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It is always interesting to see how the U.S. government divides its power between the state and federal levels. Though many of us have learned about the subject in theory, it isn’t always that easy to understand in practice. Attending the hearing of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce titled, “Reviewing the President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget for the Department of Education,” allowed me a glimpse into the often murky waters of federal education policy.

The hearing, chaired by Representative John Kline (R-MN), featured the testimony of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who answered questions from the representatives on the committee. Based on the questions and statements made, the disconnect that exists between the Republican and Democratic parties on education issues was very apparent throughout the hearing. After attending many events that featured speakers who focus on school choice and charters, I always wondered why there wasn’t more progress being made in education reform when there were so many passionate people supporting the cause. This hearing showed me both sides of the party lines on education issues as a whole and gave me a better understanding of how complex and multifaceted the subject of education reform is.

The differences between the statements made by the representatives on the committee and Secretary Duncan were vast, but all of them agreed that there needs to be change in the U.S. education system. The issues aren’t as simple as charter or public schools; Secretary Duncan agreed that there is a need for more high performing schools overall, it doesn’t matter if they are traditional or charter schools. The need to close the opportunity gap was a huge topic of discussion among the committee, but both parties had different opinions on what needed to be done to fix it.

Everyone is aware of the

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The New America Foundation convened a panel discussion to “cash the check,” as Senior Researcher Conor Williams put it, on the information expounded in a recently published book entitled Our School: Searching for Community in the Era of Choice. The book follows two elementary school classrooms, a kindergarten class in the start-up charter school Mundo Verde, and a third grade class in the traditional district school Bancroft Elementary, for a full academic year.

In writing this book, author and former educator Sam Chaltain hoped to reveal the complexity beneath the polarized surface of the charter vs. traditional school conversation. “Teaching is heroic, underappreciated, and largely unsustainable work,” Chaltain remarked, in that “we expect teachers to succeed in a system that no longer serves our interests as parents and American citizens.”

Several panelists were invited to respond to Chaltain’s thoughts: Abigail Smith, Deputy Mayor of Education; Laura Moser, writer and DCPS parent; Scott Pearson, Executive Director of the DC Public Charter School Board; and Evelyn Boyd Simmons, DCPS parent and community leader.

Jumpstarting the discussion, Chaltain noted that the primary strength of either charters or traditional schools is the greatest weakness of the other. A start-up charter brimming with innovation faces a significant risk of implosion; a traditional district school with the scale to succeed may be hampered by stultification. Chaltain asked: what efforts are being made by each system to learn from the other?

In response, Smith highlighted the collaboration of charters and traditional schools on both curricula and development. She asserted that the entrepreneurial nature of charters energizes district schools to develop their own “brand,” which helps create a sense of ownership among parents and students of their district school. Pearson noted his personal collaboration with the DCPS Chancellor and

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As my semester of interning at CER comes to an end, I am able to reflect on all that I have been exposed to in such a short period of time. When I first came to CER in February, I didn’t know what to expect.

As the first few days of my internship commenced, I had already been assisting with research and learning so much about education policy. I learned about CER’s goals and was able to see how this applied to the true problem of education persistent today. I was intrigued by education reform, and wanted to further immerse myself in the debate.

But after interning for months, there is so much more that I have done with CER. Not only have I been able to fully grasp the purpose of CER, but also I have been afforded the opportunity to apply what I have learned.

Recently, I learned more about what goes on in the production of CER’s Media Bullpen and through this I have been able to actually apply what I had learned throughout the semester to writing posts for the page. I have been tasked with critically analyzing news pieces and seeing how best to critique articles so that we can ensure the media is properly informed.

I also was able to watch a Digital Media Panel discussing the use of technology in education today. The opportunities I have been afforded in my short time at CER have been extremely rewarding and have made me more passionate about education reform than ever before.

Maha Hasen, CER Intern

One of the greatest things about Washington, D.C. is the wealth of educational choice that it provides its students. Though some may argue that traditional public schools should be able to cater to every type of student, when taking one look at the Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School, it’s difficult to argue that innovation is something negative.

Mundo Verde is the only school in the District that focuses on sustainability education, and it doesn’t stop there.  On top of that unique focus, it also combines bilingual education with project-based (expeditionary) learning. With their eco-friendly vision, it’s only fitting that the groundbreaking ceremony for their new campus took place on Earth Day (April 22nd).

