Press Releases 2004

Kati Haycock, director of The Education Trust, on the President’s Economic Summit

I’m an educator, not an economist.  But whether you are focused on the health of our economy or the health of our democracy, it is very clear that America’s young people need to learn more in school.

We are seeing real and important achievement improvements in elementary schools.  We’re even making some progress in middle schools.  But we’re losing ground in our high schools—at least in part because our energy and our resources have been focused on the early grades.

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Kati Haycock, director of The Education Trust, on Education Secretary Rod Paige

Rod Paige and I do not agree on everything.  But he has brought to his office enormous integrity, deep insights into what it takes to turn around urban districts, and a passionate commitment to helping American schools work more effectively for all students.  Through thick and thin, he has been a tireless advocate for poor and minority children.

Despite what the armchair critics say, he did not simply “defend the President’s education agenda.”  He did something vastly more important: He helped the American people understand that low-income and minority c

States are moving in the right direction in narrowing achievement gaps and raising achievement for all students, but not fast enough

(Washington, DC) – Student achievement in reading and math is rising in the elementary grades in most states, and achievement gaps are narrowing, according to a new report released today by the Education Trust.

Funding gap states shortchange poor, minority students of education dollars

(Washington, DC) – Most states continue to shortchange poor and minority students by failing to fairly fund the schools they attend, according to a new report released today by The Education Trust.  

In 36 states, the highest-poverty school districts receive less money than the lowest-poverty districts when we account for what school funding experts say is the extra cost of educating low-income students.

National Alliance of Black School Educators and The Education Trust recognize recent progress in public education

As states release their 2003-04 student achievement results, the early signs offer encouraging news, according to an analysis of data compiled by the Education Trust. Around the country, many schools are boosting the academic performance of all students while accelerating the gains for poor and minority children, particularly in the elementary grades.

And educators report that the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has helped their systems focus -- some for the first time -- on the academic performance of all children.

The ABCs of “AYP” - Beyond any reasonable doubt: We can do this

(Washington, D.C.) – As states begin to release their 2003-04 student achievement data, there is still significant confusion about the accountability provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and doubt about whether states can actually meet the requirements and the goals.  To address this confusion, the Education Trust today released two brief documents explaining the accountability and public reporting provisions of NCLB, in addition to a data presentation analyzing some recently released student achievement results. 

The first report updates las

Current Perkins Bills:  NOT GOOD ENOUGH

As Congress considers reauthorizing federal assistance for vocational and technical education, Members need to place the interests of students front and center. Unfortunately, bills currently moving through the House and Senate essentially reauthorize the status quo – extending a system that works well for some, but stifling the opportunities of far too many participants with skills in reading and math that are inadequate for 21st Century jobs.

The Education Trust announces new web resources for Latino parents, community leaders and advocates

(Washington, D.C.) --   Today, the Education Trust extends its commitment to reach out to the largest and fastest growing minority group in the country – the nation’s 40 million Latinos – to provide better and more accurate information on student achievement and educational opportunities.  To launch this new initiative, the Education Trust is unveiling a website for the Latino community in both Spanish and English which features reports and resources for Latino parents, community leaders and advocates.

Ross Wiener, policy director for The Education Trust, on allowing current AYP provisions to be applied retroactively

(Washington, D.C.) -- “Today, Senator Ted Kennedy and Congressman George Miller are introducing legislation to bring consistency to school accountability decisions by allowing the retroactive application of new rules adopted by the U.S. Department of Education.  Allowing current AYP rules to be applied retroactively to school accountability determinations from 2002-03 would be both appropriate and beneficial.

“The rule changes adopted by the U.S.

Empty caps and gowns: New analysis reveals deep problems in the graduation rates at four-year colleges and universities, but finds that some institutions do a much better job graduating their students than others

(Washington, D.C.) - As families and friends gather at colleges across the country to celebrate graduation, a new report released today by the Education Trust documents the fact that nationally, these same colleges will have failed to graduate nearly half of their degree-seeking first-time full-time freshmen within six years, and the picture is even worse for low-income and minority students.  These young people leave our higher education system burdened with large student loans that must be repaid, but without the benefit of the wages that a college degree provides.