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Toronto Sun
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
PARKER: Breaking public-school monopoly on education overdue
President Donald Trump speaks during a reception for Republican members of Congress in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP Photo The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has been pursuing, on two fronts, the critical objective of fixing America's broken education system. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account One, an executive order by Trump, issued shortly after he assumed office, is to dismantle the Department of Education. Outright closing of the department is only possible by an act of Congress. However, the president is moving to accomplish the same objective administratively by closing offices and major staff eliminations. The Supreme Court recently upheld the president's authority to do this. The second front is the advancement of parental choice in education. Give parents the power and authority to educate their children as they choose and send their children to a school that reflects their values. One need not look further to see the problem than by examining the so-called Nation's Report Card, the biannual test results administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Results from 2024 are as follows: Grade 4 math, 39% at or above NAEP proficiency standards; Grade 8 math, 28% at or above proficiency; Grade 4 reading, 31% at or above proficiency; Grade 8 reading, 30% at or above proficiency. To those parents who think these are good results, I invite you to continue to allow public schools and teachers' unions to control your child's education. But recent Gallup polling shows most understand there is a problem with our public schools and major change is overdue. Only 29% say they have a 'great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in our public schools. The beginning of important change was recently passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill. The new law contains a provision allowing taxpayers to direct funds to support school choice vouchers. The provision allows a dollar-for-dollar tax deduction up to $1,700 that can be sent to a qualifying Scholarship Granting Organization that can distribute scholarships to qualifying applicants (households earning no more than 300% of their county's median income) who have been accepted and registered in a private school. There is no limitation to the total funds that can be disbursed through the program and no expiration date for the credit, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2027. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Although Trump and congressional Republicans deserve major kudos for getting this passed, it still falls short of the mark. It's not enough. The version in the House bill had the credit up to $5,000, but this got whittled down to $1,700 in the bill that finally passed. Per the Education Data Initiative, average tuition in private schools, combining both primary and secondary schools, is $13,302. So, it will take eight $1,700 contributions to reach this. Further, there are some 50 million students in elementary and secondary public schools. To get just 5% out, at an average private tuition of $13,302, means $33.3 billion. That's 19.5 million individual $1,700 contributions. Can this happen? We'll see. But, again, we're just talking about 5%. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. How about using the $82.5 billion discretionary budget of the Department of Education to fund scholarships? Another major obstacle is the provision that requires states to opt into the program. Many believe that blue state governors won't do it. Sad, but possibly very true. Of course, education is more than math and reading. It is a platform of 12 years in which values are transmitted to our youth. If you want to know the values being transmitted, log on to the websites of the two major teachers' unions — the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers — and the hard-left agenda emerges loud and clear: DEI, LGBTQ, Trump being called a fascist, advocating liberation from the public schools being called an attack on democracy, etc. With all the horror about what's happening at our universities, Kindergarten-Grade 12 is where it starts. It's time to break the public-school monopoly and give parents control over educating their children. Star Parker is founder of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education Columnists Toronto & GTA Columnists Sunshine Girls Columnists
CBS News
22-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Massachusetts public schools are the best in the country, new report says
Once again, Massachusetts public schools have been crowned the best in the country in an annual ranking. The report from personal finance website WalletHub says Massachusetts is No. 1 in its ranking of public school systems. The state also took the top spot in 2024 and 2023. Massachusetts schools ranked first in quality and second in safety. The state has the highest math and reading test scores among fourth and eighth graders, the study found. Earlier this year, an educational assessment known as the "Nation's Report Card" also found that Massachusetts students lead the country in test scores. But experts also cautioned that reading scores in Massachusetts and around the country have been declining since the COVID pandemic took students out of the classroom. Gov. Maura Healey's administration celebrated the new WalletHub ranking and touted investments in universal free school meals, special education, early literacy and preparing students for the workforce. "Massachusetts is home to America's first public school and has always led the way when it comes to providing our students with the best education," Healey said in a statement. "This recognition is a testament to the students, teachers, parents and staff who have invested their time and energy to help our schools succeed all across Massachusetts." According to WalletHub, Massachusetts also had one of the lowest dropout rates and the highest share of high schoolers who got a score of 3 or better on their Advanced Placement exams. The state also said few students report problems with bullying, fights or illegal drugs on campus. All New England states scored in the Top 20 of the WalletHub ranking. Connecticut was second, followed by New Hampshire at No. 5, Rhode Island in seventh, Maine at 14th and Vermont at No. 19.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
How massive US Education Department cuts are threatening the Nation's Report Card and core federal programs