The new building is in a great location, and seems to be a perfect fit for the vision that Mundo Verde’s leaders have for its future. After talking to some of the school’s founding board members, a group of parents who teamed up in 2010 to fill the gap that they saw in the D.C. charter system, I could tell that there was a strong, passionate support system that was heavily invested in the school’s success.

The school currently enrolls students from pre-K to second grade, but will expand up to fifth grade in the coming years. After fifth grade, Mundo Verde students will receive admissions preference at DC International School. The kindergarten and pre-K students participate in a full Spanish-language immersion program, while the first and second graders have a dual-immersion program, with classes taught in both English and Spanish.

The expeditionary learning model means that students focus on specific projects and become experts on a topic. A past topic was water, and students learned the ins and outs of water conservation and even had the opportunity to educate others on the

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My impetus for pursuing an internship at CER grew from a personal love of education, both learning and teaching, and a zeal for pursuing excellence in the field. Over the years I have worked at elementary schools, researched subjects ranging from charter school development to the efficacy of Teach for America, and sought out classes that reflected my interest.

Still, though on paper I seem prepared for this internship, I am acutely aware of my lack of wisdom that can only be gained through experience. Fortunately for me, from my desk in the CER office, I can see half a dozen offices that house some truly key players in the education reform movement. Built on twenty years of wisdom and experience, a dynamic energy courses through this office that buoys the creative ability and industry of those inside. I am humbled and excited to have the chance to learn from them.

That, of course, is my main objective: to learn. I am hungry for knowledge and understanding, and I am committed to serving CER valuably for the next six weeks. In addition to informing my future career goals, I hope this experience fosters relationships that broaden my worldview and further my development as an individual thinker and doer.

For years I have been immersed in the theoretical and pedagogical exercise of education reform. At home I have heard my father talk about his experience representing Students First in Tennessee and working with Governor Haslam on his education reform efforts. In class, my Education professors presented me with a very pro-public, pro-teacher, pro-union take on the history of education and the future of reform.

My experience at CER will add a new flavor to the mix, one that I hope will savor more of concrete experiences and practical implications as I develop my perspective.

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As technology continues to constantly change and grow at an incredible rate, it can be difficult to keep track of the impact that it has on the education system in America today. While technology is often characterized as detrimental to the social skills and attention span of young people, it’s important to also look at the variety of benefits that it can provide.

Project Tomorrow, a California-based national education nonprofit, released the findings of their 2013 Speak Up National Research Project on April 8th in Washington, D.C. This project reports on the views of K-12 students on the role of technology in education. Last year, over 400,000 students, parents and educators answered polls on their opinions regarding the use of technology in the classroom and how they hope it will be used in the future.

The 2013 report is titled “The New Digital Learning Playbook: Understanding the Spectrum of Students’ Activities and Aspirations,” and it aims to move beyond the “mythology” that exists regarding the role of technology within the education community in the U.S. today. Julie Evans, the CEO of Project Tomorrow, gave the presentation of the project’s findings and how they demonstrated the positive impact that technology can have on students’ learning. The findings highlighted the many ways that technology can benefit students both within the classroom and at home.

Many schools and districts sign themselves up to take the survey because they recognize the need to counteract the idea that technology is harmful to education. Adults assume that children use technology in the same way that adults use technology (as entertainment or to keep in touch with friends), but this survey demonstrates the many innovative ways that children and young adults are benefitting from the use of technology in their classrooms.

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A Renaissance man is defined as someone who has expertise in a number of different subject areas and uses that knowledge in order to problem-solve. The faculty and teachers at the Washington Latin School are molding the next generation of Renaissance men; but since this is the 21^st century and more than just men can master many different areas of academia, I shall call these students “The Renaissance Kids”.

Washington Latin School, located at 5200 2^nd St., NW, offers a classical education curriculum to an extremely diverse population of students.  From 5^th to 8^th grade, all students study Latin. By 9^th grade, the students begin to take another language, French, Arabic or Chinese. The students learn through drill and memorization and are taught to be fluid writers. They have Socratic seminars, which involve the study of public speaking and debate. They study dance and drama and are required to play sports.

