Publications

Ideas matter. In addition to our work with clients, Bellwether Education Partners generates and gathers ideas and policy solutions, analyzes ongoing reform efforts, and writes about and discusses education and education reform. We believe that the work we do to improve education for all students benefits from thought leadership, analysis, and thoughtful discourse around emerging ideas, in order to help challenge leaders and leading organizations to think differently and improve, to coordinate efforts where possible, to inform policymakers and improve the political and policy context, and to share successful approaches with the public education field at large.

Authors

‘Let’s Not Weaken It’: An Exclusive Interview with George W. Bush on NCLB

January 12, 2012

Publication

TIME.com -- On the 10th anniversary of No Child Left Behind, the former President spoke with TIME’s education columnist about the law’s successes and why it’s a “convenient punching bag”.

Our Love-Hate Relationship with the SATS

December 22, 2011

Publication

TIME.com -- Cheating scandals aside, the grandaddy of high-stakes college admissions testing soldiers on.

Was Gingrich Right About Putting Kids to Work?

December 8, 2011

Publication

TIME.com -- The presidential candidate’s suggestion to put school children to work was faulty in specifics but sound in general

Innovation for the Public Good: A Case Study of US Education (2011)

December 6, 2011

Publication

It is widely acknowledged that innovation will be necessary to dramatically improve public services in America. But innovation in the public sector doesn't happen in a vacuum; innovation happens at the nexus of policy, research, capital, and practice. This project looks at one case study -- education -- by analyzing some of the key aspects of an emerging ecosystem for innovation in public education in the United States.

Encouraging Social Innovation Through Capital: Using Technology to Address Barriers

December 5, 2011

Publication

Technology can connect people and organizations, facilitate communications, capture and analyze rich data, and even shape human behavior in response to these insights – what might it do for the education capital markets? This paper examines the gaps and barriers in the way capital flows to education innovation, and considers the ways technology tools and platforms might better address these issues. Specific recommendations include strengthening the content underlying such platforms, better connecting these technologies with existing face-to-face networks, and streamlining transactions.

Obama’s Education Legacy for America’s Youngest Kids: Too Little, Too Late

December 3, 2011

Publication

The New Republic -- When Barack Obama ran for president, he claimed that improving early childhood education would be a hallmark of his education reform agenda. Unfortunately, his policies in office have not lived up to that promise.

The Latest Wrinkle in College Admissions

December 1, 2011

Publication

TIME.com -- State schools are increasingly recruiting out-of-state students who pay higher fees. But is this fair?

Forget Wall Street. Go Occupy Your Local School District

November 17, 2011

Publication

TIME.com -- Our nation’s schools are a larger cause of economic inequality than investment banks and CEOs.

Taking the First Steps to Build an Innovation Culture

November 16, 2011

Publication

Government agencies need to be more innovative, especially when tackling social issues like poor educational attainment, crime, or homelessness. Over the last five weeks, this series has set out five keys to unlocking an innovation culture: leadership, finance, permeability, incentives, and planning.

But where should an agency that wants to promote a culture of innovation start? Today we set out four initial steps agencies can take to launch a culture of innovation.