Barack Obama
Federal
How Biden’s Revival of Obama Housing Rules Connects to Divisive Issues in Schools
Policy shifts on hot-button topics like residential segregation, student discipline, and Title IX can make educators "punch drunk."
Federal
Biden's Education Transition Team Heavy on Obama Officials and Union Staff
The education team that will guide the transition between the Trump and Biden administrations includes many alumni from the Obama Education Department.
Federal
Betsy DeVos: My COVID-19 Competitive Grants Aren't Like Race to the Top at All
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos tells EdWeek opinion blogger Rick Hess her new competitive grants are "not even a little bit" like the Obama administration's Race to the Top program. Let's examine that claim.
Federal
Trump Order on Guidance Signals Another Shift From Obama Education Era
An executive order signed by President Donald Trump requires guidance from each federal agency to "clearly state that it does not bind the public" except under narrow circumstances.
Federal
Barack Obama Says Education Reform Isn't a 'Cure-All.' Is That a Flip-Flop?
A tweet from the former president about education's role in addressing inequality and lack of opportunities drew split reactions and a chance to review his record and where K-12 stands in the political sphere.
Equity & Diversity
State Attorneys General Tell Betsy DeVos: Keep Obama School Discipline Guidance
DeVos has been weighing whether to rescind the guidance, which has proven to be one of the most controversial initiatives from Obama's education policy team.
Federal
See Which Obama Education Initiatives Trump's Shut Down, and Which Survive
We've taken a new look at how various K-12 initiatives, policies, and other moves by the Obama administration have fared in the Trump era.
Every Student Succeeds Act
How Have Obama's K-12 Policies Fared Under Trump?
President Donald Trump has sought to roll back much of his predecessor's legacy. Here's a guide to some key Obama-era initiatives, guidance, and regulations and how they've fared so far.
Federal
With Key Positions Still Open, Staffing at Ed. Dept. Lags
The Trump team is significantly lagging when it comes to filing top positions at the U.S. Department of Education, compared to the previous administration's pace.
Federal
Miss Obama's Education Department? There's a Website for That
A small group of former Obama political appointees who promoted Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation, and many of the former president's other greatest (or worst) edu-hits have put together a website, Education44.
Federal
Opinion
Strange Days, My Friend
From President Trump's first days in office to a litany of developments exposing the last administration's agenda, these are strange days, indeed.
Equity & Diversity
Video
Schools Named After President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama
Schools across the country have honored President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama by “namesaking—“ naming schools in their honor. These schools paint a panorama of a divided nation, one separated by race, class, and place. More than 90 percent of students who attend the namesake schools are black and Latino. Fewer than 4 percent are white. Students at the Obama schools are nearly 60 percent more likely to qualify for free or low-cost meals than their peers nationwide, according to an Education Week Research Center analysis of federal data. The schools are scattered throughout 11 states, concentrated on the East and West coasts, and are almost exclusively found in urban and suburban areas.
School & District Management
19 Schools Are Named for the Obamas. Most of Them Are Segregated
More than 90 percent of the students who attend the schools bearing the names of either President Obama or first lady Michelle Obama are black or Hispanic, a stark contrast to the racial breakdown of public schools as a whole.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Opinion
A Dispatch From the Outgoing U.S. Education Secretary
In his final Commentary as education secretary, John B. King Jr. considers the state of American schooling.