Secretary of Education from 1993-2001 under the Clinton Administration describes U.S. Department of Education efforts to increase academic standards in public schools, such as creating a workable accountability system, new pathways to college, and partnerships with state and local governments. Discusses the future of American education. (PKP)

Overall the past decade has not been kind to educational research. First, some "research" has been subordinated to and corrupted by ideology. Second, there has been substantial questioning of what educational research should be and a fear that the federal government is moving to a rigid orthodoxy in defining what counts as…

Praises United States Secretary of Education William J. Bennett's 1986 elementary education report for presenting worthwhile observations on values, parents' responsibility, and teachers' professional roles. Criticizes Bennett's omission of implementation strategies, especially concerning the federal government's role in assisting minority and…

The U.S. Office of Education, charges Congresswoman Green, is a never-never land of poor business judgment with incredible laxity in letting, monitoring, and evaluating contracts and grants. (Author)

The commissioner's defense against Congresswoman Green's charges of mismanagement in the U.S. Office of Education. (JF)

Considers the kinds of changes occurring in desegregated schools and suggests several strategies for meeting the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities offered for improving education and racial relations. Proposes policies that the federal government can use to encourage desegregation without substantial expenditure or assertive…

Aside from promoting school choice and easing regulatory restraints, the federal government's role seems limited to continuing Chapter 1 and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. "First Generation" federal programs are a poor match for the problems afflicting urban schools. A new federal strategy is needed to stimulate local planning and…

Congress should formulate U.S. testing policy to ensure that reliable and accurate data are available to policymakers, educators, and the public and that tests are used fairly without infringing on individual rights or imposing unacceptable social costs. Appropriate test use and continued research funding must be a high priority for agencies…

The best evidence on effective instruction that we can garner is fragile, often stripped of any external validity. Almost every curriculum scheme works in some sites, and none has ever worked well everywhere. That has been the finding time after time when state and federal educational initiatives have been evaluated. There is a useful role for…

Discusses Canada's overlapping governmental authority as it affects education. (IRT)

The natural conflict in a governmental system of checks and balances has a ripple effect, beginning with the low morale in Washington offices and ending with the recipients of program funds. A new Department of Education will not alter the problem. (Author/IRT)

Although U.S. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander's strategy includes a track for today's students, emphasis has been on the new generation of schools advocated in the America 2000 plan. This article pleads for concrete steps to improve the education of today's students and recommends a book ("How to Shape Up Our Nation's Schools") to…

After four months of public hearings, the MacDonald Commission established to look into Canada's future is now preparing its interim report. The 220,000-member Canadian Teachers' Federation has submitted a four-point proposal to the commission calling for a reaffirmation of the overriding importance of education. (JBM)

At present most of the leadership for community education comes from the private sector, not from government. Among leadership sources of growing importance are university regional centers. (Author)

Battles over education during past four years have shown that Congress and President must achieve some level of agreement to accomplish anything and that adequate funding must be provided to back up any legislated policy change. President Clinton should write coherent action plan to initiate national apprenticeship program, align existing federal…