Leadership for America

Protect America

Strengthening American education by returning authority to the states and...

Statement of Purpose

Every year, millions of children pass through America’s schools without receiving a quality education that prepares them to succeed in life, to compete in the increasingly competitive global economy, and to maintain the blessings and responsibilities of a free society. Among African American and Hispanic students, for example, only 56 and 52 percent of students graduate from high school. This widespread failure imposes unquantifiable costs on individual lives and our communities. As a country, it imperils our national security. For years, policymakers have sought to improve American schools by increasing government control. But decades of increased spending and increased federal control have yielded little improvement in student performance.

Objectives

1.To ensure that all parents are able to choose education for their children from a variety of options that prepare young people to maintain and expand the blessings and responsibilities of a free society.
2.To provide all Americans with access to the educational and cultural resources that contribute to upward mobility.

NCLB Waivers: An Unsettling Pact with Washington

District waivers are just the latest federal power grab by an Administration intent on further centralizing educational control in Washington.

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Education: Made Simple

Explore America's education system, and gain a better understanding of how we can improve our schools and provide every childe a safe and effective education.

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President Obama’s Budget Priority: Eliminate the D.C. Voucher Program

Nothing more clearly demonstrates the Administration’s priorities than Obama’s decision to once again place the successful D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP) on the chopping block.

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National Standards: Costly in Dollars and Liberty Lost

National standards have become the cornerstone of the Department of Education’s efforts to increase federal control over local schools – and the implementation of these new standards will come at a hefty cost to taxpayers.

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Podcast: Rep. Rob Bishop Outlines an Alternative to No Child Left Behind

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) recently visited Heritage to outline his vision for education reform: the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act (A-PLUS).

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More Pressure on the Higher Ed Bubble

Instead of continuing to increase federal subsidies for college, policymakers should rely on the free market to innovate and drive down college costs.

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Freeing Schools from Washington's Education Overreach

Renewed interest in restoring constitutional principles has sharpened debate on a variety of policy issues. Education is no exception.

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Can Online Learning Reproduce the Full College Experience?

Some critics argue that an online degree cannot provide all the important features of a traditional college education, from extracurricular activities to new professional networks. But the evidence paints a different picture.

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Reports
Commentary
Videos
Blog Posts

Obama’s 2013 Education Budget and Blueprint: A Costly Expansion of Federal Control

As American taxpayers are calling for fiscal restraint in Washington, the Obama Administration’s FY 2013 education budget request only increases federal spending and control.

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States Must Reject National Education Standards While There Is Still Time

States should take immediate steps to reject the nationalization of standards and tests—and, ultimately, curricula—and work to improve outcomes through reforms to state and local policy.

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Continuing the School Choice March: Policies to Promote Family K–12 Education Investment

Posted April 25, 2012 by Lindsey Burke, Rachel Sheffield
A Better Way to Pay: Five Rules for Reforming Teacher Compensation

Posted April 24, 2012 by Jason Richwine, Ph.D.
States Must Reject National Education Standards While There Is Still Time

Posted April 16, 2012 by Lindsey Burke
Obama’s 2013 Education Budget and Blueprint: A Costly Expansion of Federal Control

Posted April 12, 2012 by Lindsey Burke, Rachel Sheffield
Can Online Learning Reproduce the Full College Experience?

Posted March 13, 2012 by Karen McKeown

Experts From This Initiative

Lindsey Burke
Lindsey M. Burke researches and writes on federal and state education issues as the Will Skillman fellow in education policy at The Heri...
Jennifer Marshall
As director of domestic policy studies at The Heritage Foundation, Jennifer A. Marshall oversees research in areas that determine the ch...

OTHER LEADERSHIP for AMERICA INITIATIVES

First Principles
Rediscovering our principles in order to reclaim our future.
American Leadership
Advancing American leadership and freedom in the world.
Energy & Environment
Advancing freedom and prosperity by unleashing free enterprise, protecting...
Enterprise & Free Markets
Eliminating barriers to enterprise and innovation.
Entitlements
Replacing the culture of entitlement with one of mutual responsibility.
Family & Religion
Cultivating an environment in which the permanent institutions of family...
Health Care
Providing every American freedom of choice in health care.
Protect America
Protecting America and Americans from freedom’s enemies.
Rule of Law
Reestablishing the rule of law as the foundation for constitutional...

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Leadership for America

Protect America

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OTHER LEADERSHIP for AMERICA INITIATIVES

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