Opinion Blog


Rick Hess Straight Up

Education policy maven Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute think tank offers straight talk on matters of policy, politics, research, and reform. Read more from this blog.

Education policy maven Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute think tank (AEI), author of books like The Same Thing Over and Over, Letters to a Young Education Reformer, and A Search for Common Ground, offers straight talk on matters of policy, politics, research, and reform. Rick’s takes are his alone and do not represent AEI or Education Week. Follow Rick on Twitter at @rickhess99.

Education Opinion First-Gen Student Relates Challenges Faced During COVID-19 and Virtual Ed.
Today guest blogger Aimée Eubanks Davis passes the mic to Rishan Campbell, a first-gen college student who just graduated amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Guest Blogger, August 21, 2020
3 min read
Education Opinion Innovation in Higher Ed. Has Never Been More Important
Guest blogger Aimée Eubanks Davis says, "We need to address the resource and social-capital network disparities that often exist between elite private and flagship public institutions and their large public counterparts.
Guest Blogger, August 19, 2020
4 min read
Education Opinion Six Tips for Creating Strong Virtual College Experiences
Guest blogger Aimée Eubanks Davis takes over today to share thoughts on how to create strong virtual learning experiences that help college students build connection, skills, and practical experience.
Guest Blogger, August 17, 2020
3 min read
Education Opinion Changing What's Possible for Kids
"I believe so strongly that we have not only an opportunity but an obligation to act now and reimagine a different future for education in partnership with our students, says guest blogger and TFA CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard.
Guest Blogger, August 14, 2020
4 min read
Education Opinion Showing Up for Our Students
"The reality is this will be an incredibly difficult year for students, families, and teachers. But it cannot be a lost year," says guest blogger and TFA CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard.
Guest Blogger, August 12, 2020
5 min read
Education Opinion Putting Equity at the Center of Our Recovery
"When we pair the highest expectations for our students with teaching that is rooted in love and support, our children can achieve and thrive. We need that now, perhaps more than ever," says guest blogger Elisa Villanueva Beard.
Guest Blogger, August 10, 2020
4 min read
Education Opinion What Can We Carry Forward Beyond COVID-19?
Alex Baron, resident assistant principal of E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in the District of Columbia, asks whether teachers will model the bravery, creativity, and flexible spirit they expect of their students.
Guest Blogger, August 7, 2020
5 min read
Education Opinion A Road Map to Increasing Student Autonomy
Alex Baron, resident assistant principal of E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in the District of Columbia, offers a strategy from elementary through high school to engage students and prepare them for life after K-12.
Guest Blogger, August 5, 2020
5 min read
Education Opinion Why Do Students Hat(e) School?
Alex Baron, resident assistant principal of E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in the District of Columbia, takes over the blog today to explore why on earth students hate school so much.
Guest Blogger, August 3, 2020
5 min read
Education Opinion Introducing Your Guest Stars, Coronavirus Fall Edition
While I'm away on my regular summer sabbatical, Straight Up has a stellar lineup of guests who've kindly agreed to step in.
Rick Hess, July 30, 2020
4 min read
Education Opinion What a Democratic Sweep This Fall Could Mean for Education
The November elections, slightly more than three months away, could be the most momentous for education in American history.
Rick Hess, July 27, 2020
4 min read
Education Opinion Straight Up Conversation: Reimagining Civic Education for the Digital Age
Louise Dubé, the executive director of iCivics, talks to Rick about efforts to revitalize civics education, its challenges, and why it's imperative for the United States to do so.
Rick Hess, July 23, 2020
11 min read
Social Studies Opinion Civics Ed. Needs More Social-Emotional Learning, Less Existential Angst
Civics ed. should be about producing more citizens, community leaders, and public officials who argue respectfully, forge bonds of trust, build new institutions, and find ways to revitalize and repair what seems to be broken.
Rick Hess, July 20, 2020
3 min read
Federal Opinion Trump Botches a Vital Back-to-School Message
President Trump's comments on opening schools boost the odds that reopening—like mask-wearing—will be yanked into the culture wars.
Rick Hess, July 14, 2020
3 min read