School choice
Parents want choice
The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice recently conducted a survey in Oregon along with the Cascade Policy Institute, asking parents how they would prefer to see their children educated. The survey found that almost nine out of 10 would prefer something other than a traditional public school.
Read moreEducation myths
The Friedman Foundation released a great deal of information on education myths recently. The report includes both quick answers (for those who like it short and sweet) and detailed responses (for those who prefer academic erudition).
Rhee-forming education
Serious education reform is getting some unlikely allies these days. Washington, D.C.'s new school chancellor, Michelle Rhee, has become a no-holds-barred agitator for genuine education reform – starting with the administrators and then the teachers.
Presidential choice
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen to send his children to Sidwell Friends School, the elite private school where Bill Clinton sent his daughter during his presidency – a school that approaches $30,000 per year in tuition.
Funding failure
The Reno Gazette-Journal published an article detailing a recently released report, by the Institute for Higher Education Policy, which claims that Nevada needs to boost its higher education spending in order to improve its economy.
Solving Nevada's budget shortfall
Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Jim Rogers has outlined his plan for increasing government revenue. He proposes a mixture of raising fees, raising taxes, borrowing and begging.
Education palace
University of Arkansas education professor Dr. Jay P. Greene asks, in a recent blog post, "Why are schools so expensive?" That's a very good question to ask here in Nevada. Jay also made a great point on how it's not buildings that teach kids – a lesson our policymakers should learn, since a healthy chunk of Nevada's education spending is going toward building new schools.
Ranking Nevada's Education
According to a recent study by the Tax Foundation, Nevada's resident tax burden ranks 49th in the country. According to Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, that low tax burden correlates to low government funding and, as a result, Nevada ranks 44th in education funding per student.
The Government can't create jobs
Recently the Center for American Progress and the Nevada Conservation League partnered to report on the economic impact of federal investments in clean energy in Nevada.
What if we increased education spending?
Increasing funds for public education won't result in drastic increases in student achievement. In fact, there is no significant relationship between spending and student achievement. Nevertheless, the advocates of education spending pray that Nevada will summon the "courage" to raise taxes.