It was amazing seeing the Renaissance kids in action. We visited a 6^th grade history class, where they were learning how to pass a bill in the American political system. They already knew that it started in the House, moved the Senate, went to the desk of the President and even the role the Supreme Court played. They were asking questions about Executive Order; something I did not fully understand until my freshman year of college. They were extremely engaged and the teacher used Lego animated figures in his PowerPoint. In a 9^th grade Chinese 1 class, the teacher only spoke Chinese and they recited their vocabulary words with precision, while at the same time having fun with a game of Simon Says.

As I saw the Renaissance Kids in the hallway, they were happy, greeting their teachers with respect yet with a sense of familiarity. The teachers care and that

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Starting when I was a teenager, I’ve always loved working with kids. I worked at a local summer camp for many years, volunteered at a charter school in DC and last summer, I was an advisor for students at a private school preparatory program called REACH Prep based in Stamford, Connecticut.

Now in my junior year studying Political Science at The George Washington University, I have developed an interest in public policy and have become more educated in the ways that politics works. As I come closer and closer to graduation (something that excites and terrifies me all at the same time), I have begun to think about what direction I want my career to go. I have had some experience working in a non-profit office before; I often volunteer at my mom’s non-profit back home in New York. I am hoping CER with give me more experience and great insight into the realm of education policy.

The issues of education reform are very personal to me. As an elementary school student, I left my local public school for a private school after attending the REACH Prep program (the same program I interned for this past summer).  The dedication of the staff and the resources made available to me at my new school were amazing. Even as young girl, I realized how lucky I was to have been given that opportunity. The transition took a lot of hard work and sacrifice from my family and me and I will always be grateful for those who supported us. I’ve always believed that every student should be able to have the opportunities I did, whether they are able to afford private school or not. This is why I want a career in education reform, whether it’s working hands-on in a school or in

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After talking with Michael Berg, a founding board member of the Columbia County School for the Arts (CCSFTA) in Evans, GA, we were excited to learn about the creative mission of this aspiring charter school. Poised to be the first charter in its county, Berg and his colleagues aim to provide an arts-based curriculum for students grades K-12. Many local community members have expressed their support and Berg believes that their grassroots movement is gaining momentum.

The decision to establish the school with a focus on the arts was made based on an expressed need from parents and educators who felt the county would benefit from a school that incorporated arts into its curriculum. The Columbia County School for the Arts will incorporate music, drama, dance, visual arts and foreign languages into a regular core curriculum of math, science, language and social studies to allow students to have a more creative and well-rounded education. Berg believes strongly that “creativity fosters literacy” and effective schools need to consider the diversity of students’ learning styles when developing models of education.

As a special education teacher for the past 22 years, Berg has had firsthand experience with the many ways that the arts can be used to benefit children and increase their academic achievement. His passion for charter schools developed after he had the realization that traditional public schools often don’t cater to different types of learners and can discourage students from being excited about their education.

Like many charter educators across the country, CCSFTA founding members have a unique vision for how best to serve potential students, and the culmination of many sources of inspiration and frustration were what led them to this endeavor. Over the past few years, Berg grew frustrated with the lack of praise

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My first day interning at the Center for Education Reform, I was introduced to the manner by which CER increases awareness regarding education policy. I learned of all the day-to-day tasks that every member at CER engages in to formulate the important message that they send out. As a sophomore at The George Washington University double majoring in Philosophy and Mathematics, one may be wondering how I ended up at CER.

I have spent semesters working with students in both public and charter schools in D.C and Philadelphia, and as such found myself drawn to the educational realm. However, as a student studying at a university located in the nation’s capital, public policy seemed to be a main theme across campus, and so I slowly became more interested in the policy and reform aspect of education as opposed to the classroom. After searching for internships that would best represent my passions, I was drawn to CER.

In the office, I aid the other members of CER by assisting with research, and thereby increasing my own knowledge regarding education policy. Working at CER enables me to use the extensive knowledge I learn in the office and relate that back to my past experiences. I have seen first hand how charter schools run, and how they differ from public schools, but now I am able to understand the requirements put in place for charter schools and public schools, the importance of school choice, and other relevant factors tied to education policy.

Interning at CER has proved to be a rewarding experience just from the few days I have been here so far, and I look forward to learning more regarding education policy so that I can then apply my knowledge to creating better opportunities in education.

Maha Hasen, CER Intern