Ed Sec'y Wants Increased Rigor in School Reform Reporting

##AUTHORSPLIT###- -->

At a conference of the Institute of Education Sciences Monday, United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan implored researchers and state agency workers to apply increased rigor when analyzing and reporting on school reforms.

"Education reform is not about sweeping mandates or grand gestures," Duncan said, according to information released by the U.S. Department of Education. "It's about systematically examining and learning, building on what we've done right, and scrapping what hasn't worked for kids."

Adequate reporting on successes and failures is central to school reform efforts, Duncan said, in order to allow schools to expand on practices that work and eliminate those that don't. But it's also critical for states applying for State Fiscal Stabilization Funds, as they need to provide "assurances" that they're making progress in the key areas of school reform. These include:

  • Adopting standards to prepare students for the workforce and post-secondary education;
  • Recruiting and retaining effective teachers, "especially in classrooms where they're needed most";
  • Improving low-performing schools; and
  • Creating data systems to track student progress and the effectiveness of teachers.

In his speech, Duncan emphasized this last point in particular--the creation of data systems to track achievement. He said one of his "top priorities" would be to support states in their efforts to develop such data systems.

"Hopefully some day we can track kids from pre-school to high-school and from high school to college and college to career," he said. "Hopefully we can track good kids to good teachers and good teachers to good colleges of education."

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • chart with ascending bars and two silhouetted figures observing it, set against a light background with blue and purple tones

    Report: Enterprises Are Embracing Agentic AI

    According to a new report from SnapLogic, 50% of enterprises are already deploying AI agents, and another 32% plan to do so within the next 12 months..

  • zSpace Imagine Learning Solution

    zSpace Debuts Headset-Free AR/VR System

    Immersive learning company zSpace has announced the zSpace Imagine Learning Solution, a headset-free AR/VR laptop system designed for elementary education. The all-in-one platform integrates hardware, software, and hands-on lessons to create dynamic learning experiences for young students.

  • AI robot with cybersecurity symbol on its chest

    Microsoft Announces New Agentic AI Tools for Security Copilot

    Microsoft has expanded its AI-powered cybersecurity platform, introducing a suite of autonomous agents to help organizations counter rising threats and manage the growing complexity of cloud and AI security.