Education policy maven Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute think tank (AEI), author of books like The Same Thing Over and Over, Letters to a Young Education Reformer, and A Search for Common Ground, offers straight talk on matters of policy, politics, research, and reform. Rick’s takes are his alone and do not represent AEI or Education Week. Follow Rick on Twitter at @rickhess99.
Student Achievement
Opinion
Does Getting Rid of the 'Zero' Fuel Grade Inflation?
Not everyone thinks this student grading practice is a good idea, including some researchers and educators.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
Youth Sports Are About More than Just Winning
A good athletics program introduces students to life lessons, and a good coach understands his or her impact.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
What's Behind the Explosion in Student Absenteeism?
Kids aren’t returning to school after COVID. What are the implications for policy and practice?
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
‘Grow Your Own’ Teacher Programs Are Misguided
Such recruiting initiatives wind up prioritizing the needs of education systems rather than those of students.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Can Mastery-Based Learning Replace Seat Time?
Developing better assessments and getting buy-in from practitioners will be key to replacing seat time as a proxy for mastery.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
It May Be Time to Retire the Carnegie Unit. Are There Better Measures of Learning?
The Carnegie Foundation popularized seat time as a measure of learning. Now, the organization’s president lays out a new vision.
School Choice & Charters
Opinion
Does School Choice 'Work'?
Ultimately, the “how” of educational choice may matter more than the “what.”
School Choice & Charters
Opinion
'Control Freaks' Are 'Losing Their Grip' on Education
"School choice evangelist" says new laws are a response to unions, bureaucracies, and K-12 ideologues.
Social Studies
Opinion
Make History Exciting Again for Students
National History Day seeks to engage young people in deep examination of the past.
Student Achievement
Opinion
The Trouble With 'Equitable Grading'
Equitable grading does in fact lead to lower standards, argue two critics of the practice.
Curriculum
Opinion
Classical Education Is Taking Off. What’s the Appeal?
Classical schooling is an apprenticeship to the great minds and creators of the past, enabling students to develop their own thinking.
Student Achievement
Opinion
Does 'Grading for Equity' Result in Lower Standards?
Equitable grading doesn’t call for heightened leniency, says the author of a book on the subject.
Policy & Politics
Opinion
Where Do Democrats Stand on Education?
The politics of education reform have shifted drastically since the Obama era. How has one Democratic education group responded?
School & District Management
Opinion
Why Schools Struggle With Implementation. And How They Can Do Better
Improvement efforts often sputter when the rubber hits the road. But do they have to?