In his State of the Union Address, President Obama gave special attention to education and particularly to the persistent problem of high school dropouts. This is not the first time that the president has used a major speech to highlight this problem. Back in February 2009, in a speech to...

"Rise above oneself and grasp the world." -Archimedes (engraved on the Fields Medal)

Making is making a comeback. A cornucopia of fabrication and tech labs public and private are sprouting throughout the country. Maker Faires -- sprawling outdoor extravaganzas that combine the atmosphere of a medieval fair with...

The terms "vocational education" and more recently "career and technical education" have served historically as codes for programs or schools serving young people--often poor and minority youth--who are judged not capable of going on to post secondary education and, therefore, must be provided with a set of skills so that...

Our nation's appalling and persistent high school dropout rate is thankfully getting the attention it deserves. While I might quibble with the quality and effectiveness of actual and proposed programs, I can at least be thankful for the renewed focus on increasing the number of high school graduates who are...

The president has indicated that "dropping out is no longer an option," signaling his intention to ensure that all young people obtain a high school diploma so they can earn higher wages, contribute to society, and lead happier lives. He is right to be concerned: About one million students leave...

Each year our schools fail to graduate about a million young people and many of those who do stay in school are bored and minimally engaged in challenging learning, are performing poorly, and have limited prospects for successful postsecondary learning and work. Their situation is as much attributable to a...

Innovation is the current coin of the realm, pursued by the private and public sectors as the fountain of youth that will revive our ailing economy and improve our quality of life. It is the Holy Grail for educators as well, who have embraced creativity, innovation, and design thinking as...

Innovation is more highly prized than ever, but innovation that makes a significant difference is hard to find. This is particularly true with respect to schools, where few innovations of the last decade have had real, positive, and lasting impact on basic skills performance, high school graduation, or college success....