Center for American Progress

By Brian Bosworth
The United States has long relied on rising educational attainment in a rapidly growing labor force to help propel our economic growth. Over the last four decades of the 20th century in particular, steady increases in the education level of our labor force contributed very significantly to steady productivity gains, sustained economic growth, and formidable national competitiveness in an increasingly global economy.

By Dan Goldhaber
Few studies link principal attributes directly to student achievement, and of those that do, some are methodologically limited by data constraints. Tracing the impacts of principals on student achievement is also difficult because their actions may affect students through both direct and indirect avenues.

Washington, D.C. – Equal access to higher education is one of America's largest public policy crises today. With ballot initiatives outlawing affirmative action and negative media spin regarding race as a factor in admissions decisions, how do we address the issues of diversity and equal opportunity in our education system? At the 2007 Campus Progress National Student Conference, panelists from the civil rights, education, and grassroots sectors will come together to address the impact of recent legislation and Supreme Court decisions on the future of affirmative action and diversity in education.

By John Podesta
I appreciate the opportunity to be with you today to discuss the serious and growing graduation crisis in American schools. As the Committee considers the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, it is imperative for our nation’s economic success—and for the life chances of our children—that you examine ways to not only improve school standards and accountability but also increase the ability of states and localities to keep kids in school and move them successfully through to graduation.

Report Finds States are Failing our Students, Risking our Future
WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s report on state educational effectiveness shows that America’s K–12 schools are failing their students and putting America’s future competitiveness at risk.

Center for American Progress Releases A National Analysis of School Racial Segregation, Student Achievement, and "Controlled Choice" Plans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The struggle to desegregate America's schools while ensuring equal educational opportunities for students of all races is one of the greatest social challenges the nation has faced over the last half century. While significant progress has been made since the Supreme Court's 1954 landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, thousands of schools around the country are still almost completely segregated.

State Efforts to Boost Graduation Rates Require Federal Support
The Center for American Progress and Jobs for the Future released a report today showing that although high school graduation rates are far lower than previously understood, federal action now can significantly close the graduation gap within the next five years.

There is broad agreement across the political spectrum that the public school system needs to be reformed to meet the challenges of the 21^st century. The question is: How?