The Common Core State Standards project is the latest in a series of efforts to improve the academic success of American students. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have endorsed new academic benchmarks that substantially raise the bar for achievement in English and mathematics. Aiming at a deeper form of learning, the initiative is a…

With the adoption of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2002, the federal government signaled its intention to close achievement gaps in K-12 education, particularly for minority students. While there has been surprising progress in educating disadvantaged students since the law was passed, according to a new report released today by Education…

This article presents a reply to "Edison Is the Symptom, NCLB Is the Disease" by Peter Campbell--a critique that portrayed the school as an exploitative environment, a veritable plantation subjugating poor minority children through mind-numbing, compliance-inducing drills. The author refutes the specific charges leveled against…