Can Government Play Moneyball?
Based on our rough calculations, less than $1 out of every $100 of government spending is backed by even the most basic evidence that the money is being spent wisely. As former officials in the administrations of Barack Obama (Peter Orszag) and George W. Bush (John Bridgeland), we were flabbergasted by how blindly the federal […]
Read MoreCan we make our cities smarter?
Cities are gaining momentum as incubators for innovation. There is much excitement about the idea of cities as “laboratories of democracy.” As a result, cities can learn best practices from one another. Sharing this information can build a strong foundation to amplify and encourage experimentation. Recognizing the power of shared learning, Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership […]
Read MoreThe Common Core Has Not Killed Literature
Contrary to what some skeptics argue, the new standards don’t suck an appreciation for traditional wisdom out of English class. By Meaghan Freeman, New York Fellow By now almost every teacher in the country has experienced the Common Core State Standards. We’re teaching and assessing them; we’re advocating for them or pushing against them. We’re explaining […]
Read MoreChantilly High School and The Global Learning Network
Chantilly High School, in Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, has always performed well on standardized assessments. In 2012, they voluntarily participated in the OECD Test for Schools to determine how they compare to schools globally. The results pointed to some unexpected realities about students’ abilities to analyze and apply information, their reading skills and […]
Read MoreTomah HS (WI) Improves Practices with GLN
Tomah High School, in Tomah Area School District in Wisconsin, took the OECD Test for Schools during the 2013-2014 school year. In general, students scored well when compared to other schools with similar socioeconomic backgrounds. However, despite these positive results, the OECD Test for Schools indicated that Tomah needed to implement shifts in its instructional […]
Read MoreWhy One District Added Another Test
Located in a suburban area fifteen miles from downtown Seattle, the Bellevue School District in Washington serves 19,500 students in 28 schools. Once a district with little racial, cultural, or economic diversity, the demographics of the community and our students have shifted significantly. While the number of children from economically challenged homes has risen, so […]
Read MoreHow Constituent Feedback can Help Government
Social entrepreneurs are leading the way by using ‘constituent feedback’ to understand better what is working, for whom and in what circumstances. Consider, for example, the American non-profit organization LIFT, which has spent 15 years helping people lift themselves out of poverty. Recently, it has built on its success and improved outcomes by listening to […]
Read MoreAn Afternoon with Peter Orszag and Jim Nussle
Everyone listened in excitedly as Nina Easton introduced the panelists to the audience that had gathered at the JFK Jr. Forum yesterday. As senior editor and columnist of Fortune Magazine and former resident fellow at the Institute of Politics, Easton experienced nothing short of an award-winning career with interviews of various luminaries including Hillary Clinton […]
Read MoreArroyo Grande HS Improves Math, Science, and Reading with GLN
Arroyo Grande High School (AGHS), in the Lucia Mar Unified School District in California, was a participant in the OECD Test for Schools 2012 pilot. The school’s results from the pilot showed that 29% of students at Arroyo Grande performed below level 2 in reading, 39% in math, and 20% in science. In response to […]
Read MoreThere is no ‘Common Core math’ — only good and bad teaching materials
Lately it seems like I come across the term “Common Core Math” almost daily. I hear it in conversations: “I don’t like Common Core Math.” I see it on Facebook: “Common Core Math – If you have 4 pencils and 7 apples, how many pancakes will fit on the roof?” I read about it in […]
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