate in Los Angeles, the Republicans on Wednesday, January 30, and the Democrats on Thursday, January 31.

For those of us who have been calling for more media and candidate attention to education in the primary debates, Politico, a sponsor of this week's debates, is giving voters a chance to choose the questions that will be asked of the candidates. You can also submit your own questions. Just go to the debate website, and vote on the questions you most want to hear asked.

State of ED

This evening, President Bush will deliver his seventh and final State of the Union address to congress and the nation. I, like many Americans, will be watching with interest to hear him reminisce on the past year and reveal the agenda the administration has planned for his final months in office. I am similarly looking forward to hearing Congress's reactions to President Bush's statements, and their own take on our nation's progress and priorities.

CNN Says 89 Percent Want More Talk on ED

Yesterday morning, my colleague Marc Lampkin was watching CNN and caught the results of a poll showing that 89 percent of respondents don't think the candidates are doing enough to address problems in education.

89 percent!

Reaching out to Teachers

We've got many current and former teachers who work with us here at ED in '08, and they are always quick to remind us that teachers can be powerful voices for change, perhaps even more so than the unions that represent them. ED in '08 is reaching out to teachers in a couple different ways today.

America's Stalled Graduation Rate

Postsecondary Education Opportunity recently released a report that tracks trends in high school and college graduation rates in industrialized nations... Take a look.

The Atlantic Reports on the Standards Question

In the current issue of The Atlantic, Matt Miller frames the crisis in public education by calling for more national leadership and responsibility for schools, particularly common American standards. He even cites some of our campaign's polling data in support.

Marching in Memory

This weekend, I'll be heading down to South Carolina to join some of our ED in '08 staff on the ground there - I have been invited by the NAACP of South Carolina to speak at their annual Martin Luther King Jr., Day celebration in Columbia. The event will begin with a service honoring Dr. King, followed by a march from the church to the South Carolina state house.

Upcoming Screenings - Two Million Minutes

I've written in the past about the documentary "Two Million Minutes: A Global Examination." ED in '08 has partnered with Broken Pencil Productions to release the film, which follows students from the United States, India, and China as they complete their senior years in high school and compete to get into selective universities.  The screenings kicked off in Des Moines, Iowa last month and will continue today in Columbia, S.C.  For those of you in South Carolina, I'd like to invite you to a special screening of the film in advance of the presidential primary this weekend.

Campaigning on ED in South Carolina

As the primaries heat up, we've been seeing a lot of commentary on voter priorities. The Chicago Tribune weighed in on Monday, focusing on the concerns of Black voters in South Carolina, and education in particular.

Generation Next, Millennials, and the New Issue Voters

Even as pollsters and pundits exclaim over the youth voters who turned out in record numbers in Iowa and New Hampshire, the candidates are already taking note, surrounding themselves with young faces for photo-ops and updating their MySpace pages. But it's going to take more than a hip hop entrance song to capture these voters; they are largely unaffiliated with any party and are casting their votes based on the issues, perhaps even more so than voters in older demographics.

Who's the Real Economic Leader?

Last week, I touched upon the economic and business implications that arise from a struggling educational system. Turns out, I wasn't the only one with the economy on my mind. The next day, The New York Times described the new economic message being played out among politicians and candidates. The Times writes, "The specter of recession, raised by the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernake on Thursday, seems likely to dominate the presidential contest for some days, if not longer."

Secretary Spellings at the National Press Club

Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings spoke about No Child Left Behind and the Administration's K-12 priorities for 2008 at the National Press Club Newsmaker Luncheon in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately I missed the event, but heard that she raised some interesting points. I've since read her remarks and found several things that mirror what we've been saying here at ED in '08.

Talking Business at Education Matters

I caught a flight earlier today to Boulder, where tomorrow morning I'll be the keynote speaker at "Education Matters," an annual event held by Impact on Education and the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. They have a simple goal that I completely support - to educate the local business community about the important links between public education and a strong economy.

Grading the Nation... Ed Week Releases Quality Counts 2008

This morning Education Week and the Pew Center unveiled their much-anticipated Quality Counts report, their 12th annual study of the states on education. Ed Week was good enough to come by our offices on Monday to brief us on their findings, which are pretty interesting, and hold many implications worthy of the candidates' attention.

Taking Hold of Change

There is a wave of excitement working in New Hampshire and across America. The desire for substantial change is being echoed by voices in both parties. We've seen it on the campaign trail, and the candidates are talking about it at almost every turn.

On to New Hampshire!

After the excitement of the Iowa Caucus, it can be hard to leave (as some of the ED in '08 staff discovered, but now we've hit the ground running in New Hampshire in anticipation of the state primary tomorrow.

Let's Get Education on the Party Platforms in Iowa

Things are continuing to heat up here in Iowa.

Last night the ED in '08 staff and teams of Iowa ED in '08 supporters were out in full force, attending the candidates' last minute caucus rallies and raising awareness of ED in '08. You can take a look at some of the pictures they took on our Flickr page.

Teaming up with Ken Melhman to talk education in Iowa

I want to welcome my readers back from a holiday break, and hope everyone's ready for the political side of the campaign. I won't be talking much about specific policies or new research this next week or so. It's not that the specifics aren't important, it's just that right now our campaign, like everyone interested in who becomes the next president, is focused on Iowa and New Hampshire.