Brookings: Experts - Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst

Department of Education Launches Race to the Top

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:35:00 GMT

Through a new competitive grant program called Race to the Top, the U.S. Department of Education is awarding $4 billion of stimulus money to states that demonstrate a commitment to education reform and innovation. Russ Whitehurst says it is a promising program that could promote education reform and elevate the education of thousands of children.

Education in the Obama Administration

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Given a choice between the status quo in American education and change, the Obama administration has been bold in pursuit of change. The president and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have used the bully pulpit and the powerful lever of $5 billion in discretionary stimulus funds to push a catalog of initiatives, writes Brookings senior fellow, Russ Whitehurst. Whitehurst gives the administration an A+ for motive, effort and reach, but he writes the administration has made some questionable bets and ignored surer ones, most specifically improvements in curriculum and instruction.

Faith in Common Standards Not Enough

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Russ Whitehurst and Michelle Croft find no association between state scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and ratings of the quality of state standards. Moreover, their analyses suggest that the creation of common standards will have little impact on our future in and of itself.

Don’t Forget Curriculum

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

President Obama has committed himself to “reform America’s public schools,” and his administration is focused on making early childhood programs, common standards, charter schools and teachers more effective. However, writes Russ Whitehurst, the administration should also undertake actions to better integrate curriculum innovation and reform into its policy framework. "Don't Forget Curriculum” compares the size of the effects on student achievement brought about by curriculum with the size of the effects of popular reform strategies favored by the Obama administration.

Secretary Arne Duncan and the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Following Congress's vote to eliminate funding for the the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, many have criticized Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for not informing Congress of the program’s success. However, given the established procedures of the Institute of Education Sciences, it is extremely unlikely that Secretary Duncan would have known the results of the study until recently, writes Russ Whitehurst.

The Path of Stimulus Funds to Local Projects

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In this online Q&A, Russ Whitehurst explains how the stimulus funds will make their way to local projects, particularly for school programs.

Innovation in Education: Invest in What Works

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized the Secretary of Education to establish a $650 million Innovation Fund to expand the work of schools that have made gains in closing achievement gaps. With growing discussion and considerable money heading in the direction of innovation, Russ Whitehurst provides recommendations on how the Department of Education should evaluate successful programs.

Obama's Education Policy

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

President Obama spoke about implementing the merit pay system for teachers as well as expanding charter schools in a effort to reform the education system in the United States. Brown Center Director Russ Whitehurst joined Politico's Jonathan Martin and CBS News’ Bob Schieffer on Washington Unplugged to talk about the politics behind Obama's education policy and how it would affect our education system.

The President’s Education Agenda

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Russ Whitehurst assesses President Obama's education speech and applauds his commitment to regaining our international lead in education by addressing the "crazy quilt of state standards and assessments." But, he argues, "the proposal to provide incentives to states that improve their standards is a far weaker prescription than is desirable or politically possible."

Reading Second

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Former President George W. Bush finished his tenure without having won congressional renewal of his No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy. With President Barack Obama now at the helm, NCLB is up for debate. Brown Center Director Russ Whitehurst examines Reading First, a key component of NCLB, that aims to ensure that all children learn to read well by the end of third grade.

Examining a Stimulus Gift Horse in the Mouth: Education and the Recovery Act

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The economic recovery plan passed by Congress includes $100 billion for education, with more than $40 billion for local school districts to stave off staff and program cuts and upgrade schools. As Russ Whitehurst warns, the bill may have unintended effects on state spending for education and education reform.