Valuing Stakeholders in Early Childhood Education

STANFORD SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW | A conversation with ADRIANNA FOSS

[…] The Outdoor Classroom Project spring from research showing the profound impact of high-quality outdoor environments on every aspect of a young child’s cognitive, social, and physical development.

Tough Week for The Common Core

NPR | By ANYA KAMENETZ

[…]  In an ideal world, policies would be made like this: Practitioners in the field would develop solutions to problems. Disinterested experts would study and test them. Philanthropists would support that research and development phase without picking winners. […]

Many in the ed-policy world agree: The Common Core State Standards skipped a few key steps here.

Food as a human right: how cuts to food stamps are hurting the next generation

STREET ROOTS | By JOANNE ZUHL

Dr. Deborah Frank, Director of Grow Clinic for Children at Boston Medical Center:

“Early childhood is when the baby’s brain is going to increase two and a half times — two-thirds of the adult size — with adequate nourishment. Nutrition is the building block of the brain. […]

“It’s been calculated that a $20 billion cut in SNAP [the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program] (which is about the combined impact of the November cuts with the current legislation) will lead to a $15 billion increase for diabetes alone. […]

“If you’re trying to save society money, that’s not how to do it. What you’re doing is increasing all kinds of impairments, learning ability, hospitalizations, behavior problems, and ending probably with a wash or worse in health care and education cost.

Duke: $60,000 A Year For College Is Actually A Discount

NPR | By LISA CHOW

In 1984, it cost $10,000 a year to go to Duke University. Today, it’s $60,000 a year. “It’s staggering,” says Duke freshman Max Duncan, “especially considering that’s for four years.”

But according to Jim Roberts, executive vice provost at Duke, that’s actually a discount. “We’re investing on average about $90,000 in the education of each student,” he says. […]

But just where exactly is all that money going?

The Questions Education Reformers Aren’t Asking

TRUTHDIG | By MIKE ROSE

… no one in power is asking the more fundamental questions like: What is the purpose of education in a democracy, and are our reforms enhancing—or possibly restricting—that purpose?