Education

Washington Movers Chart Big Changes for K-12 Policy

March 20, 2008 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Yesterday, I pointed out that people as diverse as Margaret Spellings and Randi Weingarten are floating ideas that will inform NCLB’s reauthorization. Today, I can report that some old hands in Washington are thinking of way to do the same thing.

At a panel discussion organized by Education Sector, Jack Jennings said that his Center on Education Policy is organizing a group that will recommend new directions for federal K-12 policy. “We’re going to fundamentally rethink the federal role in education,” said Jennings, who worked for House Democrats from 1967 through 1994 and has been the Center on Education Policy’s leader since then. He expects his group will issue a report in January—just in time for a new administration to read it.

For her part, Kati Haycock of the Education Trust is looking to create education’s version of the National Institutes of Health. “What passes for evidence [in education] is pathetic,” she said. She’s also trying to find ways to get teachers the curricula and materials they say they need, citing their desire for clear definition of what to teach. What they really want is national standards, she said.

I must say that my recent items (see here and here) that House leaders are pessimistic on NCLB’s prospects this year has sparked a small existential crisis for my inner blogger. If the Senate doesn’t succeed, what’s my purpose as a blogger about NCLB reauthorization?

After this week’s events, I convinced that I won’t lack for important ideas and events to write about if until Congress gets the law reauthorized, even if that takes until 2010.

AN AFTERTHOUGHT: Samuel Halperin provides some context for those who think the stakes are high in this NCLB reauthorization. At today’s event, he talked about how K-12 bills stalled in Congress for a decade because Southerners blocked efforts to tie federal aid to the desegregation of their schools. The debate over “differential accountability” and the universal proficiency seems small by comparison.

A version of this news article first appeared in the NCLB: Act II blog.

Events

School & District Management Webinar Fostering Productive Relationships Between Principals and Teachers
Strong principal-teacher relationships = happier teachers & thriving schools. Join our webinar for practical strategies.
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Promoting Integrity and AI Readiness in High Schools
Learn how to update school academic integrity guidelines and prepare students for the age of AI.
Content provided by Turnitin

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 12, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz How Much Do You Know: Ed. Dept.'s ‘End DEI’ Website and More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Illustration of one man speaking into a speech bubbles which shows the letters "DEI" and another man on a ladder painting over the speech bubble as a way to erase it.
Gina Tomko/Education Week + DigitalVision Vectors
Education Quiz How Much Do You Know: Democrats Ask DOGE to Explain Education Cuts And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington.
President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
Education Quiz News Quiz: Feb. 20, 2025: Trump Administration's Frequent Moves in Education
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Feb. 18, 2025.
President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Feb. 18, 2025.
Pool via AP