Education

Obama's New Push for Preschool for At-risk Children | Christian Science Monitor

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:26:00 -0500

But the big investments haven't necessarily been done within a meaningful framework, says Sara Mead, a senior research fellow at the New America Foundation ...

New America Foundation Releases 50-State Survey of Progress on Early Learning Councils

Erin Drankoski — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:41:00 -0500

The New America Foundation's Early Education Initiative today released a report and 50-state survey on how -- and whether -- states are making progress in establishing early learning councils, which are mandated by federal law to be established in each state.

The Next Step in Systems-Building

Education Policy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:44:00 -0500

Today, preschool and other services for young children are delivered through what is widely recognized as a non-system, with programs like child care, pre-kindergarten, special education services and Head Start operating in separate policy silos, each with differing objectives and different funding streams. This uneven and uncoordinated character of early childhood policy can impede access, quality, and return on investment to these programs. Indeed, stories of avoidable dysfunction-of low-income parents who are unaware that their child

Colleges Need a Lemon Law

Erin Drankoski — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:24:00 -0500

The College Board reports tuition is up 9 percent this year in inflation-adjusted terms, despite declining prices throughout the economy and stagnant median family income. Parents want to know why the rise and why college costs so much in the first place.

The answer, in a word, is demand. Until we channel the demand for higher education in a more rational direction, tuition will continue to outpace inflation, grant aid, and family income.

Subprime Student Loan Crisis | NHPR

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:46:00 -0500

The New America Foundation's Stephen Burd has been investigating the for-profit college industry for The Washington Monthly and joins us with more on what ...

Big Bird Celebrates Big Day with 'Sesame Street' Anniversary | The NewsHour

Kate Schuler — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:03:00 -0500

On the 40th anniversary of "Sesame Street," Jeffrey Brown explores how the classic PBS program has helped shape childhood education in the United States and around the world. He talks with Lisa Guernsey among others about children's programming. Watch the entire program.

Duncan Looks Beyond Saving Jobs

Erin Drankoski — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:34:00 -0500

529s and Public Assistance

Asset Building — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:10:00 -0500

529s are tax-advantaged accounts designed to help families save for post-secondary education. In recent years, state policymakers and 529 administrators have worked to expand access to 529 plans and increase the participation of lower-income families through outreach, advertising, and targeted incentives such as matching deposits and reducing or eliminating fees.[1] Yet, as plan administrators and state and federal policymakers design new strategies for expanding the use of 529 plans

Podcast: Mark Huelsman on Encouraging College Savings

Asset Building — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:41:00 -0500

In this version of New America's weekly podcast, Media Relations Manager Kate Brown sits down with Mark Huelsman, Program Associate with New America's College Savings Initiative to discuss the connection between savings and college completion, the advantages of 529 college savings plans, the ability of low-income families to save for college, and policy proposals to help them do just that.

If Bedtime Is Book Time, Let's Make Morning Time for Math

Erin Drankoski — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:47:00 -0500

Bedtime = book time. Parents know that equation by heart, or at least they're supposed to. The drill goes like this: Just before the goodnight kiss, we snuggle up with our young kids, open a book, and read with them. Okay, so maybe at first we have to beg them to just settle down. And maybe the baby is more prone to eat the pages than look at them. But still, we try. We're the ones responsible for these little human beings. It's part of our job.

Mathematics, on the other hand, that's not on the must-do list. Reading may be part of the raising-kids routine. Math -- not so much.