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Mr. Tough Guy No More

After months of being stern and rigid, a new teacher lightens up, gets personal, and finds a way to connect with his students.

Hot for Teachers

Andrew J. Rotherham reviews Relentless Pursuit, a new book by Donna Foote that chronicles a year spent in the "trenches" with four Teach For America teachers.

Still At Risk

It has been 25 years since the publication of the U.S. Department of Education's explosive report "A Nation at Risk." Its powerful indictment of American education launched the largest education-reform movement in the nation's history. But there's still much work to be done, argues Education Sector's Thomas Toch for Newsweek.

Treat 'em Like Athletes

Low graduation rates exist for all students—especially poor and minority students. If colleges really wanted to graduate more low-income and minority students, they would treat them more like big-time athletes, argues Andrew J. Rotherham for USA Today.

Academic March Madness

In the Los Angeles Times, Education Sector's Kevin Carey and Lindsey Luebchow from the New America Foundation argue amid the spectacle that is "March Madness," far too many student athletes don't graduate from college.

Changing Times, Same Approach to Schools

Education Sector Co-director Andrew J. Rotherham outlined the impact of significant societal trends on schools and education policy as the keynote speaker for Cambridge College's recent convocation.

After-School Coupons

In Democracy, Andrew J. Rotherham suggests policymakers adopt a new national initiative to ensure that students in struggling schools get the help they need while also improving two important but problematic federal programs.

Boys and Girls Are More Alike in School Than They Are Different

The current push for single-gender public schools rests on the claim that boys and girls have different educational needs. But the link between gender and learning is weak, explains Education Sector's Elena Silva for the News Journal.

Teaching Change

In The New York Times, co-director Andrew J. Rotherham argues that if teachers unions want to stay relevant, they must embrace more than one kind of contract. Creating a portfolio of contracts to match a portfolio of schools can help re-energize teachers unions as an agent of progress.

Test Results and Drive-By Evaluations

In Education Week, Co-director Thomas Toch argues that when evaluating teachers, test scores should play a supporting rather than a lead role. To get a fuller and fairer sense of performance, evaluations should focus on teachers' instruction—the way they plan, teach, test, manage, and motivate.