LATimes Op-Ed offers advice for President

Recent LATimes op-ed by Cory Booker, John Doerr and Ted Mitchell offers up some good education advice for the next President.  The authors call for innovation when trying to solve the problem of America’s failing educational system:

As our next president confronts this reality, he should look to Herty’s inspiration. We need a new, results-driven mind-set at the Department of Education that will drive pure educational innovation and “scale up” proven experiments and novel ideas that work. The federal government stands in a unique position to meet these needs.

Cory Booker will be featured in one of our upcoming podcasts, so stay tuned for that!  And be sure to check out the article in the meantime.

At the Republican National Convention

It was a busy week of interviews, major news and travel.  Our Podcast Producer, Selly Thiam, attended the RNC asking people for their education advice.  She’s interviewing dozens of folks for the new series which will offer a lot of advice for the next President.

Continue to follow the coverage and stay tuned for the series launch.

Have education advice for the next President?

The election is coming up. What would you like to see the next President–Obama or McCain–do about public education? Suppose he, or somone close to him, asked you for your advice? What would you say?

Well, here’s the next best thing: WE want your advice. Post it and we may call you and ask you to record it for one of our podcasts in the series.

We can’t guarantee that the candidates are listening, but we do know that about 20,000 education junkies (like you!) are. Post your advice today!

At the Democratic National Convention

On the eve of the DNC, dozens of the nation’s top education reformers got together to take part in “Ed Challenge for Change,” an event sponsored by Democrats for Education Reform and 40 other groups interested in reforming public education.

In front of an enthusiastic audience of about 500 delegates and others, Learning Matters President John Merrow moderated a panel with Mayors Adrian Fenty and Cory Booker of DC and Newark, respectively; NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein; former LA Superintendent Roy Romer, and the President of the Colorado Senate. It was lively, to put it mildly. (Some have even called it inspirational!)

After listening to panelists bemoan the obstacles to change, he asked them to name names. “Exactly who is standing in the way?” “Who benefits from mediocre schools?” That led to some union-bashing, but finally the list expanded to include school boards and other special interests.

Panelists also shared their education advice for the next President. And after the panel, John went around, tape recorder in hand, and asked that same question of a dozen or so thoughtful men and women. We’ll be doing that at the Republican convention as well, and the answers will form the basis for this new series of podcasts.