US Education Department layoffs leave key student testing and research functions at risk. (The New York Times) The US Supreme Court has allowed the Department of Education to move forward with laying off more than 1,300 employees, a decision that is already affecting key federal education functions. The move is part of President Donald Trump's broader plan to dismantle the department, an effort long supported by some conservatives. The cuts reduce the department's total workforce by nearly half, following the resignation or separation of an additional 600 employees earlier this year. Among the most severely impacted areas is the Nation's Report Card — officially known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — which is a congressionally mandated program used to assess student performance across states. According to the Washington Post, nearly all staff in the division overseeing NAEP were laid off, leaving only three employees to manage the work that was previously handled by approximately 30. Impact on student testing and national data collection NAEP, administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is the only federal assessment that provides comparable data on student achievement across states. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Discover Why These Off-Plan Dubai Apartments Sell Fast? Binghatti Developers FZE Read More Undo It is one of the key responsibilities of the Department of Education. The significant staff reductions are already impacting operations. According to the Washington Post, the department missed its deadline for releasing the 2024 science test results and preparations for the 2026 assessment are now at risk due to insufficient staffing. The National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees NAEP, approved a reduced testing schedule in April. The revised plan preserves only the congressionally mandated math and reading tests and eliminates 19 other assessments that were scheduled for 2028 to 2032. The board reportedly tried to retain the most essential exams while signaling which ones should be protected from future cuts, according to a source cited by the Washington Post. Other federal education offices affected The layoffs have also heavily impacted the Institute for Education Sciences (IES), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Office of English Language Acquisition, and the Federal Student Aid office. The IES, the department's main research and data division, lost around 90 percent of its staff. Mark Schneider, who led the IES from 2018 to 2024, told the Washington Post that the department has yet to provide a clear plan for continuing its responsibilities, stating, "We have so many more questions than we have answers. " A summary of key impacts from the layoffs, as reported by the Washington Post, is shown below: Impact of US Education Department layoffs Category Details Total layoffs approved 1,300 employees Additional separations ~600 (via separation packages) Overall workforce reduction Nearly 50% Effective separation date August 1 (as reported by the Washington Post) NAEP staff reduction From ~30 to 3 employees IES staff reduction ~90% cut NAEP missed deadline 2024 science test results (not released on time) Planned testing cuts (2028–2032) 19 assessments eliminated Programs/agencies affected NAEP, IES, NCES, OCR, Office of English Language Acquisition, Student Aid Budget cut to NAEP $48 million reduction (as reported by the Washington Post) Estimated NAEP savings (5 years) $185 million (according to Education Dept., per Washington Post) Governing Board action Prioritized mandated math and reading assessments; cut optional subjects Key quote (Mark Schneider) "We have so many more questions than we have answers." (via Washington Post) Trump statement "Major Victory to Parents and Students..." (via Truth Social, quoted by WP) According to the Washington Post, department spokesperson Madi Biedermann stated that the agency is working with Congress and state leaders to ensure all required functions continue and that the Trump administration is committed to "sunsetting" the department responsibly. Supreme Court decision and ongoing legal challenge The Supreme Court's decision allowed the layoffs to proceed while litigation continues in a lower court. The American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 said the affected staff had remained on paid leave since a federal court issued a preliminary injunction in May. After the Supreme Court ruling, the department notified employees that their official separation date is August 1, as reported by the Washington Post. President Trump described the court's decision as a victory for families, stating on Truth Social that the ruling was a "Major Victory to Parents and Students across the Country," according to the Washington Post. Critics, however, argue the cuts have left the future of several core federal education functions uncertain. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Chicago Tribune
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Bruce Rauner: Don't lower the bar for Illinois students
If you've ever watched the high jump event in track and field, you know they raise the bar a little at a time to determine who can clear the greatest height without knocking the bar to the ground. It's exhilarating to watch each athlete rise to the challenge. Now imagine if they did it in reverse, lowering the bar in each round so everyone feels good about their performance and gets awarded a medal. It would spare some frustration and disappointment, but it also would defeat the entire purpose of the event — and no one would ever improve. The same principle applies in education. If we keep lowering expectations to create the illusion of success, we fail the very students we claim to be helping. According to state education officials, Illinois currently has 'some of the highest proficiency benchmarks in the nation.' Yet instead of keeping that bar high or even raising it, they're proposing reworking the state's benchmarking system because it 'unfairly mislabels students.' State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders recently proposed that Illinois lower its state assessment standards to 'provide us with more accurate data.' Lowering the standards doesn't make the scores more accurate. It sends the wrong signal to students and creates misinformation for parents and educators that results in more students falling through the cracks. This is part of a troubling trend picking up steam across the country. In 2024, Oklahoma and Wisconsin revised their academic standards by lowering the passing scores on their state tests. As a result, students this year were not required to demonstrate the same level of mastery as those in previous years. This change means that some students who would have previously been identified as needing additional support are now considered to be meeting expectations. Oklahoma realized the folly in lowering the bar and recently reversed course to reinstate higher expectations. According to the Nation's Report Card, a biannual assessment of math and reading administered to students in every state, Illinois needs to commit to more rigorous standards, not weaken them. This year's scores showed stagnant or declining results in the number of fourth grade students able to score at or above proficient for math and reading. By lowering expectations on state assessments, the number of students listed as below, at or above proficient could look wildly different than the scores reported by National Assessment of Educational Progress. This is what is known as an 'honesty gap.' It's an active choice to fudge proficiency scores because state leaders believe they're unfair. Lowering expectations for students in Illinois will only widen the honesty gap between state-reported performance and how students actually compare to their peers nationwide, leaving them unprepared for the realities they'll face after graduation. That's the most unfair