Political will to modernize Cleveland schools?

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's plan to reinvent public education "has the potential to become a model for changing education in urban America," according to Brent Larkin's Plain Dealer column yesterday. But it will challenge defenders of the status quo at the state capitol:

Problems loom in Columbus. Democrats fear the political clout of teachers unions. And for some Republicans, anything that demands positive results from their deep-pocketed contributors in the charter school crowd makes them skittish. If Democrats or Republicans attempt to significantly dilute Jackson's proposed changes, the plan won't work.

Jackson's plan (PDF) 

25 year transition to knowledge-based economy?

That's about how long it took Pittsburgh, according to Michigan Future, Inc President Lou Glazer. He doesn't know if Detroit, Grand Rapids and Michigan can do it any faster.

Chicago Mayor Daley on Education

Prior to accepting the Global Metro Award at a recent Brookings' summit, Mayor Daley spoke about the importance of establishing a city-wide "learning environment."

Cradle to career

The executive director of Strive speaks at TedxCincy on the potential for more effective use of data to improve student achievement.



(via Ed Morrison at Brewed Fresh Daily)

Get smart or be poor

The editorial in today's Detroit Free Press, and the accompanying chart below, makes the case that highly educated people are important to achieve a highly prosperous place.

Nail on the head. And the fact that the Press felt compelled to opine on such obvious matters is yet another signal that Michigan isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.