thing we can do to our students. Numerous studies have shown a strong connection between reading achievement and long-term outcomes, such as college enrollment and lifetime earnings. Similarly, a recent Urban Institute study found that raising math scores by just 0.5 standard deviations for students up to age 12 led to greater increases in earnings by age 30 than any other factor examined. We don't want our students to be unprepared for the academic or professional challenges they will face after K-12 education. This is why Illinois should instead look to bolster current standards with more comprehensive policy solutions that will support students where they are: promoting and challenging those who are testing above proficiency and providing rapid evidence-based interventions and support to those who are testing below proficiency in an effort to bring them up to speed. Illinois policymakers just voted to give more than $300 million in additional funding to public schools. Billions of dollars in new spending has been allocated since we passed historic school funding reform in 2017, yet accountability continues to be eroded. Taxpayers deserve to know whether that additional funding leads to students improving in meaningful, measurable ways. Consistently high standards are the only way to ensure that. It might feel good in the short term to see more students clear the bar, but those same students are likely to wind up more disadvantaged in the long run because they won't get the support they need to make real improvement. Bruce Rauner was the 42nd governor of Illinois.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Fires 13 Members of Education Research Board
President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order about dismantling the Education Department alongside Education Secretary Linda McMahon at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 20, 2025. Credit - Chen Mengtong—China News Service/VCG via Getty Images The Trump Administration fired all 13 Biden-appointed members of a key federal education research board last month, a move that drew sharp rebuke from former members amid the Administration's ongoing campaign to dismantle the Department of Education. The firings, carried out on May 23, targeted the National Board for Education Sciences (NBES), which Congress established in 2002 to advise the Department of Education's research arm, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). The board—whose members include researchers, educators, and civic leaders—had been tasked with shaping the Department's $900 million research agenda, including approving priorities, overseeing peer-reviewed grants, and advising on efforts to close achievement gaps across race, income, and disability status. The future of that work is now unclear, as the new Administration has slashed much of that spending. The dismissals are the latest blow to a board that has struggled for more than a decade to maintain its statutory role. For much of President Donald Trump's first term, he did not appoint enough members to NBES to fill the 15-member board. They didn't hold any meetings over those four years, according to the board's web page. 'We can confirm that the Department fired thirteen Biden appointees to the National Board for Education Sciences on May 23,' said Madi Biedermann, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications under Education Secretary Linda McMahon, in a statement to TIME. 'One of the core duties of a board member is to ensure that activities are objective, nonideological, and free of partisan influence—they failed.' Biedermann cited poor student outcomes, excessive spending on research contracts, and the alleged politicization of federal research as justification for the purge. She said new appointees will be announced to 'drive forward President Trump and Secretary McMahon's vision' for education reform, which emphasizes decentralization and a sharp reduction in the federal government's role. 'As reflected in the dismal results of the recent Nation's Report Card, these board members stood by as student outcomes declined nationwide, oversaw research contracts that took gross advantage of the American taxpayer without delivering improvements in teaching and learning, and allowed partisan ideologies to seep into taxpayer-funded research and development,' Biedermann said. But former board members and education advocates say the firings are part of a broader and deeply political effort to discredit scientific research and roll back protections for vulnerable student populations. Shaun Harper, a University of Southern California professor who was among those dismissed, said he wasn't surprised by the Trump Administration's decision but disagreed with how they have characterized the board's work. 'We committed to spending four years in the unpaid role because we all want the best for our democracy,' he wrote in an op-ed for TIME published Wednesday. 'We approached our work as experts, not as politically-polarizing activists who somehow sought to advance anti-American agendas.' 'Without knowing or even asking what this entailed, it is possible that the Trump Administration presumed this to be a hotbed of DEI activities that privileged wokeness over merit,' he added. 'I never participated in nor witnessed this. There is no evidence of such wrongdoing.' The Trump Administration has made no secret of its disdain for the Department of Education itself. Trump has vowed repeatedly to abolish the agency, though a recent federal court ruling temporarily blocked his executive order aimed at doing just that. Judge Myong J. Joun of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction ordering the reinstatement of thousands of department employees fired as part of the Administration's downsizing campaign. In testimony before Congress, Education Secretary McMahon acknowledged that as many as three-fourths of the roughly 2,000 staff members who had been fired at the agency had been dismissed under restructuring efforts led by Elon Musk, who formerly led the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The NBES firings come amid mounting concern over the future of the Institute of Education Sciences itself. According to department employees and internal emails reviewed by NPR, many IES contracts were canceled within the first two months of Trump's second term. These include long-term studies on math interventions, data collection on homeschooling, and surveys related to private education and career training. One canceled program had already been deployed in classrooms across multiple states. Founded under President George W. Bush as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, the IES and its advisory board were created to bring scientific rigor to the education field. The NBES in particular was tasked with ensuring that federal education research is objective, equitable, and informed by practitioners and scientists alike. Harper warned of the long-term implications of terminating members of the board without replacements: 'Consequently, students with disabilities will be even more underserved. Inequities between rich and poor, as well as white and racially diverse learners, will widen. Congress and educational leaders will have even less access to trustworthy, high-quality research on what works.' Write to Nik Popli at
